Hi everyone. I love reading your ideas & tips, and especially the gorgeous pictures of hand-knits. I have been a knitter & dyer forever and have gotten in the habit of washing yarns before I knit - even hand dyed yarns I buy from other dyers. That way I am certain to remove any remaining oils and/or dye residue (Colourmart's yarns NEVER have residue, they are beautifully dyed) and rinse in Downey or Snuggle. This gives me fresh smelling yarn that is pre-shrunk and super clean. This also ensures the yarn is fluffy and my gauge is even! As I read in another post - the right way is what works for each person, the main thing is to enjoy making your project! Thanks, Danette

Hi,

I just ordered the Innocent Blush. I see it has to be washed. Not a biggie- however, is it better to wash this before or AFTER I crochet with it- ie., how much yardage will I lose from each cone?

First the Silk:
I just wanted to add my experience washing the Oiled DK Silk. First I un-wound the silk with my swift and tied it in four places to keep it tidy.I then washed it in the sink with good quality hair shampoo and really warm water. I let it sit for about 10-15 mins. I then repeated the wash again. Waiting only 5-10 mins this time. Next I used cool water and about a half a cup of white vinegar, let it sit for 5 mins and then soaked and rinsed it well with pure cool water for another 5 mins. To dry I squeezed the water out then wrapped the silk in towels until it was just damp. Changing towels as often as nessasary. I then let it air dry flat over night. It came out beautifully. I did lose a wee bit of dye on the first wash but none after that. The silk was shiny and supple after drying. I thought it might go hard but it didn't. Now I can wind it into balls and not have to worry about color loss, shrinkage or working with oiled yarn.
Cashmere:
I un-wound the Cashmere the same way as the silk. Then washed it in hot water and Dawn Dish Washing Liquid. I repeated the wash one more time soaking it for 10-15 mins the first time and then 5-10 mins the second. Next I rinsed it with cool pure water. The last rinse was with warm water and good quality Hair Conditioner. Let it sit in the last rinse for 5 mins. Squeeze out water and dry the same way as the Silk.
I hope this helps. I know I would hate to use this yarn oiled and take a chance with shrinkage after knitting a project with it.
Colleen

This is my experience as a Cashmere producer. Cashmere does not become more fragile after the first washing. Over agitating will cause some felting action, but not as much as wool. Cashmere fibers bind and hold twist to a greater extent than other fibers which is one of the reasons quality Cashmere will not pill. The "style" or kinkiness of the fiber locks the twist and stray fibers do not come loose and ball up in the manner that creates pilling.

I wash my raw Cashmere in Dawn dish soap and rinse in a slight vinegar rinse to re-acidify the yarn to a natural pH balance. I have used water soluble oils in my raw cashmere when dehairing by hand (a brutal and tedious process). The purpose of the oils assists in keeping the fine and lofting fibers from becoming lost through static electricity and simply floating away. A shearing shed, or goats barn is covered with the fine fibers everywhere. After shearing we are sneezing Cashmere for a week!

If knitters saw the condition of raw Cashmere fiber and what this fiber goes through to get to the luxury yarns here, you would be far less worried about it's delicate nature. Over handling of the fiber will cause it ball or tangle but that is prior to it's spun condition. Once quality Cashmere is spun, it doesn't want to "unspin". And if you saw the level of disrespect my goats give their luxury winter coats, you would all relax and have a good chuckle.

It's tough stuff! Enjoy!

Pre- washed measurements Cashmere 2/28

Height: 3.5 inches
Width: 10 inches
Stiches Per Inch: 8.5

Washed in hot as could stand water and a litte sqirt of Dawn Direct Foam Dish soap
Rinsed once in hot water - no additive
Rinsed once in hot water - add Clairol Hair dye conditioner (the little tube that comes with the dye)
Blotted with towel, ran hairdryer over half, left to airdry on the towel - no pins
Hairdryer side doesn't look different than airdry only side.

post wash measurements

Height: 3 inches
Width: 13 inches
SPI: 7.5


Through washing and blocking
lost
.5 height
1 SPI

gained
3 width

Swatch is luxuriously soft and airy after washing/drying prior to treatment swatch was semi-soft and had a weight to it.

when yarn arrives on cone, how do you prewash it before knitting? And if you put garment already made in hot water, say it's of plied lace weight cashmere,
will it shrink enormously? Do you have to knit it in larger size than you want finished garment to be to account for shrinkage?
Diane

I'm afraid to wash a newly finished knit garment in hot hot water. I use cold and baby shampoo...then block flat. It takes a couple of washings to fully bloom.
Diane

I have just ordered some of your oiled cashmere yarns & mohair yarn, is it better to wash the yarn prior to using the yarn or to wash the finished project? How much shrinkage should I expect? Also are the mohairs oiled as well?

