How to Care for Crochet Products

Cotton and bamboo blends tolerate gentle hand washing in cool water with a mild detergent. Merino and wool blends should be washed rarely, in cool water, with almost no agitation — squeezing, never wringing. Anything containing a stuffed element is better spot cleaned than submerged, because the filling holds water and dries slowly.

Never hang wet crochet. Press the water out in a towel, then lay the piece flat on a dry towel and reshape it to its original dimensions while damp. Blankets and table runners benefit from being pinned lightly to shape. Keep everything out of direct sun while drying.

Spot clean plush pieces with a damp cloth and a little mild soap, working the surface only. If a full wash is unavoidable, use a mesh bag on the most delicate cycle available, then reshape by hand while damp and dry flat. Check embroidered eyes and any attached details before returning a toy to a small child.

Store folded, not compressed, in a breathable cotton bag or a box lined with tissue — plastic traps moisture. Bags keep their shape best stuffed lightly with tissue. Add a cedar block for wool blends rather than mothballs.