Some of the darker colors of Ode yarn can occasionally bleed, so we recommend making sure to do your first washing in cool water. Because alpaca is a more delicate, animal fiber, we recommend hand-washing in the sink with some gentle soap suitable for wool garments. Let the alpaca cloth soak in the soapy water for a while, and gently rinse it until the water runs clear. Squeeze the excess water out, or roll the item in a very absorbent towel and press to remove the excess moisture—never twist or wring. Lay flat on a towel to dry. You can use a warm iron if you’d like. Our alpaca comes out so delightfully soft after it is wet-finished.
Our 100% cotton yarn is quite sturdy. This includes Mallo, Beam, 8/2 cotton, and 8/4 cotton.
You can machine wash and machine dry projects woven with these yarns with regular laundry soap and they will hold up very well through repeated washings. Because of its thick, slubby nature, Mallo does shrink quite a bit in the first wash. This makes your finished piece even softer and more sumptuous, but make sure to plan for shrinkage when you are designing your piece. Please also see our blog post on Sampling for Take-up and Shrinkage.
Our 100% Linen and Duet, a cotton/linen blend, can be washed in a machine on a delicate setting with regular laundry soap, or by hand. You can choose whether you would like to machine dry or line dry. Linen often comes out of the dryer a bit wrinkly, but a quick steam iron makes it soft and smooth. Repeated use and washing makes linen softer and softer over time.
Sero Silk Noil shouldn't be machine washed. Hand-wash with a gentle soap, and lay flat to dry. A warm iron once it is dry will bring out the shine.
With wool, such as Array, you need to be most careful to avoid felting. Felting happens with sudden changes in temperature (ie: plunging into hot water), changes in PH (which can happen with soap), and agitation. We recommend hand washing gently with a soap that is suitable for wool, gently rinsing, and laying flat to dry. Unless, of course, you’re trying to felt your piece! In that case, hot soapy water and lots of agitation will be the name of the game.