https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:00:18 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1084049 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 21:14:33 +0000 pastrygirl 1084049@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Just a note of caution -- my "hand wash" setting (95F) is warmer than my "cold" setting (65F) so I never use it. I use the cold setting in my front-loader and change the spin to delicate. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083974 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 20:14:14 +0000 Aquamarine 1083974@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I use my washing machine for hand washables, but I use it like you would use a bathtub. I fill it with cool/cold water, add a gentle soap (or shampoo), a dash of vinegar (forget the reason why, but it's recommended for wool). Add the sweaters and let them soak. Keep the machine off. After a while, manually turn the knob to rinse, skipping any agitation cycles. Repeat rinse if water is still soapy. Then move the knob to the spin setting, and let the machine spin the water out of the items. Block or lay flat to dry...the final spin will remove a LOT of water. Your sweaters may even dry overnight.</p> <p>This is NOT a complicated process once you do it once or twice....the important thing is to be sure to skip the agitation cycle! I have never ruined a sweater using this method. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083956 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 20:01:01 +0000 Lisa 1083956@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great insight here.&nbsp; It sounds like the agitation was the culprit since I used cold water.&nbsp; I'm glad I found out before I washed anymore sweaters! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083911 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 19:42:34 +0000 Glory 1083911@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I would try the rewash and block / stretch out to the size you want to dry and see if that works. I have had some great success with this method. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083900 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 19:34:33 +0000 Anonymous 1083900@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>To shrink wool to felt it, you use hot water and/or air (dryer) and also agitate it. It may have been the agitation of the wash cycle that did the shrinking. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083852 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 18:53:08 +0000 kellygirl 1083852@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You should be able to re-wet and re-shape a cotton sweater&nbsp;to the correct size. I didn't read all of the responses but I typically put sweaters in a garment bag on the delicate cycle, cold water or I hand wash in a tub and roll it in a towel to absorb excess water, then lay to dry on a sweater rack.&nbsp;</p> <p>I would always use a delicate cycle over permanent press because there will be less agitation. Agitation and temperature will cause felting of a wool/cashmere sweater--which means shrinking. A felted sweater will likely never be salvaged unless you want to repurpose it into a hot pad.&nbsp;</p> <p>Natural animal fibers like wool and cashmere do great in a delicate/hand wash cycle in cold water. I don't dry clean (I generally avoid that label, period.) Now, off to read what the wise YLF'er had to say. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083783 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 18:07:53 +0000 Lisa 1083783@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for the tips.</p> <p>I did use the cold water setting on the machine and I typically hang sweaters to dry on a drying rack.&nbsp; They are folded in the middle so they can drape over the rack.&nbsp; </p> <p>I tried to pull on the sweater's arms and torso to stretch it out because it looked suspiciously small when it was wet.&nbsp; Unfortunately, it's still a size too small.&nbsp; I'm going to try washing it one more time and see if I can stretch it anymore.</p> <p>The material is cotton, so maybe it was not preshrunk cotton and that's why it shrunk? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083614 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 16:17:33 +0000 Diana 1083614@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I sometimes wash wool sweaters on cold using the delicates cycle (I have shared washing machines in my apt. building so no fancy hand wash cycles or anything).&nbsp; I put them in a lingerie bag or pillowcase if I'm worried about something snagging.&nbsp; Generally it is fine.&nbsp; Felting and shrinking happen when you have the combination of heat and agitation, so if you use gentle cycle and cold water it should be fine.&nbsp; Although there are some fibers that will just shrink the first time you wash them (actually, cotton that is not preshrunk is the worst culprit); that's just the nature of the beast.&nbsp; But most wool should be fine.&nbsp; </p> <p></p> <p>&lt;getting on soapbox now... you have been warned&gt;</p> <p>But PLEASE do not hang your sweaters to dry!!!!!!&nbsp; You need to dry them flat and block them into shape.&nbsp; You can pin them out on a towel if you want to block more severely.&nbsp; Hanging will stretch things out (like shoulders) that you really do not want to stretch, and causes undue stress on the fibers because they are heavy when wet.&nbsp; Silk in particular is extremely fragile when wet (although it is interestingly very strong when dry).&nbsp; It's OK to hang something light like a silk blouse to dry, but a silk knit should always be dried flat.&nbsp; Blocking is a much better way to get the length back where you want it without damaging the sweater.&nbsp; </p> <p>I hand wash (or delicate machine wash) ALL my wool sweaters regardless of whether or not they say to dry clean.&nbsp; The exception would be if it had something like leather trim that you can't get wet.&nbsp; It's actually bad for wool to dry clean it, it weakens the fibers, plus dry cleaning chemicals are nasty.