How to Fold Sweaters

Fold, rather than hang, a sweater for storage.

On a cold day, a sweater is a comfortable way to stay warm. To avoid damaging the yarn, sweaters require special care and storage. Hanging a sweater in a closet, for example, causes the yarn to stretch and the sweater may become misshapen. To protect a sweater when it is not being worn, fold it and place it in a drawer or acid-free storage container. Due to the bulkiness of a sweater, allow sufficient storage space to avoid stress on the yarn. If the sweater has been recently laundered, allow it to dry completely before folding and storing it.

Instructions

1. Place the sweater front side down on a flat surface such as a table or bed. Smooth out any wrinkles. Extend out the arms of the sweater.

2. Lift up the cuff on the left arm of the sweater with one hand and lift up the bottom left corner of the sweater with your other hand. Pull the left side of the sweater across the body of the sweater to create a fold that runs from the left edge of the collar to the bottom of the sweater. The fold is parallel to the sides of the sweater. Extend the left arm of the sweater so that it is straight and the cuff is now on the right side of the sweater. Smooth out the sweater.

3. Pick up the cuff on the left arm of the sweater and fold the arm back to bring the cuff down toward the bottom of the sweater. This creates a diagonal fold across the upper left arm of the sweater. Smooth out the arm.

4. Lift up the cuff on the right arm of the sweater with one hand. Lift up the bottom right corner of the sweater with your other hand. Pull the right side of the sweater across the body of the sweater to create a fold that runs from the right edge of the collar to the bottom of the sweater. The fold is parallel to the sides of the sweater. Extend the right arm of the sweater so that it is straight and the cuff is now on the left side of the sweater. Smooth out the sweater.

5. Lift the cuff on the right arm of the sweater and fold the arm back to bring the cuff down toward the bottom of the sweater. This creates a diagonal fold across the upper right arm of the sweater. Smooth out the sweater.

6. Pick up the bottom right-hand corner of the sweater with your right hand. Pick up the bottom left-hand corner of the sweater with your left hand. Fold the bottom half of the sweater across the top half of the sweater. Smooth the sweater, which is now ready for storage.

References

• Anton's Cleaners: How to Properly Fold a Sweater (video)
• "Real Simple"; How to Fold Anything; How to Fold a Sweater; Marla Garfield
• PlanetGreen.com; How to Care for a Sweater and Make it Last; Josh Peterson; February 2009