Care for Knits in 3 Simple Steps
When I’m shopping I always lead with a hand. That is, I have to touch things before I will even consider buying. I’ve always been a tactile person so to buy something it has to have the right feel.
When I was chatting with Toast and Yarn founder Becky Gravenor, we bonded over our love of quality fabrics. We both had mothers that taught us the importance of fabric and how fabric composition and care contributes to its longevity.
I am not a knitter. I can sew a straight hem ok but working with my hands to actual craft something is outside my wheelhouse. That said, as a stylist working in Toronto and virtually across Canada, I can promise you there is nothing better than a well constructed, quality piece of clothing. It feels good on and how a quality piece hangs and wears is immediately noticeable.
One of the things that first drew me to Toast and Yarn was the truly handmade nature of their knits. Each piece is carefully and lovingly crafted with 100% Merino Wool. And the colours. The COLOURS! A dream. But, I’ve seen it time and again when a client loves a knit but won’t purchase because they’re terrified of ruining it. They tell me that laundering wool confuses them so they won’t buy it even if they adore the cut and the colour. What a tragedy!
Washing your knits needn’t be so scary. Need more proof? Let’s breakdown wool care lifted from Toast and Yarn’s adorable instruction card that comes with every new piece.
Soak. Use a mild detergent (she recommends Soak detergent which doesn’t require rinsing). Place your garment in lukewarm water and gently rock the knitwear in the water to disperse the soap. We don’t want any harsh rubbing or wringing. Just some gentle agitation to make sure every nook and cranny gets cleaned.
Drain. After it’s happy little bath, let the water out of the tub or sink (I usually use the tub so my knits have lots of room to swim). Get two towels and place one under and one over your knit and gently roll into a log to get rid of the extra moisture. I find I often have to repeat this step so go slow – again no wringing or rubbing – we just want to take some of the moisture out.
Dry. Find a flat drying surface (a drying rack works great because it will let the knit air dry from top and bottom), carefully re-shape your garment and let your beloved knit sit until she’s all dry. This can take some time so be patient.
And that’s it! Three simple steps to refresh your beautiful knits. You can repeat this process as often as you feel necessary.
Knits do take some care and attention – but honestly isn’t that what we all want? Just a slow soak and some time to pause before we re-enter the world.
