Bertha ([info]bertha79) wrote in [info]knitting,
2005-11-14 14:35:00
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How do you "condition" your wool?

So, I've heard that using hair conditioner on scratchy wool will help to soften it. I am almost done with a scarf I'm making out of Noro Silk Garden, and it's not super scratchy, but it's a little scratchy, so I am wondering if it will benefit from a conditioning.

How does one actually go about doing this? I plan to block the scarf when it's done, so could I just add some conditioner to the blocking water? And then dunk the scarf, block it, and let it dry? Or does the conditioner need to be rinsed out? Or how do you all do it?


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  • 22 comments

[info]opheliaspins

November 14 2005, 19:45:13 UTC 6 years ago

hair conditioner works wonders! Just fill your sink up with cold water and a lot of conditioner...let it sit for a while

you can do it more then once...but also realise it makes it softer..but it's also usually makes it "bloom" or get fuzzier

Good luck!

[info]bertha79

November 14 2005, 20:02:35 UTC 6 years ago

Oh, thanks for the tip on the blooming that's good to know! I will give it a shot!

[info]opheliaspins

November 14 2005, 20:27:03 UTC 6 years ago

oh yeah...wash it out REALLY good.

[info]ectv

November 14 2005, 19:56:20 UTC 6 years ago

alternatively...

www.monkeysudz.com

The "wow" is a lanolin rich, yummily scented (my favs are melissa pear and "pink sugar") wash that will help condition AND make it yummy...
I use this stuff on my wool diaper covers for my son and I LUFF it :)

[info]bertha79

November 14 2005, 20:02:03 UTC 6 years ago

Oh, that would be perfect except for the lanolin part! I am allergic to it! Which is why the Noro is itchy to me, I suspect... I can't use lotions or lip balms that contain it or I get all itchy & peely! Rats.

[info]mishmelle

November 14 2005, 20:12:30 UTC 6 years ago

this might sound like a dumb question, but if you're soaking your knitted piece in water won't it felt?

michelle : )

[info]catwithclaws

November 14 2005, 20:16:08 UTC 6 years ago

soaking won't felt -- felting is caused by the friction of wool rubbing together. That's why so many wool items are 'hand wash only', since if you put them into a commercial washer, the agitation will 'felt' the wool. Obviously, many wool items still have to be washed, so you can get them wet - just don't sit there and agitate and scrub it. Just soak and gently squeeze.

[info]imogen_blue

November 15 2005, 21:22:00 UTC 6 years ago

i love that blue coloured wool in your icon.

[info]opheliaspins

November 14 2005, 20:27:35 UTC 6 years ago

it also won't felt if you do it in cold water..you need hot water and agitation for felting

[info]mwknitter

November 14 2005, 20:28:04 UTC 6 years ago

Soaking doesn't cause felting. To felt wool, you need agitation. People seem to think that hot water will cause felting but that is true only if you wash in hot & rinse in cold & usually you also need agitation. Wool felts when it is shocked - generally by a dramatic change in water temperature & agitation.

[info]mwknitter

November 14 2005, 20:25:21 UTC 6 years ago

Just washing it might help. Lots of wools & wool blends soften up a good bit just from being washed. I was going to suggest Eucalan until I saw your comment about being allergic to lanolin. I have also used Brown Sheep wool wash & liked it a great deal (I don't think it has lanolin in it - it uses vinegar in the wash & rinse). I almost always block items by washing & then blocking. Or I've heard that baby shampoo (which could be followed by baby conditioner) works very well.

[info]redmelde

November 14 2005, 20:46:50 UTC 6 years ago

Baby shampoo and regular conditioner work fine. Just make sure to rinse your scarf out well with lukewarm water. Rinsing with cold doesn't seem to take out all the greasiness that the conditioner can leave behind.

If it's still itchy, you might try soaking it a few times in HOT water to pull the rest of the lanolin out, and then condition it. You could even try the spray on, leave in conditioner if you want.

[info]bertha79

November 14 2005, 20:53:33 UTC 6 years ago

So, gently wash it with the baby shampoo, rinse it, put some conditioner on it, rinse it, then block it?

[info]redmelde

November 14 2005, 21:15:39 UTC 6 years ago

Yep. If you're scared of felting it, use cold water. If you're not scared, use warm water but handle it gently, and don't change the water temperatures drastically (like from hot to cold).

[info]colorwhirl

November 14 2005, 21:16:53 UTC 6 years ago

I'd like to express an opposite opinion on this one.
Do a full-on wet block of your scarf first. Let it fully dry. THEN see how scratchy it is.

Silk Garden, because of the silk content, really softens and "blooms" (as someone else said). So why not give it a go and experience how much the silk actually changes things (just so you have a base for your knowledge), then see if you want to make it even softer? I certainly didn't need to soften mine up any after I blocked it, but your yarn may vary.

[info]bertha79

November 14 2005, 21:24:35 UTC 6 years ago

Ohhh, ok. I didn't know the actual texture of the yarn could change after blocking...I'll give that a shot first then! I am really loving Silk Garden, so it would be awesome if I could, ya know, wear it.

[info]selkie_b

November 14 2005, 22:43:57 UTC 6 years ago

Yes yes... block first!

The conditioner will actually gum up the silk - it's not very good for it. Wool likes it, but silk needs to be "stripped" to be cleaned not coated. Silk will soften with simple repeated (gentle) wear and washing.

[info]theherocomplex

November 14 2005, 21:35:29 UTC 6 years ago

i'd have to agree with you. blocking, as quoted by another [info]knitting poster, is "110% magic".

[info]imogen_blue

November 14 2005, 23:08:30 UTC 6 years ago

what is blocking?

[info]theherocomplex

November 14 2005, 23:17:48 UTC 6 years ago

blocking is a method of shaping finished pieces of a garment or an entire garment. there are two main methods to blocking: you can soak your knitted piece in lukewarm water, squeeze out all the water, shape the piece into the size/shape you want it to be, and then pin it in place with rust-proof pins. allow it to dry, then remove the pins. the second method is steam-blocking, in which you pin the piece into shape, put a towel over the piece, and then hold a steam iron over the piece without letting it actually touch the piece. hope that helps!

[info]imogen_blue

November 15 2005, 21:17:18 UTC 6 years ago

yes, thank you!

[info]patdev

November 15 2005, 14:59:15 UTC 6 years ago

condition your wool

Having made a sweater out of "Silk Garden", I would not condition it at all. It is not scratchy to wear and has a luxurious look and feel. I wash mine by hand in cold water, nothing else, other than a little soap.
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