Please advise.

Thank you,
Kim K
Clinton, MI

Hello, I am French and I am just discovering these wonderful yarns. I have made swatches with Heavy lace weight 100% cashmere. I knit directly from the cone, two strands together with a 3,5 mm needlle. My experience is that after washing, it lost about 20% in height but hardly anything in width.My knitting is rather loose, though. After washing, it changed completely. It is beautiful, rather dense and so soft. I think I will start with a scarf so that I am not too surprised. I have hardly any idea of how much I can get with 2 cones. Maybe a vest?

My question is about the second washing and the followings. I understood the first washing to remove the oil. But then does this yarn become fragile and should it then not touch hot water anymore?

Thank you for your advice.

I have had great luck up to now- however I just finished a top in Richard's 2/7 nm DK weight in dark spice and it shrunk so much- that it won't fit....this is unusual in my findings, but something we need to consider after a months knitting.....

Do you need to wash the 100% silk as well (like the wool) before knitting?

What will happen if I do not wash and shrink the yarn. If I don't will the garment smell? And, if I don't and I wash the garment in cool water and lay flat to dry will it still shrink. I am totally new to "oiled cashmere" and would like to order some but not until I would know what I would or should be doing.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Shirley,
Reno, NV
USA

WASHING:All natural silk is washable if it is treated with proper care and respect. Most soaps are harmful to silk and can affect the dyes. Use a non-alkaline soap such as Orvus Paste, available at feed & tack shops, or an olive-oil soap, such as KissMyFace, available in natural food stores (grate into small pieces and dissolve in water ready for use). Use a soft, lukewarm, non-alkaline water. To neutralize traces of alkali add a little pure white vinegar to the second-to-last rinse. The final rinse should always be in pure water. Once the silk has been washed, it can be rolled in a towel to absorb excess water andlaid flat to dry. Silk that is worn next to the skin should be washed frequently. The chloride salts and acids of perspiration should not be left on fibres for a long time, they weaken and rot the silk. IRONING:Handwoven silk fabric rarely needs more than a light pressing. Yarns are usually substantial and resilient so the fabric shouldn't wrinkle much. The iron should be set low, like a Rayon setting; high heat destroys silk. In most cases you can iron directly on silk. If a metallic looking shine develops use a press cloth between fabric and iron, or iron on the wrong side. Steam can be used on most silk fabrics. If silk fabric is thin use a dry iron, steam can cause fine fabrics to pucker. FINISHING:Slik may have tendency to dry "stiff" after washing and drying due to residue sericin. This is especially true of a fabric right after it is woven or knit. The amount of finishing required for subsequent wearing and washing is much less. The best time to start the finishing is while he silk goes from damp to dry. Fluff it up or shake it a little two or three times or put it into the dryer on a delicate cycle for a short time. After washing and pressing "whap" the silk against the soft edge of the ironing board to restore lustre and softness. DRYCLEANING: Drycleaning is reccommended only if the dyes will bleed. This is especially true of fine prints, iridescent fabrics and silks coming from developing countries where finishing techniques are not exact.
All of this info comes from Karen Selk of TreenwaySilks.com
This is probably more info than you needed but better too much knowledge than not enough.

Can someone enlighten me on washing the 100% silk for the first time? It is my understanding that silk doesn't like heat, so will a wash in tepid/cool water with the Dawn degreasing dishsoap do the trick? Thanks!
Iris in Iowa

My washing 'technique' is to (as suggested by this site) fill a bucket with super hot water. Add a squirt or two of Dawn dishwashing detergent, then my hanked out yarn. I let it sit for a few minutes and swirl the yarn a bit. Dump out that water, and rinse with same temp water (added a bit of Pantene conditioner). Squeeze out liquid and put into my dryer with the tennis shoe attachment insert (the yarn sits on a flat platform, no tumbling) and dry for 10 minutes on gentle cycle. I was surprised by the shrinkage of the laceweight yarn. My 64 inch prewashed hank became 55 inches post wash. For me, I'd rather shrink first rather than be surprised later. And it didn't take that much time to do.

In washing aran weight, I found that using Dove dishwashing soap worked well- with the DK-just shampoo, both with fairly hot water. Hot rinse, with hair conditioner (keep in mind, I'm handwashing) spin in washing machine to remove almost all of the water, and block.

In terms of detergent, washing up soap works very well as it is designed to removed grease. I used normal Fairy liquid (UK product) and felt the bloom come up even while still in the water!

just testing, you can leave comments but not photos yet...