Wool Wash & Fiber Care 101: Keeping Your Treasures Timeless

Treat your wool like the heirloom it is: know your fiber base, hand-wash in cool water, use a gentle wool wash such as Eucalan, avoid heat and agitation, and lay flat to dry. With a few mindful steps, your hand-dyed fibers will remain luminous companions for decades of adventures.

The Gentle Art of Fiber Care

There’s a quiet magic in caring for wool. Each strand carries the memory of dye pots and distant hillsides, of sheep grazing under open skies. Like any fine travel companion, your yarn asks only for kindness and respect. In return, it rewards you with years of warmth, drape, and brilliance.

Yet, many a brave crafter has felt the heartbreak of a felted masterpiece or a stretched-out cardigan. So let’s chart a proper course—one that keeps your creations as radiant as the day they left your needles.

Know Your Base

Before washing, take a moment to identify your fiber base. Not all wools—and not all yarns—are created equal.

Superwash Wool

Most of our Which Way Crafts bases are superwash, meaning the wool has been treated so it resists felting. This makes it more forgiving—perfect for socks, shawls, and garments that see regular wear. Superwash yarn can handle gentle machine washing on cold, though we still recommend hand-washing for best color longevity and fiber feel.

Non-Superwash & Luxury Fibers

If your skein includes untreated wool, alpaca, silk, or mohair, handle with care. These fibers are more delicate, prone to felting or stretching with agitation or heat. Always wash by hand in cool water and avoid sudden temperature changes.

Knowing your base helps you choose the right care routine—ensuring your hand-dyed yarns stay as vibrant and soft as the day they left our studio.

Step One: Choose the Right Wash

We finish every skein with a rinse in Eucalan, our preferred wool wash. It’s gentle, lanolin-enriched, and no-rinse—meaning it cleans without stripping away natural softness or color. For your finished projects, a few drops in cool water is all it takes.

No-Rinse vs. Rinse:

• No-rinses like Eucalan or Soak are ideal for hand-dyed yarn.

• Rinse-required soaps work too, but keep them mild and consistent in temperature.

Step Two: Temperature & Agitation—The Twin Villains

Wool fibers felt when exposed to heat, friction, and sudden temperature changes. Keep your wash water cool or just lukewarm, and never twist or scrub. Let your knits soak quietly—about 15 minutes—then lift them gently, supporting their weight.

Tip from the field: line your basin with a clean towel before draining, so the garment doesn’t stretch under its own weight.

Step Three: Rinse (If You Must)

If you’re using a rinse-required wash, match the rinse temperature to your bath temperature to avoid shocking the fibers. Gently submerge, lift, and repeat—never wring.

Step Four: Drying Gracefully

Lay your garment flat on a towel, reshape it, roll the towel to press out excess water, then lay flat again on a clean, dry surface. Keep out of direct sunlight or heat.

Think of this as a final act of shaping—your stitches settling into their story.

For the Traveling Crafter

On the road to your next fiber festival or adventure, store your knits in breathable cotton bags with lavender or cedar sachets. Avoid plastic, which traps moisture, and always clean items before long-term storage—moths prefer a bit of lanolin residue as a midnight snack.

Caring for Hand-Dyed Yarns

Each skein from Which Way Crafts is a small work of art—dyed, set, and finished with precision so that the colors remain true. We take great care to ensure our yarns are colorfast, meaning you shouldn’t see any dye release when washing.

To help preserve their brilliance:

• Use cool water and a gentle wool wash like Eucalan.

• Avoid prolonged soaking—fifteen minutes is plenty.

• Always handle with care rather than agitation or heat.

Our colorways are designed to stay as vivid as the day they left our dye pots—no bleeding, no fading, just enduring beauty ready to accompany you through every stitch and every adventure.

Final Thoughts

Fiber care is not a chore; it’s a continuation of the craft. To care for your yarn is to honor the maker, the sheep, and the story spun between them.

So pour yourself a cup of tea, queue up a favorite mystery, and let your wool rest easy in your capable hands. After all, every explorer knows—maintaining one’s gear is the hallmark of true craftsmanship.