How to revive your shrunken woollies

NOVEMBER’S STYLE CONUNDRUM

“How to stretch a wool jumper that shrunk in the washing machine?” - ELLIE

We’ve all been there. Getting a jumper out only to find the arms have shrunk down, rendering the jumper useless to anyone, except maybe a T-Rex.

Wool is a hair - so you want to relax the fibres back to shape. Best way to do this is to soak the jumper in lukewarm water with conditioner. It softens the hair and allows it to be more easily manipulated. Half an hour will do nicely. Don’t rinse out the conditioner as you take the jumper out, and for heavens sake don’t wring it. Then lie a towel out on the floor and pop the jumper down flat, pulling it gently into shape as you do. This is known as ‘blocking’ my friends. Every ten minutes or so - give it a bit more stretch. Yoga for jumpers. If it’s relenting, soak it again and repeat until it does, and then leave it here to dry completely.

In future, wash your woollies as little as you dare. Wool is naturally stain and odour resistant so it doesn’t need as much machine action as other fabrics. Buy some knitwear mist from the Clothes Doctor and get into air drying, misting and spot cleaning. And if you do wash it - pop it in on a wool cycle, delicate cycle or cold setting, preferably with a wool safe detergent. And get to know your friends the care labels. The wee legends.