How To
It’s Not You, It’s the Yarn: Superwash Edition
Superwash yarns, especially superwash merino, are some of the most loved yarns in the knitting world. They are as seductive as an ice cream van jingling its song up your street on a hot day. I know my stash is stuffed with colorful superwash yarns of all sizes.
Why do we love them so much? That’s easy: washability (duh), softness and color.
Superwash yarns (mainly merino, but other superwash yarns, too) have properties that make a knitted fabric that is a little different from their non-superwash sisters. I’m talking less about sock yarns and sock knitting, and more about using superwash yarns for knitting garments or accessories.
Have you noticed that superwash yarns are grand and glorious, but they don’t really act the same as non-superwash yarns?
I’m in no way saying that superwash yarns are bad, wrong or anything negative, but they have a feel and behavior very particular to themselves. I’ve knit all kinds of things out of superwash yarn in a variety of gauges, and the knitting and the resulting fabric are never quite what I expect.
What makes superwash yarns both super and washable is the removal and/or suppression of the tiny scales that cover each individual fiber. The most common way to create a superwash yarn is to remove the scales and then coat the yarn to smooth it (more about this process in an upcoming post). These altered scales can make the yarn and its resulting fabric a little tricky.
I’ve seen knitters blame themselves for superwash knitting that goes a little awry, but as I always say: it’s not you; it’s the yarn.
It’s always the yarn.
Pictured above are three superwash merino yarns, from the top: Neighborhood Fiber Company Studio Sock (shade: Hampden), Malabrigo Rios (shade: Apple Green), and Fiberstory Core Bulky (shade: Flutter).
When I study a yarn, I look and touch first, then I swatch. Let’s go!
In the MDK Shop
Look
Superwash yarn is extra smooth, and the color is so intense that it looks like a cartoon idea of yarn.
Color is always what always brings me to superwash yarn. The color of superwash yarn can be concentrated and much brighter than the same color on a non-superwash yarn of the same breed/blend. Why? Because more dye makes a deeper color, and altering the scales on the fiber allows for increased absorption of dye.
Touch
Superwash yarn feels delightful; it’s smooth and supple. It feels dense and squishy. It feels heavy for merino yarn, but it’s a languorous heft. Having some or all of the scales altered decreases the elasticity a bit, so it’s got extra drape. Coating the yarn, like putting pomade on your hair, compresses and smoothes the fibers, making the yarn dense and even. Rarely does fresh superwash yarn look fuzzy.
Swatch
Up to this point, after looking and touching, I am deeply in love with superwash yarn, but what happens in the swatching and knitting is what makes me a cautious superwash lover.
Fiddling with the scales on the fibers in the superwash process affects how the fiber behaves. The scales on fiber are what help yarns hold together when they are spun and plied. Remove and smooth the scales, and the fibers have no natural way to grip each other. They are twisted around each other, but not locked together. Imagine a game of Red Rover where the defending team stands shoulder to shoulder, but doesn’t hold hands. The defensive line is not as structurally sound.
Since some of the natural structure is missing from the yarn, it’s splitty, less elastic, and it compresses easily. No one will be surprised that my gauge is different with superwash yarn. The yarn compresses since some of the structure is missing. I have to go down a needle size to get the same gauge I get with a similar sized non-superwash yarn that knits to the same gauge.
Because the fibers aren’t hanging on to each other, superwash yarns work best if knit tightly to help give them some of the structure that they are missing. (This is why superwash yarns are great for socks.)
For me this shows up most when superwash yarns are wet.
My friend in the photo is holding two damp swatches. The one on the right is knit to the gauge suggested by the ballband (4.5 stitches to the inch) and the one on the left just slightly looser (4.25 stitches to the inch).
When the yarn hits the water all of my beautiful knitting goes limp like a tired toddler asked to pick up toys (shrieking, optional). When it’s knit looser than suggested gauge it really doesn’t hold the shape of the stitches well, dry or wet. This tells me not to stray looser than the suggested gauge. (Superwash yarns therefore are not candidates for gauge shifting.)
I’ve learned to be extra careful wet blocking superwash garments, and I expect them to take a little longer to dry because of the density of the yarn.
The hand of the fabric and stitch definition are often the spots where love either blooms or dies on the vine for the knitter considering superwash yarn for projects that are not socks.
The hand is how a knitted fabric feels. Is it soft or rough, stiff or drapey?
