Think wet-blocking is optional?
Hello, fellow knitter!
I recently bought some wool wash, and it inspired me to share a little game-changing technique for your knitting projects. Don’t worry, I’m not talking about anything complicated - it’s just a simple hand wash! And trust me, it’s worth sticking around for this one. 😊
📖 Let me start with a quick story. While designing my Mellow Mood sweater, I re-knitted it about 10 times. It was frustrating, but I didn’t want to give up. By the end, the sweater looked pretty rough - like, no-hope-left rough. So, without expecting much, I soaked it for 20 minutes (the magic moment), and... a miracle happened! It completely transformed.
Check out my YouTube Shorts to see the before-and-after difference:
🛁 Why should you wash (or wet-block) your knits?
I know it’s tempting to skip washing and go straight to steam-blocking or just start wearing your newly finished project. But washing has some serious benefits:
Removes factory treatments. Most yarns come with wax or chemicals used during production to make the fibers glide more smoothly or for storage purposes. While they’re safe for knitting, leaving them in your fabric can affect the feel and behavior of the piece over time. A good wash gets rid of these and makes your fabric softer and more durable.
Ensures cleanliness. Yarn can pick up dust or dirt from manufacturing, packaging, or shipping. A wash ensures your piece is clean before you wear it.
Helps the fabric relax. Blocking allows your knitting to settle into its final shape. It’s common for stitches to look uneven while you’re knitting, but after a gentle wash, you’ll be amazed at how much smoother and more even the fabric becomes. This also helps the item to reach its true size - no unpleasant surprises later!
Makes the yarn bloom. Some fibers, like wool, really come to life after a wash. The yarn "blooms," becoming fluffier and softer.
📖 Another quick story!
Knitting for Olive yarn: Heavy Merino (Powder) with Soft Silk Mohair (Soft Peach).
I recently bought a skein of Knitting for Olive’s Heavy Merino wool yarn to pair with their Soft Silk Mohair, aiming to create a unique aran-weight yarn in a custom color.
At first, I wasn’t impressed - it didn’t feel great to knit with. So, I knitted a swatch and soaked it, hoping to even out the fabric (still perfecting my back-and-forth knitting).
After soaking, the yarn blossomed! I ended up with a super-soft, beautiful swatch that felt amazing.
Now I’ve ordered more and plan to knit the First Star sweater with it. I’ll let you know how the whole sweater turns out!
How to wet-block your knits.
At the end of each of my video tutorials, I show how I wash my knitwear. You can check out one of them here.
Here’s a simple step-by-step guide:
Fill a basin with lukewarm water and add a gentle wool wash or shampoo.
Submerge your project completely and let it soak for 20 minutes.
Gently lift it out without squeezing or twisting. Roll it in the towel to absorb more moisture.
Place your piece on a blocking mat or a dry towel. Shape it according to your pattern’s dimensions, straightening edges and aligning seams. Use rust-proof pins if needed.
Let it air-dry completely, which can take 24-48 hours, depending on the yarn.
You don’t need to wash wool often - only when it’s dirty. Someone recently asked me on YouTube if they need to block a knitted garment every time they wash it. The answer is simple: yes! Even if it’s a cotton or superwash wool piece you’re machine washing, you’ll still want to dry it flat and shaped.
🧴 What to use to wash the wool garment.
You may have seen the phrase “wet block your knitting using your favorite wool wash” at the end of a pattern and wondered why. It’s not just to make your project smell good (although that’s a nice bonus!). Wool wash ensures that your knitted pieces are not only beautifully blocked but also well cared for over time.
1. Special wool wash.
The science of wool wash: Wool wash contains a wetting agent (called a surfactant) that breaks the surface tension of the water. This allows the water to penetrate deeper into the fibers. When your knitting gets fully wet, it’s easier to block evenly and shape perfectly.
No-rinse wool wash: I recently bought Eucalan, which is a no-rinse formula. No-rinse wool washes like Soak and Eucalan make the process even easier - you don’t need to rinse out the soap, which means less handling of your project and less risk of distorting it. These products also leave a faint scent and lanolin, which softens the fibers and makes them feel smoother after drying. Plus, they’re eco-friendly!
I got a small 100ml bottle from my local yarn store, just 1 tsp per 4 liters of water, enough for many washes.
2. Other options.
If you don’t have wool wash on hand, you can use mild soap or baby shampoo. However, these require thorough rinsing and might not penetrate fibers as deeply as wool wash. Some store-bought detergents are also good alternatives, but make sure they’re specifically formulated for wool to avoid harsh chemicals that can damage delicate fibers.
❤️ I hope I’ve convinced you to always wash your just-knitted projects - it really helps your knitting reach its full potential, smoothing out irregular stitches and enhancing the fabric’s texture and drape.
Warm regards,
Julia Piro
Knitwear Designer & Esenotes Curator
P.S. Looking for even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram or Facebook!
