Allergies/crochet

[Everyday Crochet]

Drew (thecrochetdude) mae a good point about cats/allergies in another post. I never would have thought of that... as far as sending out blocks for comfortgan's and other swap stuff I plan to make sure I wash anything I give to others.

 

Do most of you wash your items before you give them out?

 

I am curious because I am crocheting hats for an outreach at our church and then they are being shipped to Bulgaria. Would you suggest washing them all before sending them?

[pb&j]

Might be a good idea. I know some people that wash everything just as a matter of course, cats or no.

[Shelleden]

I do. I wash everything I make for people - and put nice-smelling fabric softener in the rinse. I have dogs, a cat, and a bird, so there's lots of dander at my house, I'm sure. I'm probably used to it, but it might be noticeable to others. I would definitely wash it separately, and on gently cycle, though, so it won't "pill" or pick up lint or anything. Don't want it to look "used"....

[melissacrochets]

I wash everything I give away. I have two cats and washing helps get the cat hair/dander out. The washing also softens the fabric - even the stiff kind. I made a poncho for the child of a friend of mine and she was just as impressed with its scent as she was with the poncho itself.

[seagull1993]

Yes, I wash and dry all finished pieces, according to the yarn's care instructions given on the label. If one of the yarns I used in a piece has different care instructions from the other yarn used, then I go with the most gentle of the two care methods given.

 

Anyway, washing the item lets me make sure that it will stay in good condition as far as colors, shape, stitching, etc. Plus, it seems to make the piece nice and soft for the recipient, by removing any "finish" that was on the yarn. :-)

[purplekitty]

I wash everything too, for the same reasons others have posted. I always wash it by itself on gentle. Put in dryer for short period of time with dryer sheet. And it softens it up a bit.

[Empress Busy Bee]

Drew (thecrochetdude) mae a good point about cats/allergies in another post. I never would have thought of that

It's one of the reasons I don't do swaps. I have horrible allergies now and I can't risk it. Ditto cigerette smoke. No offense to anyone.

[DesertCrocheter]

I wash my mom's and my Project Linus blankets in either Dreft or Woolite, than dry in the dryer with a fabric sheet with no perfumes or dyes (Bounce makes one). Then they get folded up and put into a hamper with a lid that is deep in my closet. I go over each one with the lint roller and by hand to remove any fur. With 2 dogs and 3 cats, that's a lot of fur! Only one of my cats has dander, but there's no way I'd risk giving a blanket to charity full of fur. That hamper has got to be the only item in my house that some cat or dog hasn't slept in! Patty (who has no affiliation withthe companies that make the aforementioned products)

[Sue89]

Ditto to what DesertCrocheter said about no perfumes or dyes. I usually try to use detergents and softeners without perfumes whenever possible in case the recipient has allergies. Ever since I broke out in a terrible rash that lasted 3 weeks from Rain Forest scented All I've been leery of scented products. Plus, I'm always afraid they'll think I'm giving them something used if they smell the detergent.

 

I'm also one of those people who has an allergic reaction to anything that has been in the vicinity of a cat, so it's always a good idea to wash those items if there's any chance a cat has been near them. They're so quiet and sneaky you just never know what they've gotten themselves into. My sister was surprised when I had an allergic reaction to a bedspread in a room she believed the cat never went into. Besides, if you think about all the dust and germs that yarn was exposed to in the warehouses and on the store shelves you'd want to wash it before wearing anyway.

[eurolyons]

I try hard to wash everything before I send it out, although this Christmas I basically spaced on that...however, where my things were going to, cats and dogs live...and also some of my friends and family, simply as a matter of course will wash anything new they get, regardless whether I've already washed it or not...

 

This thread is a good reminder...

[donnalynn2]

This is kinda funny. My step-mom is extremely allerigic to many things including cats, dogs, smoke of any kind, perfumes, dust, the list goes on a on. I made my dad a lapghan made with boucle for Christmas. (It never dawned on me to wash it before sending. We have 2 dogs.) Anyway, she called me Friday to tell me that her and my step sister have been fighting over it. It's so warm and soft and they both love cuddling up with it. Now, if my mom is so allergic, how is it that she can cuddle up in the blanket I made (with 2 doggies crawling all over it while I made it) and it doesn't bother her... Hmmmm, very interesting!

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

Some people do have horrible allergies to cats, dogs, perfumes, dyes, etc. I have a couple friends who are very allergic to many things, so I wash their items in a detergent for babies. Others I wash with my regular detergent.

 

I always wash anything I give away to make sure it is clean and to make sure nothing comes undone. A few weaved in ends always seem to find their way out, so I check that too after everything has been washed and dried.

 

Nicole

[Empress Busy Bee]

They're so quiet and sneaky you just never know what they've gotten themselves into. My sister was surprised when I had an allergic reaction to a bedspread in a room she believed the cat never went into.

Fur and dander float around the house, so even if you don't let them in or near your work, it could find it's way there.

 

[clocke]

You know, all the above should have occurred to me, but it didn't. I'm glad this thread was started.

 

As it is, I already use a no dye/no perfume detergent on my own clothes. Before I send anything to anyone, I'll be washing from now on.

 

Thanks for the heads-up, y'all!