If you are a lace knitter, particularly with a penchant for lace shawls, the smooth heaviness of superwash gives your piece swing. The lack of elasticity allows your block to hold all of those YOs open. It brings a languid drape to your shawl, like reading and swinging in a hammock on a summer afternoon.
If you are looking for a cable that stands at attention, superwash yarns can be a little, um, flaccid.
The cable swatch in the photo is knit with bulky yarn, with many plies, at the gauge suggested by the ballband. If the yarn were not superwash it would have almost no bend, instead it hangs there like Droopy Dog.
That is one flat cable. There is nothing approaching crisp stitch definition unless it is knit tightly. If you do knit tighter, that further compresses the yarn and makes the fabric heavier. Asking a superwash yarn to have superior stitch definition is like trying to thread cooked angel hair pasta through the eye of a needle.
But the Color!
Superwash yarns remind me of my neighbor’s cat: beautiful, and when you pet her in exactly the right place she happily purrs. If, however, I suggest to her I’d like to pet her in a way that works for many other cats I know, but not her, I find teeth and claws attached to my hand.
The takeaway: Come for the color and softness, but arm yourself with a little knowledge about how this yarn likes to be knit.
(Because I know you want to know, the yarn in the last photo is Lichen and Lace 4-ply superwash merino worsted, and the color is Sweet Potato.)
This Could Come in Handy
It would be nice to be able to find this article again when you need it, wouldn’t it?
Here’s how to save this article in your MDK account with one click.
Very interesting! Thank you.
Oh, what a enlightening article! Knit a Norwegian sweater for son 2 years ago. Sleeves and body lengthened by 4 (!) inches after wet blocking. Had NO clue at the time as to why. Knitted gauge according to pattern, but gauge must have looser than called for by the band!
I wish I knew this before I knit the lucky dress with Knit pick swish yarn. It is nothing but cables, took me 6 months. Knit it size S and grew to about xl. Never been able to wear it. I’ve learned my lesson. Have stayed away from super wash everything since then. Hopefully your article will save someone endless hours of fruitless knitting. Thank you!
yes, superwash really behaves differently – but even more: not long ago I knit a beanie in some superwash, but I don’t like wearing it anymore because I either sweat or freeze in it. The wind blows right through the fabric although it’s knit really tightly so I get cold. If I go inside wearing it, I break out in a sweat immediately – and moisture does not get wicked away like with non-superwash. And another thing: odors stay in the fabric untill they’re washed – with non-superwash it’s enough to air the garment. So…..as beautiful as the yarn looks, I’m a non-superwash-lover !
What is the best way to join a new ball of superwashed yarn?
I avoid Superwash if I’m knitting for myself or for somebody that I know I can trust to hand wash. I’d much rather use some lovely Shetland, Blue Face Leicester or alpaca yarn that mellows with age. However if the garment is likely to be machine-washed (mainly for babies and children with very busy parents), I use a yarn that will stand up reasonably to the process, either Superwash wool, cotton or a mixture like Baby Bamboo.
Started using super wash wool this past year for baby things and went on to make a crib blanket in it and was generally disappointed.
The stuff is just no longer “wool” as you do well describe. I hope pattern designers make an effort to indicate if super wash is appropriate for a given pattern.
Great info! I can now fully absolve myself from blame for the sagging mess of a hooded vest I made years ago. Someone told me it was because it was washable wool but I didn’t quite believe it until now!
“coat the yarn to smooth it” isn’t fully addressed. It’s coated with plastic. That’s why it behaves more like acrylic and not like wool anymore; it’s essentially a mixed fiber. In today’s world where we are drowning in our own waste, consumers need to be informed as to what exactly we are buying before making a choice to buy or not.
Plastic is now believed to be in our water cycle.
Plastic washes out of fabrics right into our waste water that we will eventually drink.
No more superwash for me!
Stay tuned for more info on superwash than could fit in this article, which focuses on how these yarns behave.
would that include colorwork issues? My next sweater is going to have colorwork and all three skeins are superwash. Trying to decide if that is a big mistake.
Yes…more please on what superwashed yarns are treated in the US with healthier chemicals. Is that a misnomer!!!
It would be interesting to include discussion of the chemical process used when creating superwash yarns. I’m not an expert by any stretch, but I’ve read that there is concern about the large amount of chemicals that are flushed into the waste water during the superwash treatment process. More chemical pollution in our water we don’t need, right?
Thanks Jillian. I struggle with deciding to knit with superwash. I do not care about washability, but it is more likely to be next to skin soft. Sigh
So informative. Thank you! Now I know why I keep buying superwash even though I tell myself I prefer “real” wool — it’s the color. I think for those of us who mostly buy online, that’s especially potent — it’s hard to appreciate subtle colors online.
