How to Wash a WIP

[The_Virginia_Hooker]

Unpacking a box the other night, i found an afghan (q hook 3 strand) that i'd been working one over a year ago. It's covered in my dog's hair, and to beat all, i was drinking a regular soda while i was working, and OF COURSE, i knocked it over right one the skeins and the WIP. I blotted as much as i could, but it's ALL sticky, as in, there's no way i can continue working on this blanket as it is, since it's like trying to crochet with pancake syrup or something.

 

 

I am trying to figure out the best way to machine wash all of it without it being a big mess of knots. Should i cut the skeins away from the WIP, and place the skeins in old tube socks to wash, or leave them attached? How should i temporarily 'fasten' the WIP so that it doesn't unravel too much in the wash?

[faedragon]

Do not try to was with skeins of yarn attached in any fashion. End off all the yarn like you would if it were finished, wash the article, dry the article ,then reattach yarn and finish.

[MaryPat]

I agree with first Faedragon. You can end it with a slip through, create a small loop of yarn and fasten the loop to the WIP with a safety pin or plastic stitch holder. If it's not too large, you can wash it inside a pillow case and that will reduce the effects of the machine washing.

 

The skein of yarn can be put inside a knee high panty hose to wash. I don't know if you're going to have to un-ravel them so that the middles dry adequately. Some skeins will dry nicely in the dryer. If that were the case, I'd try something like those small cookie racks to wrap it around. The size should make the unraveling go fast, while the rack wires will allow air around it.

 

One last note: I'm assuming this isn't wool in which case you'd risk felting it with machine wash. In that case, soak it in your bathtub and then run it through your washer's spin action to get the water out. Drip dry.

[rshseaeagle]

I did the same thing with a glass of cranberry juice. I cut the two skeins and put them in tube socks, washed and dried them and they came out lovely. It was RHSS and the center dried in the dryer with no problem.

 

Good Luck,

Toni