Crochet Care

In our wash-and-wear culture, many of us are at a loss to understand how to properly launder and care for our hand-stitched items. Proper care can make your hard work last longer and look better. There is nothing more disappointing than to spend hours painstakingly crocheting a special project only to see it lose its beauty.

First, here are some basic tips to help ensure the best laundering care for your crocheted items:

• Read and follow the yarn care instructions on the yarn label. These will often be represented by certain symbols, so if you aren't familiar with their meanings, you can find some good explanations here.

• Make a swatch of your pattern, and wash it to see if it turns out as expected before risking your completed item.

• Be sure all ends are securely woven in and trimmed before washing to eliminate snagging in the wash.

• If your piece has buttons, make sure they are washable. Some buttons are not made to be washed or dry-cleaned. If that is the case with the buttons on your project, remove them before washing the project.

• Don't use bleach.