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So I finally did it. I splurged and bought yarn to make myself a blanket. I picked up this lovely wool yarn (pics to come), but it is not superwash. This yarn felts like a dream, and I DON’T want a felted blanket. I figure I’m not the only one in this situation so I’ve written up this quick guide to acclimating your family to non-machine washable hand knitted (or crocheted) items, such as a blanket.
The Spouse/Significant Other – Now it’s possible that your other half is not aware of the hand washing requirements of certain yarns and finished items. In this case, you should inform him/her that the blanket is to be hand washed ONLY. Be sure to mention that if the finished blanket gets within 5 feet of a washer that it will spontaneously burst into flames, fire will rain down from the heavens, and zombies will attack. For optimal results, repeat this speech at least once a day.
Children and Pets – Children and pets are essentially mobile filth disseminators. They’re like those robot vacuum cleaners, except they go all around the house in seemingly random patterns leaving trails of dirt, food, and various bodily fluids behind them. Unfortunately, children and pets are often unable to internalize the same reasoned arguments as spouses. In this case, I recommend screeching whenever they come near the work in progress or the yarn for it. You’re not aiming for a Hollywood horror film scream – more of a powerful roar. Better yet, aim for that sound the T-rex makes in Jurassic Park. That way, by the time the blanket is done, they will have realized that getting near blanket = loud disturbing noises = stay away.
Have you made items that are hand wash only? How did you explain this to your family?
