How do you launder (wash) your crochet items?

[Barbara G.]

Crochet items from time to time need to be laundered, or washed. So, how do you launder (wash) your crochet items?

[little drummer]

Depending on what the item is, I will either hand wash it, lay flat to dry, or just wash it in the wash machine on gentle, sometimes fluff to dry and depending on the yarn, will dry completely. I really like the yarn that can be machine washed and machine dried it takes the guess work out of it. I forgot one time and washed a wool yarn item in the machine and then dried it, needless to say it was not the same after that. The sweater for a human went to being a doll sweater. (OOPS)

[LI Roe]

Same here, afghans get washed in gentle cycle and popped in the dryer for a few minutes only, then laid out to dry. Others, when needed, are also on gentle cycle, I hate hand washing and buy very little that has to be hand washed. Some of the very pretty yarns are hand wash only and I think it is ridiculous when they are for childrens items so I don't buy that type of yarn.

Roe

[Pixieglitter]

I make mostly large afghan blankets and I always toss them in the washer and dry then in the dryer. I keep that in mind when I'm making an afghan. I use acrylic yarn and when I change colors I tie the yarn in a good knot and sew the tails in really good. It keeps everything from coming unraveled in the washer.

Shelley

[Mary Laposta]

I like to launder in the machine on gentle. I tend to get yarn that is dryer safe as well. I wash the doilies by hand though, then just lay flat to air dry. I made that mistake once with a beautiful wool sweater once too. Another time, I used bleach on a white wool sweater without knowing bleach will burn wool and quickly turned it to a hideous shade with uneven blotches.

[Polishgirl]

After you hand wash item/items, toss them to your wash machine and turn on "spin". All the water out of that, it will spin-out. That item will dry much faster when you are flat drying (air drying).
Krys
PS: When the item is delicate use those special bags for delicates ( they don't come very big). If something is bigger use pillow protectors and put that in & zip up. I do that all the time. I even put my nightgowns in a pillow protectors and wash and dry in it. My little doggie toys I wash/dry them the same way. That is good for sweaters too.
Pillow protectors are usually sold in places where pillows, sheets are sold.

[Polishgirl]

I make mostly large afghan blankets and I always toss them in the washer and dry then in the dryer. I keep that in mind when I'm making an afghan. I use acrylic yarn and when I change colors I tie the yarn in a good knot and sew the tails in really good. It keeps everything from coming unraveled in the washer.

Shelley

I always weave the ends very, very, very securely. I tied them too in more places than one (each one). My ends never come loose and they never will!. And I try to do that, so would not be visible. That is why it takes a lot longer to finish the project.
Krys

[Rogue Hobbies]

I use mainly acrylic yarns, so I throw them in the washer and dryer on the lowest settings. I wash doilies by hand, but anything else that is cotton {like bernat handicrafter or lily's sugar and cream}, I throw it in the washer on the lowest setting and then lay it flat to dry.

[jmt]

I recently spilt a small amont of coffee on some cowls I made for my charity group and but them in the wasjing machine on gentle and dried on low temp. They came out prefectly.

[debbiespoms@yahoo.com]

I don't use acrylic yarn. So, all my crochet goodies get hand washed and I use baby laundry detergent on them..It's very gentle on the yarn and they smell good too,lol! I flat dry as well.