Weeky SO - washing handknits

 I was not sure if I should put a strong opinion out on xmas, but some questions were asked about my yesterday post, so here we go. 

Yes, I do wear my handknitted socks a lot, practically they are the only socks I wear from early ocktober, to mid-april (of course, depending on the weather). 

No, what was on the drying line are not the only socks I have, one of these days I might just make a photo of my sock-drawer.

Yes, I machine wash those, but here is my weekly strong opinion... handkitted socks (from sockyarn that has about 20-30 % of acrylic or poliamid) and mittens (also made from the same type of sockyarns) are the ONLY THING, that should be machine-washed. 

EVERYTHING else, (hats, sweaters, shawls, scarfs, whatnot) should be only ever handwashed. 

No, I do not care if it is superwash or even acrylic. No, I do not care if you have a special wool-cycle on your machine. 

If someone spent many hours to knit you something (or if I spent many hours to knit myself something), that work worth as much as to dunk it into the sink, add a bit of shampoo (or lavander shower gel, or special wool-washing detergent), press it a few times, rinse it. press the water out, and lay it out on a flat surface to dry. 

As for pressing out the water I have two methods, both involves rolling the item into a BIG and THICK towel. One: if you really want to be careful, then just press the rolled up towel, you can even step on it, or ask your kid to walk over it a few times. The other one I use for bigger items (sweaters, bit shawls, etc)  to roll the item into that giant bath towel (the bigger the better). carefully wrap it, as thight as you can. If you rolled it, then try to fold the ends of the package... and.... put it into the spin cycle. Those thick layers of frottier protect the piece, then you can pin out the piece to block, or reblock. However, ONLY do this on your own risk. Washing machines are different, towels are different, I understand, if you do not do it. 

What is the difference between washing something in the machine and put it through the spin cycle? That the thick frottier layers will protect it, and (at least the washing machines I worked with), the centrifugal forces  press the package at the wall of the drumm, and the keep it there, so the knitted piece is not moving, not agitated against the drum. 

I have this tag, I usually put over my handknitted presents that says something, like "Please only handwash this item. If you put it into a washing machine, and gets ruined I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW about it." Meaning do not come to me "oh, I loved that hat, but I felted it and would you knit me another one?" because the answer will be no.