How to Prepare Yarn for Knitting or Crochet

Most yarn manufacturers are careful about not putting a yarn on the market that will shrink. However, some yarns do shrink due to their fiber content. To save knitting or crocheting time, I now pre-shrink yarns as I pre-shrink all fabrics that are sewn. To do this, form yarn hanks using an umbrella swift, wash it in the manner the sweater will be washed, let it dry, and then re-skein it on a ball winder. This will also help prevent future color bleeding. If the yarn is questionable about bleeding, I will soak it in either salt water or vinegar water and then wash it. This method can also be used to re-use yarn.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• yarn
• umbrella yarn swift (recommended)
• yarn ball winder (recommended)

1. 
    

   To make yarn hanks, set up an umbrella swift (see drawing at left) and attach yarn end to the swift spokes.

2. Turn the swift, winding the yarn onto the swift spokes. At the end of the yarn, loosely tie together the two yarn ends. With scrap yarn, tie around the yarn hank in 3 or 4 places. Remove yarn hank from the swift. If a swift is not available, form a hank by place two chairs back-to-back and wrap the yarn around the backs of the chairs.

3. Launder and dry the yarn hank and dry according to the instructions on the yarn label.

4. 
    

   Place the dry yarn hank back onto the swift. Cut of the securing scrap yarn pieces and untie the two ends. Place one yarn end onto a ball winder (see drawing at left) and wind yarn into a ball. If a ball winder is not available, yarn may be wrapped by hand into balls.

5. Setting Dyes - If the colorfastness of a yarn is questionable, soaking it in a bucket of cold water with a handful of salt before washing it for the first time. Hot water and vinegar can also be used in place of the salt and water on yarns that can be laundered in hot water.
   (Author’s Note: I ’ve had natural dyes run when washed – check your labels and test for color fastness. To test for colorfastness, dip a piece of yarn in water, lay it out on a white paper towel to dry. If color transfers to the paper towel, the yarn will bleed. To color set a yarn, soak it in water with either salt or vinegar – I’ve had success with both.)

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[mbluetyphoon]

on 11/14/2009 This is a problem I had been wondering about how to deal with, ie: preshrinking knitting or crochet yarn.

I had just taken up knitting again, and have been wanting to use cotton yarns. But, I have been wondering how to keep my creation from shrinking once I washed it. Now, I know. fiberimages, thank you so much for your input!