Care for Handwovens

All of my handwovens have been washed.  Washing is part of the finishing process and if you are gentle, handwovens can be washed many many times... they are the essence of a slow cloth but long life product.  

They usually don't require washing with every use, but should be washed at the end of season... ie when woollens are stored for the summer.. 

General Process for silk and wool, mohair, alpaca, Protein fibre

1. Use warm but not hot water and a good wool detergent. Move around a little bit, but basically soak for about 5 mins. 
2. Squeeze gently to remove water.
3. Rinse in water of a similar temperature and then
4. Rinse in fabric conditioner... allow to soak 3-5 mins
5. Squeeze gently to remove water.
6. Put in a closed wash bag to protect the fringe from moving parts of your washing machine and spin on a slow cycle 400 to 600 rpm.
7. Take out and pull into shape as you lightly steam press
8. Line dry
9.  Iron again if needed and it's ready to wear

Caring for Silk

Silk is a beautiful fibre to weave and to wear.

It just needs a little more care as you wash it... as it loves dye... and will pick up any dye that happens to be in your wash water so white and light colours need to be washed separately.  I always wash white silk scarves one by one, with the same process as for wool. 

Caring for Cotton- Cellulose 

Cotton items  can all be washed in a normal wash with your clothes, treated in the same way as your clothes, but I would suggest you put them in a closed wash bag to protect the fringe.  If it is very fine or of a delicate weave structure I would handwash.

Tencel Viscose Bamboo- other members of the Cellulose family.

 Some of these fibres are processed into shiny yarns, and because I haven't used them for an extended period of time, wearing and washing them, I tend to hand wash the scarves with sheen.   The fibres that have no sheen I wash as for cotton, as you would a viscose garment or bamboo towel.