Washing hand-made knitted/crocheted items?

cc_fame

Has anyone washed hand-made knitted or crocheted items?  I have a few cute things for LO, hand made and special, that I want LO to use, but I don't know about washing them... any advice?  I have a blanket, booties, and 3 hats, and they seem pretty delicate.

h3b

i washed two large hand made blankets in the washing machine, hung them to dry and air fluffed them in the drier to soften - i don't like the way some yarn smells and its especially noticeable on large pieces.

my grandma made him a little blue sweater that i'm not going to wash in the machine, but by hand, and hang dry with an air fluff.

MCC1010

I am hand washing some crochet items that are over 70 years  old from my DH's family. I have been debating if I can use dryel on this stuff afterwards since sometimes they get a funky smell

jessie55

If you know what they are knitted from you can find washing instructions..I usually wash cold and dry flat- my grandma is a master knitter and thats what she tells me to do!

Kelly-renee

Ask what the yarn and material is that they made them from.  I crochet thing and I will put them in the washer without a problem, I'd use the gentle cycle though.  The different yarns tell you on the package how to wash them, like temp of water and if it can be used in the dryer.

SailorPink

it depends on what they are made from. if they are acrylics or even mostly acrylics you can machine wash and dry them. no problem.

if they are 100% wool you should hand wash them, don't agitate too much, don't have the water too hot and dry flat.

i hope that helps! 

JennLuvsMatt

I have knit cycle on my washer so I just used that and then air dryed them. 

melissawillr

I'm a knitter and was talking to the lady at the knitting shop about practical yarns to use for knitting baby items.  I don't want something that I have to handwash when I have a baby around.  Unfortunately to be on the safe side, after people have poured hours into making something special for your baby you don't want to accidently ruin it in the washing machine, and that's why I was told to handwash and lay flat to air dry.  Cottons will be easist, but it will depend on the type of yarn that was used to make the item, when it doubt, handwash.

bergs720

I got a bunch of handmade knit items (hats, mittens, blankets, sweater/shirt things)  as hand-me-downs from friends and I hesitated for a moment when deciding how to wash them, then I realized they didn't have a sentimental value to anyone so i just threw them in the washer (& dryer) and wait and see what happens.  They all came out totally fine.   I didn't want to hassle with special washing for LO (I barely do it for my own clothes)  Although, if they were sentimental pieces, I would be more inclined to hand wash or wash on the gentle cycle and air dry.