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2totangle
Permanent Resident
1159 Posts |
 Posted - 10/12/2009 : 10:51:55 AM
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A story appropriate for Halloween. I need to preface this long post with the confession that I am very lazy about washing and blocking my swatches, so you know right off that I deserve whatever I get. However, even if I had washed and blocked my swatch this time, I'm not sure I would have believed the results. I might well have gone whistling past the graveyard and had the same bizarre experience.
Anyway, the story is this. I knit all the major pieces of Shirley Paden's Tie-Front Cardigan from VK Holiday 2006 (http://store.vogueknitting.com/p-402-tie-front-cardigan.aspx), substituting Mondial Extrafine for the slightly heavier Zarina. I carefully tracked my (unblocked) gauge and made significant adjustments to account for changes in row gauge and my shrimpy stature, so I actually worked fewer repeats than the original. Then I gave it a little bath in tepid water with Eucalan.
Cue ominous music.
When I took it out to block, I first admired how much the beautiful Frost Flowers pattern had opened up. Then I realized that the pieces had grown to alarming proportions. I had mental images of this gorgeous creamy lace being worn by Shaquille O'Neal. Rather than "blocking," I smooshed it all into its previous dimensions and quickly closed the door. It was only then that I picked up my Knitter's Book of Yarn and read:
quote:
Perhaps the most important drawback of the superwash process, however, has to do with stretching. . . . Some superwash wools can stretch dramatically with washing.
Frankly, it had never occurred to me that a yarn with similar gauge, fiber, and look might still be entirely unsuitable for a project. And since it can't be spit-spliced, it's not really suitable for re-working into a nice, big lacy shawl, either.
So here's the thing. During two days in solitary confinement, it quietly slunk back to its pre-washed state. It's now sitting there looking all innocent and, well, pretty, as if the entire radioactive growth thing were a hallucination. It doesn't even threaten to stretch abnormally while hanging up. I'm now inclined to do the finishing and hope never to be caught in a sudden shower (not generally a problem in my arid climate, anyway). But having seen the beast that lurks within, I'm not sure that wearing it won't lead to some public spectacle.
So, KR members, do you predict that this FO will misbehave publicly at inopportune moments? Or do you think it will only be an issue for future washings?
Suzanne
Flickr pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/2totangle/
Ravelry project page: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/2totangle |
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Bethany
Permanent Resident
USA
1546 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2009 : 3:29:33 PM
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I don't know, but I had a similar experience with Karabella Aurora 8. The yarn grew significantly when it was washed -- which I expected, since it's superwash. But then it shrank up to somewhere halfway in between the "before" and "after" size, which I WASN'T expecting. I had washed, blocked, allowed the swatch to dry, but I didn't realize it could continue to shrink once dry! So I had only measured it immediately after drying, I didn't measure it days later. And it was the "just dry" measurement I used to make the sweater. The sweater fits, but it's a little snugger than I had originally intended!
But really, if the thing gets soaked aren't you going to take it off anyway? |
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GFTC
Permanent Resident
USA
6331 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2009 : 3:59:36 PM
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In my experience true Superwash yarn must be put in the dryer in order to retain it's original dimensions so it may not be the best choice for lace because lace needs to be blocked the old fashioned way in order to open up the pattern.
Bethany, I machine washed a scarf yesterday made from Karabella Aurora 8. I knit it a few years ago so it was not the first time washed but I've never put it in the dryer.
For me it never behaved like Superwash in the washer and it even got a little felty. Is it possible that I have Aurora 8 that is not Superwash? I'm sure the dryer would have turned it from a Backyard Leaves scarf into a felted belt.
I decided I hated the scarf so I took the iron and hot steam ironed it exactly the way you aren't supposed to. Now, believe it or not, the scarf looks good but I won't be using that yarn again. No love there.
I read somewhere that the yarn companies are in a tizzy because American knitters insist that everything can be washed and the yarns don't always agree.
GFTC of NYCmy knitting photos on Flickr or Ravelry
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minh
Permanent Resident and Destasher Extraordinnaire
USA
2896 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2009 : 5:14:28 PM
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Suzanne, your story made me laugh so hard -- sorry to be laughing at another knitter's unfortunate experience!
I had the same experience as GFTC: I washed and blocked a baby sweater made out of Dream in color classy. It was huge! But then I washed it in the dryer and it was fine. Maybe a quick trip in the dryer would do the trick? |
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Katheroni
Permanent Resident
USA
1355 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2009 : 8:19:53 PM
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Oh, 2to, that sucks.
Put the pieces in the dryer. See what happens. |
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2totangle
Permanent Resident
1159 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2009 : 8:32:00 PM
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Minh, I'm glad my idiocy can bring some good to the world. I have to laugh, too, because at this point in my knitting life, I thought I knew how to do the yarn substitution thing. I mean, the original Zarina is machine washable, and I haven't found any Ravelry warnings that Mondial Extrafine swells to monstrous dimensions when wet.
The ball band seems to be telling me (in Italian) not to put this yarn in the dryer. Since it now looks o.k. (just not very well blocked), I'm frankly a little afraid to subject it to experiments.
Here's my next question for those familiar with superwash. If I had knit this up on micro needles, pinned it out when wet to its expanded size, and let it dry, would it likely have stayed stretched, or shrunk back down when unpinned? I think I have just about enough yarn left to do the finishing, but not enough to conduct mad scientist labwork.
Suzanne
Flickr pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/2totangle/
Ravelry project page: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/2totangle |
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Bethany
Permanent Resident
USA
1546 Posts |
Posted - 10/13/2009 : 11:52:41 AM
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I was actually thinking about that when I typed that, GFTC. Aurora 8 is "superwash" in the sense that it's been given some sort of treatment to reduce felting, and isn't suitable for felting projects.
It's not "superwash" in the sense of "machine washable" -- although a lot of websites seem to sell it as "machine washable," it says "hand wash" on the label, and I believe machine drying is specifically NOT recommended by the manufacturer.
I just finished the sweater a few months ago and I haven't worn it much yet, but so far I've been really pleased with the yarn. It's just not machine washable.
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The superwash merino that ate Tokyo