&nbsp; </p> <p></p> <p>&lt;/soapbox&gt;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083548 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 15:25:12 +0000 Angie 1083548@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Did you use cold water? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083526 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 14:57:17 +0000 JAileen 1083526@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've seen on several threads here at YLF people saying they put wool (and possibly cashmere) sweaters in the washing machine. I find this shocking because that is exactly how I deliberately felt wool. I have a lot of beautiful handknit sweaters and vests that I spent hours and hours knitting, and I take the time to hand wash them. A washing machine can cause the knit to be rubbed or abraded, which is what causes shrinking and felting.</p> <p>If you're short on time, dry cleaning is ok. I prefer hand wash because the knits smell better and there are no nasty chemicals used. I use baby shampoo. </p> <p>I always lay sweaters flat to dry. For a heavy sweater, such as an Aran, its own weight on a hanger can stretch it. To speed up drying, I put them on a sweater dryer, and use a small fan to blow away the humid air. A sweater can dry in half the time this way. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083524 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 14:55:53 +0000 Alexandra 1083524@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>1) It depends. What type of fiber is it? Wool, for instance, shrinks (felts) with agitation and temperature changes. The machine might provide both, thus shrinking your sweater.</p> <p>2) Yes. If the care label says hand wash, they mean hand wash. Not permanent press. If your machine has a hand wash cycle, it will approximate the agitation your item would receive with a careful wash in the sink. Permanent press is much more agitation.</p> <p>3) This is a matter of preference. My preference is to hand wash (I'm a control freak). The manufacturer is telling you it makes no difference.</p> <p>I hope this helps and also that you can reshape your sweater to its original size. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083523 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 14:55:46 +0000 carter 1083523@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I was visiting my daughter a couple weeks ago. We went shopping one day, and she took me to a store she really likes. It's kind of an Urban Outfitters vibe, except that everything is one size fits all (right!). She found a couple things, and I grabbed this sweater for weekend wear. The first time I wore it, it grew to enourmous proportions. I wanted it to shrink a bit, so instead of handwashing and lying flat to dry as I think the label icons wanted me to do, I threw it in a lingerie bag and into the washer on the handwash cycle. The first picture is what I pulled out of the washer. It went from ginourmous to something that might fit a 3 year old. I hung it to dry, and after about 3 days of drying, it had grown to its current size in the second picture...still oversized, but not ridiculously so. Hopefully yours will grow as it hang dries as well. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083522 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 14:55:21 +0000 El Cee 1083522@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Lisa -- I have occasionally had the same problem, although most of my hand washables fare just fine in delicate/cold water cycle on my machine. I think&nbsp;that the agitator in a washing machine can sometimes be a little rough on garments. (I now have a top loader machine with no agitator and have noticed a big difference in condition of my clothing, especially the more delicate items.) As modgrl suggested, perhaps you could block or reshape the sweater while damp, laying it flat to dry. I have done this in the past with wool sweaters. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083519 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 14:50:54 +0000 Suz 1083519@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>If your washing machine has a hand wash cycle, use it or the delicate cycle. The water will be cold/ cold and the spin will be gentler. So it is a better choice for clothes that are hand-washable.&nbsp;</p> <p>Your sweaters should not shrink in a cold water wash in the machine but you may have to "block" them slightly (i.e. gently shape/ stretch) them before drying flat.&nbsp;</p> <p>Typically unless the sweater has beading or some detail that could catch in the machine, I would always hand wash (for real) or hand wash/ delicate wash&nbsp;in the washing machine vs. dry clean. That's for all wool, cashmere, and blends of same.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083516 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 14:45:44 +0000 Peri 1083516@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'll be watching this...I want the same answers! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083513 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 14:41:43 +0000 modgrl 1083513@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What would happen if you layed it out to dry and reshaped it into it's original shape? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/trying-not-to-shrink-my-sweaters#post-1083491 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 14:26:11 +0000 Lisa 1083491@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi,</p> <p>I have a sweater that shrunk in the wash.&nbsp; I always hang sweaters to dry.</p> <p>1.&nbsp; The label says to hand wash and I put it in the washing machine.&nbsp; Does the washing machine really shrink clothes?&nbsp; </p> <p>I expect a dry clean only item to shrink in the washer, but I was surprised to see a hand wash item shrink.&nbsp; </p> <p>2.&nbsp; My washing machine has a hand wash cycle, would this cycle have been a better chioce than permanent press?</p> <p>3.&nbsp; I also have some sweaters that say hand wash or dry clean.&nbsp; Which is the better option?</p> <p>Thanks! </p>