How to deliberately shrink wool

**Saffy** · June 17th, 2014, 08:32 AM

I few years ago I knitted a mohair cardigan/shrug thing, it's beautiful but waaay too large. I realised halfway through but was committed then. I wore it a few times but don't now, so I was thinking maybe I can deliberately shrink it in the wash and then I might wear it again.

Do I just put it in a hot wash?

It's not going to be a major issue if it shrinks irregularly as it is really 'free form' anyway, and seeing as I don't wear it, nothing will really be lost.

Any thoughts?

**ladybirdflies** · June 17th, 2014, 08:53 AM

If the wash is too hot it will felt and be kid size. I would try a warm wash first and go from there. Maybe 40c?

**Saffy** · June 17th, 2014, 08:58 AM

Oh fair enough thanks. I am dumb at these types of things lol.

Will go with warm and see what happens. I do manage to shrink things accidentally all the time so I should be good at it

**onthefly** · June 17th, 2014, 11:41 AM

It will felt if you hot wash it. (You can hot wash wool without felting if you're very careful to raise and lower the temperature extremely slowly.)
If you have no other use for the cardy, then give it a go, I guess.

**meow** · June 17th, 2014, 11:57 AM

Give it a go and if you felt it you can convert it to kids toys

**ladybirdflies** · June 17th, 2014, 01:22 PM

if it felts too much you can make really cool arm warmers out of them... google arm warmers from recycled jumpers!

**kateo** · June 17th, 2014, 08:57 AM

You can just put it in a hot wash BUT it will probably shrink and harden and not stay lovely and soft.
I would be inclined to unravel and re-knit or if you have any wool left over knit a small square (like the tension test ones you do before using a pattern) and experiment with shrinking that and drying it before you try the whole garment.
Mohair can be made into felt so I would be worried you'll get a felt effect if you try to just heat shrink.
Good luck.

**peanutter** · June 18th, 2014, 12:11 AM

Option A

1. Eat lots of Nutella.
2. Get fatter.
3. Magical fit!

Option B

1. Give me jumper.
2. Ask me to wash.
3. Accidental shrinkage

**Saffy** · June 18th, 2014, 07:23 AM

Argggh, hot wash didn't shrink it!
I think the thermostat on our hot water thing isn't up high due to having a small child, so maybe the heat wasn't hot enough.
Only have an old washing machine with cold/warm/hot settings.
It's also getting a bit roughed up now from the washes, had it on wool setting but I have a top loader and it must be too rough, I hating there was a dropped stitch which is now opening up.
Might have to give up and pull out the wool in the hope I get time to knit it again one day.

**ladybirdflies** · June 18th, 2014, 07:52 AM

Argggh, hot wash didn't shrink it!
I think the thermostat on our hot water thing isn't up high due to having a small child, so maybe the heat wasn't hot enough.
Only have an old washing machine with cold/warm/hot settings.
It's also getting a bit roughed up now from the washes, had it on wool setting but I have a top loader and it must be too rough, I hating there was a dropped stitch which is now opening up.
Might have to give up and pull out the wool in the hope I get time to knit it again one day.

Typical that you want to actually shrink it and it does not work!!!

**Saffy** · June 18th, 2014, 07:59 AM

I know!! I think it's bigger lol, it's a very loose knit so maybe that's the problem.

Meanwhile I just got a jacket back from the dry cleaners that I am positive has shrunk grr

**meow** · June 18th, 2014, 08:04 AM

Maybe you should send it to the dry cleaners

**ladybirdflies** · June 18th, 2014, 09:32 AM

I know!! I think it's bigger lol, it's a very loose knit so maybe that's the problem.

Meanwhile I just got a jacket back from the dry cleaners that I am positive has shrunk grr

Oh my!!! hahaha!

I think unravel and start again, if you don't have a front loader it is probably going to ruin the fabric from all of this washing!

**onthefly** · June 18th, 2014, 11:30 PM

Why not boil some water and hand wash it. It doesn't need washing as such, just heat, right?

**Saffy** · June 19th, 2014, 04:22 PM

Yeah I was tossing up that or unravelling it, the reality is I won't get time to reknit it in the near future so maybe will try the boiling water trick.

**ladybirdflies** · June 19th, 2014, 06:55 PM

You need soap and agitation to felt it, I don't think the hot water alone will do it.

**myturn** · June 18th, 2014, 08:10 AM

I shrunk a wool jumper of DHs once... It now fits DSD.... She's 12.

It washed okay in the hot washing machine... But didn't survive the dryer...
Do you, or someone you know, have a dryer....