Two questions: How about a guide to the most vivid colors in non-superwash yarns?
Is there a difference between superwash and “real” in how prone to run a bright yarn is?
Jill thank you for a great lesson. I’m that knitter that likes to find the yarn first and then a pattern. Will heed your advice to not stray from gauge.
I am a knitting newbie…..with a wool allergy. I can run a skein of wool across my neck and red blotches/itching begin. So far, I have used superwash because minus scales I seem to be okay. Are there other great fibers that would work for me besides wearing a turtleneck under all my projects? I also seem to have trouble with alpaca. Any advice is appreciated, but please do not suggest I quit knitting!!!
I also suggest that you investigate different breeds of sheep and keep experimenting with touching wool. How it’s processed makes a big difference in how the skin reacts to it. Characteristics of wool also vary greatly among breeds. And of course there are many alternatives to wool too. There are so very many different yarns available from which to choose, that I bet you’ll be able to find some that are just right for you.
I’m like you — one of the big benefits of learning to knit was being able to wear a sweater that wasn’t nylon, cotton, or acrylic — it’s really limiting when you go shopping. A beautiful sweater that was truly warm — without making me sweaty — was pretty elusive.
You may have more luck with baby alpaca (suri) than just “alpaca”. Unsurprisingly, the hairs are finer. I just used a silk/baby alpaca blend to knit my first cardigan, and it’s lovely. There are the very occasional stiff hairs, but those are easy to pull away as you knit. I’m very pleased with the results, but I will only be wearing the cardigan over a shirt. I’m not sure if wearing it next to my bare back/stomach would cause a flare up.
There are some interesting fibers out there made of things like soy and milk. They tend to be very silky and lovely to wear, although my experience was that they will pill. So they may be better for accessories than a hard-wearing sweater.
Silk is wonderful, although slippery to knit with. It will instantly soften whatever it’s blended with, as well. Bamboo also.
And don’t discount cottons. There are some wonderful cottons out there, and I’m currently making myself a cotton pullover that I can use to transition into fall. I have heard people complain that cotton is stiff or hurts their hands, but the ones I’ve used don’t really bother me. True, they aren’t as enjoyable in the hand as knitting with an animal fiber, but it’s hardly a struggle.
My biggest complaint about the fibers I can use is that they tend not to have much spring in them. They give wonderful drape, but the look of the quintessential snuggly woolen sweater still eludes me. If you’re choosing a pattern on Ravelry, I highly recommend looking through the projects people have made. (You can even do a search through them.) Try to find projects that were made with the type of yarn you’ll be using (or similar). Like the samples in the article above, you may find that the pattern looks baggy, stretched out, or loses the stitch definition in those projects. Better to be sad when choosing a pattern instead of after putting in all of the expense and time of knitting something you don’t love.
Good luck!
You also have trouble with alpaca? Alpaca is supposed to be hypoallergenic as compared to sheep’s wool as it doesn’t have the lanolin sheep’s wool has. (And yes, I raise alpacas). Have you tried yak or camel? Expensive yes; but really soft.
I think your confusion is merited, but what is not commonly understood is that not everyone who has a problem with wool is reacting to the lanolin (or chemicals used on commercial wool). Some of us are, unfortunately, sensitive to the structure of the animal hair itself.
I used Lansinoh religiously when I breastfed my four children. No reaction. I’ve spun wool, starting right from the sheep, and the lanolin makes my hands soft; they don’t break out.
But I can’t wear the wool I’ve spun.
I have had eczema all of my life, and one of my triggers is definitely guard hairs (not sure what they’re called with fiber animals, but that’s what they are on dogs!). A soft, undercoat-like fiber is wonderful, but I feel every little guard hair that’s gotten caught in there, and they make me break out. When they are noticeable enough to remove without ruining the garment, I do. And of course knitting means you can frequently recognize them — they stick out from the twist, right? — and pull them as you knit (as I mention in my other post below). That’s why baby alpaca easier on my skin than standard alpaca; fewer of those guard hairs.
But even with seemingly soft animal fibers I can have problems. My guess is that I am irritated by the wider end of the hair shaft, possibly because it was cut rather than having a tapered end like the other side. I have no other explanation for why something would feel soft in hand, but be unwearable on my neck or back.
(And, as a plant comparison, linen is a general no-no for me for the same reason. Even if it seems totally smooth, there are still tiny prickly bits that will set me off.)
