Need help with how to wash finished item

[jldozer]

Hi all, I'm a newbie to crochet and taught myself, so I don't have anyone to give me any advice.

 

Anyway, I've finished my first project and want to wash it. Here's my questions:

 

Do you just throw it in the machine? Gentle cycle? Or hand wash?

 

Use liquid fabric softener? Or fabric softener sheet in dryer. (This shawl is using Red Heart yarn so it definately needs softened up.)

 

Dry in dryer? Low heat, no heat?

or allow to air dry flat?

 

Thanks so much for any help / suggestions!

[Daisy]

When i wash an item made with Red Heart yarn, I wash it in the machine on the gentle cycle....no fabric softener, unless you want it to be limpy soft. Then I put it in the dryer, with a dryer fabric softener sheet, and dry it on a low setting. Hope this helps.

[dulcet_ambrosia]

I do pretty much the same thing. I usually make baby blankets to give away as gifts, so I use some woolite when I wash it in the washer. I don't really bother with the gentle cycle, I just throw it in there. Then I put it in the dryer with a dryer sheet until it's about half dry. Then I lay it out on a towel to dry the rest of the way. I almost always use red heart yarn, or caron simply soft, and everything turns out perfectly.

[jldozer]

Thank you both for your experience! I've never washed anything and don't want to ruin it after I put all this time in it.

 

I'll have to learn how to post pics in the show and tell and post it there.

[RoseRed]

With RH I just toss it in the wash on warm (I have hard water so cold water doesn't actually wash anything) and then I toss it in the dryer with a sheet or 2. I don't use liquid softener, so...

 

The best part is if any of your ends are going to come loose they will so you can clip them before you wear it.

[Elvee]

I do the same, wash on warm, delicate cycle, dry on my knits cycle with a fabric softener sheet.

 

Lorry

[jldozer]

Thank you all!! I was so afraid to wash it (I've never washed any crochet before) and didn't want to ruin all this work I just finished.

 

Anyway, I washed it on warm with my regular detergent with a load of towels. Then dried in it the dryer on delicate cycle with a dryer sheet. Not only did it not come apart but the yarn is SOOOO much softer now.

 

It's almost 1:00 a.m. here and I gotta go to bed. So I'll take some pics tomorrow and post them.

 

Again, thanks all for the suggestions.

[jldozer]

I washed it up and here it is:

 

Shawl