The golden rule: cold water, no wringing and dry flat. That alone will save you 90% of the heartache.
1. Washing
By hand, almost always. Fill a basin with cold or lukewarm water (never hot), add a splash of mild soap or baby shampoo and put the piece in. Press it gently with open hands, as if slowly kneading dough. Don’t rub one part against another: that’s what makes wool felt and go stiff.
Leave it for five minutes, rinse in water at the same temperature and press out the excess water between your palms or by rolling it up in a towel. Never wring it: the weight of the water stretches the stitches and the piece loses its shape for good.
What about the washing machine?
Only if the product page says so. Cotton can handle a delicate cycle at 30 °C inside a mesh bag, with no spin or the lowest setting. Merino, only if your machine has a genuine wool programme. Amigurumis, never: the stuffing clumps together and ends up full of lumps.
Do
- Cold or lukewarm water, never hot
- Mild soap or baby shampoo
- Press with open palms
- Roll in a towel to remove water
- A mesh bag if it goes in the machine
Don’t
- Wring it out
- Rub one part against another
- Bleach, fabric softener or stain remover
- Tumble dryer, radiator or direct sun
- Put amigurumis in the washing machine
2. By material
Every product page in the shop says what the piece is made of. If you’ve lost the label, this table sums up what matters:
| Material | Water | Washing machine | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton | Cold or 30 °C | Yes, delicate cycle in a mesh bag | Shrinks with heat: no tumble dryer |
| Merino | Cold | Only on a genuine wool programme | Felts if rubbed or if the temperature changes |
| T-shirt yarn | Cold or 30 °C | Yes, no spin | Very heavy when wet: dry it well spread out |
| Stuffed amigurumi | Cold | No | The stuffing clumps: best to spot-clean |
3. Drying
Flat, always. Lay the piece on a dry towel on a level surface, ease it into the shape you want it to keep and leave it be. If you hang it up, the water pulls it down and the piece grows several centimetres longer and loses width.
No radiator, no direct sun, no tumble dryer. Heat shrinks cotton and yellows natural shades. A large blanket takes a whole day to dry and there’s no shortcut.
A tip: swap the towel underneath after half an hour. It soaks up a lot of water and the drying time is almost halved.
4. Storing
Folded, not hung: a hanger leaves shoulder marks on any knitted or crocheted garment. Keep them in a drawer or a fabric box, not in sealed plastic bags, because wool needs to breathe or it starts to smell damp.
If you’re putting wool away for the summer, tuck a cedar block or a lavender sachet in the drawer. Moths aren’t after the wool itself but the traces of sweat and food, so always store it clean.
5. Bobbles and fluff
They appear where there’s friction and don’t mean the yarn is poor quality: it even happens to cashmere. Remove them with a fabric shaver, passing it over lightly, or with a fine wool comb.
Don’t hack at them with scissors: you’ll take fibre with them and leave a hole.
6. A thread has come loose
Don’t panic and, above all, don’t pull the thread. Take a tapestry needle or a fine crochet hook and push the loose thread back into the piece, where it came out. It almost always disappears without a trace.
If a finishing knot has come undone or you can see a hole, send us a photo and we’ll tell you whether you can fix it yourself or whether it’s better to send it to us. We repair our own pieces for free, even if you bought them years ago. You only pay for the return postage.
7. Amigurumis
They’re the most delicate because they’re stuffed. Ideally, spot-clean them: a damp cloth with mild soap on the stain, then leave to dry. If it needs a full wash, do it by hand and quickly, pressing gently, then let it dry standing up on a towel so it keeps its shape.
If the stuffing gets flattened over time, massage it with your fingers to fluff it back up. It makes quite a difference.
8. Baby pieces
Wash them by hand before first use, even though they’re new: it removes any traces of dye and makes them softer. Use unscented soap.
And something important that has nothing to do with washing: however pretty the blanket, never leave anything loose in the cot of a baby under one year old while they sleep. Our blankets are for the pram, the sofa, photos and snuggling while you’re awake, and garlands go on the wall or a shelf, out of reach. If you’re unsure, have a look at the frequently asked questions or write to us.