Sometimes the choice of yarn seems to be guided by care restrictions. For instance: few people would choose to make a baby gift out of cashmere. You know that thing is going to need washing, and you know the new mom won’t thank you for making that more complicated than it needs to be!
(I usually recommend a cotton blend or superwash merino for babies, fwiw. Easy on the skin and easy to wash.)
But often, I think people are unnecessarily scared off by “hand wash only” tags. Here’s why.
Don’t wash too often!
First: natural wool hardly ever needs washing (baby clothes aside). It enjoys a layer of protection, thanks to the lanolin, that means it tends not to absorb dirt or odour. Try to air your sweaters regularly by hanging them outside, or in a steamy bathroom, to help keep them fresh.
If you get a spill or a splash, spot cleaning will probably sort that out. You should also wash your woollies before packing them away for the summer, to make them less attractive to moths. But that once-a-year bath might genuinely be enough.
(Or go Nordic and leave your sweaters in a pile of snow!)
The wool cycle is often the right choice
Second: even garments made with “machine washable” wool, or other fibres, should probably be washed with care. It’s not just about felting: hand knit fabric is more susceptible to distortion than machine knits. You don’t want to squeeze the life out of those beautiful stitches!
So all my sweaters get the same treatment, regardless of what the label says. I put them in the machine on the wool “handwash” setting, at 20ºC. But not all machines are created equal! This has worked for me for years, with quite a few different machines, but I have heard horror stories. If you haven’t tried this before, be sure to test your machine first, maybe with a pile of wool swatches. (Finally, a use for those old swatches!)
Important: don’t put your woollies in a pillowcase or laundry bag to “protect” them – this just adds more agitation and makes them more likely to felt. Protect them through careful washing: small, gentle loads (whether in the machine or by hand) without aggressive spinning or squeezing.
Instead, lay your wet things on a towel, lay another towel on top, roll them up – and give them a good stomping! Very satisfying, and very effective. Then lay them flat to dry, never hang them up.
And don’t forget that in some cases (like lace shawls), you may need to block it all over again. File that under “more reasons not to wash too often”…