DOSSIER

Sweaters are the building blocks of your winter wardrobe which is why you should take extra good care to sustain your sweater collection. The four most common problems that shorten the life of your sweaters are: pulled stitches, shrinkage, pilling and holes. See our guide below on how to correct or prevent these issues.

FIX PULLED STITCHES

It’s bound to happen, your sweater snags on the corner of a table or gets caught in your coat zipper. Simply use a tiny crochet hook to pull the stitch to the inside of the sweater where it is safe from further snags. If it is a very long pulled yarn, once it is pulled inside the sweater, knot it.

SAVE A SHRUNKEN SWEATER

We’ve all been there, a sweater with washing instructions that clearly state “lay flat to dry” somehow found its way into the drier.  Now you have a shrunken sweater and a bit of a meltdown. Pull yourself together, there’s a simple fix. Mix a cap full of conditioner or baby shampoo into a sink full of lukewarm water and dissolve. The conditioner or baby shampoo helps relax the fibers in the sweater. Soak your sweater for 10 minutes, do not rinse! Lay the sweater on a clean, dry towel and roll it up tight to remove excess water. Take another clean dry towel and lay the sweater flat to dry. Gently reshape the sweater to desired size and wait for it to dry.

REMOVING PILLS

There are a few options when it comes to depilling a sweater: electronic and old-school combing by hand. Either way, before you start the process, be sure to fix any pulled stitches so they don’t get worse during the depilling process. If you opt for the electric pill remover, I suggest doing your research. I’ve tried this one and this one. While both options worked, there must be better options. The comb works wonders for cashmere rich sweaters (which tend to pill the most). Just be sure to comb in the same direction (I always comb from top to bottom) and be gentle.

STORING SWEATERS FOR THE SEASON

Before you know it, it will be time to put the sweaters away and pull out your swimsuits! Load up on the necessary supplies so you are prepared when the time comes: cotton bags, plastic boxes or bags, lavender sachets or lavender oil.  Before storing your sweaters for the summer, be sure that they are clean. Store your woolen and cashmere sweaters in cotton bags first, and then plastic air tight containers or plastic air tight bags. Be sure to put a sachet of lavender in each box or bag before closing it for the season. This will help prevent moths from eating holes in your sweaters.