How to wash a Puffin sweater
Recently, I had a house guest for an extended stay. His name is Charlie. If you're a subscriber to our newsletter, you may have noticed him in a photo or two. He's a very definite little dog with a direct stare, a guy who knows his place in the world, who knows how important he is.
Like all of us, Charlie has a few quirks. One is his habit of peeing--just a tiny bit--when he's extremely happy and excited. My son, Ryan, who has experience with this quirk, has learned the trick of greeting Charlie by leaning in to give him a pat on the head while simultaneously stepping back to keep his shoes dry.
While Charlie was here, we had many memorable moments. Such as: When he started to bark at the sound of a truck in the driveway, I picked him up and was holding his little squirming self when he expressed his joy at seeing the UPS driver coming up the walk to our house.
Imagine.
And what should I be wearing at the time? My cherished Great Falls sweater, a piece I practically live in these days.
Oh no.
What did I do? Well, I washed it, of course, the sweater. And that is why I'm writing this post. Because I had no idea at the time how best to easily wet and wash and dry a sweater that size in Puffin. And I thought you might be interested in my solution.
Here's what I did:
I put the sweater in my small, front-loading washer. I set it on the hand-wash cycle*. And I added soap, Twig and Horn Wool Soap (unscented) to be specific. I pressed Start and walked away. Not without fear and trepidation.
But I needn't have worried. The hand-wash cycle barely swished and the spin was gentle. The sweater came out of the washer a bit drippy, so I rolled it up in a big towel and laid it out to dry.
Later? I was thrilled. My sweater was clean, soft, and not pilly-er than you'd expect for a sweater that sees a lot of action.
Charlie is back with my daughter, who's returned from her trip, but I hope to see him soon. I miss him.
*One caveat we feel important to point out: Not all hand-wash and gentle cycles are the same. When in doubt, test your machine on a garment that you wouldn't mind losing to the washer first, before tossing your handknits in.
Speaking of Puffin sweaters: The #AgnesKAL hosted by Marlee of Have Company, Jaime of Fancy Tiger Crafts, and Lizzy of Lizzy House has just wrapped up. Puffin pullovers with pockets aplenty over on Instagram. Lovely sweaters, everyone!
