3 ply DK weight yarn I spun the other week, hand dyed from some mystery white roving that came with my spinning wheel when I got it secondhand. Don’t mind the dog hairs
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I’m registered for a class next month in commercial sheep shearing. The technique I will be taught is called New Zealand or Bowen pattern shearing. PLEASE if you have ten minutes enjoy the fuck out of this soothing 1957 short film on the method from the New Zealand Wool Board
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It’s literally the same kind of yarn (DROPS Baby Merino) and I used equal amounts of each color for the sweater until now?? A few meters difference in yardage I’d understand but this much difference?!
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New scarf set in the works. Running out of yarn. Need about four more balls. Using Lion brand Fishermens wool. Gonna be so thick and warm with the cables.
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Blocking my first fair isle wearable. Pattern from Yarnspirations Cumberland Knit Yoke Sweater.
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Look at me. No, look at me. Listen.
How did people keep their silks and woolens clean before the advent of dry cleaning?
How did a 19th century business man clean his fancy interfaced woolen suit?
How did a Edo era lady wash her silk gowns?
How did a Vedic woman in 1000 BCE wash her silk sari?
How did a guernsey fishwife wash the fishy, sweaty, stinky ganseys?
None of them had dry cleaning!
(The answer is of course the unending and uncelebrated efforts of generations of washerwomen, but back to the point).
YOU DO NOT NEED TO DRY CLEAN YOUR CLOTHES.
They used WATER to wash their silks and wools and linens. WATER is used in the processing and dying of all fabrics. Water is safe, non toxic, and doesn’t react with cellulose or protein fibers. Silk is actually STRONGER when wet!
I’m not saying chuck them in a washing machine, not necessarily - that WILL felt wools and destroy the finish on silks (though the wool or handwash settings on modern machines is pretty good for some garments). But handwashing with water and a gentle soap (I use handsoap) and gentle agitation will be fine. “Dry clean only” is a LIE.