I have experienced exactly what you are describing! I just knit myself a small afghan with Cascade Mondo. It is Merino and alpaca and pure luxury! It doesn’t bother me at all, even when I wrap it around my shoulders and neck. That surprises me. I had a lovely pair of linen slacks I had to give away because of the prickles. It’s somehow reassuring to know I’m not the only one. 🙂
Thank you for this insight into super wash wool. I have learned the hard way, how it can react in a garment if not knit to a tight gauge, but I love it for shawls, accessories, and baby gifts. The structural information all makes sense now.
Is there any “best” way for changing threads (eg Russian join, knot) in superwash? It makes me nervous to think of extra drape ‘releasing’ the ends…..
I use superwash when making things for my granddaughter, because my daughter won’t handwash. But I don’t like the softness. I always need to have a good woolly project going at the same time to cleanse my pallet after all the slickness of the superwash. One good thing, my LYS (Stars Hollow in New Preston, CT) has some superwash that is minimally processed and not coated in plastic. Still, too soft for my taste…
Like you, Maureen, I only knit with superwash yarns when making garments for our grands. My daughter and son-in-law are both too busy to be handwashing garments, but they ALL love it when I knit for them. And I love knitting for them, but boy I don’t enjoy the feel of superwash yarns. That said, the colors are so bright and alluring! I had to laugh when you said you must ‘cleanse your palate’ with real wool, because I am the same way! Happy knitting!!
Do superwash yarns pill any differently than regular wool?
Pilling has more to do with how tightly a yarn is spun, rather than superwash treatment. Loosely spun yarn will pill, regardless of fiber.
Isn’t there a test you can do with yarn samples that will identify plastic coatings on yarn, a burn test? I am sure some of you out there have chemistry backgrounds and can share suggestions that would make reading yarn labels easier. I would appreciate it. Without prior knowledge even researching the ‘ingredients’ isn’t easy.
Most of my yarns come from secondhand stores, and most has no identification. A burn test can sort acrylic from cotton from wool, NOT superwash-treated wool from untreated.
The way I determine if it’s superwash or not is by knitting a swatch that, if it shrinks, can still serve as a hot-pad, and throwing it into the washer/dryer with regular laundry. If it does NOT shrink, it’s superwash. I unravel and use.
I made a Boxy Pullover out of Superwash Malabrigo Rios and it seems to pill. Luckily it is flat stockinette and I can shave those pills off. But there is something so nice about throwing it in wash and dryer.
What an interesting article! I am looking forward to more info on how the “de-scaling” is achieved. I, like many others who commented, prefer non-superwash outside of sock knitting and gifts for people who won’t hand wash.
Great article. I use superwash for socks and I will use it on every once in a while on shawls/mitts/hats (for the ability to wash and dry more easily), but for the most part I avoid it. Sweaters with superwash are a recipe for disaster and disappointment. The yarn cannot be trusted over that weight of fitted fabric. I also feel bad about using it – that the yarn has been destroyed, effectively, to make it easier to clean. I also worry about the enviromental impact – though some company’s use “eco methods” (though I don’t know enough about the process to feel confident about it). But choice is useful.
Thank you! Thank you! I haven’t distinguished between Superwash and other wool when making sweaters for my partner. As it happens I have made only one in Superwash and I simply hate the way this cardigan has turned out: it stretches, fanning out at the hem. It slumps on the body. And it’s slippery somehow; installing the zipper was a nightmare. The colour, lovely in the skein, just doesn’t satisfy me knitted up. I blamed the design, but this was unfair I realize. It’s the yarn! It’s the Superwash! I’ll never use it for a sweater again.
I read that a garment made of superwash wool should be dried in the dryer in order to maintain its shape. Any comments about this?
Depends on the brand, & the superwash process used, but generally speaking yes, superwash yarns do need to go through a warm dryer. Case in point, a Better Bucket hat knit for my sister in Malabrigo Rios would have fit a basketball when it came out of a handwash bath in Eucalan. A quick trip through the dryer (warm/permapress setting) in a lingerie bag, but along with other regular laundry, & the Rios snapped back to its originally knitted size.
I love the feel & drape of superwash yarns for shawls & scarves, not to mention the intensity of the colors. They also work just fine for mitts & hats as long as you pay attention to your gauge. Same goes for sweaters. Together with woo/acrylic blends, they’re hard to beat for children’s & young adult gifts. As someone who suffered with scratchy wool socks & clothing as a child, all in the name of warmth, you can keep the so-called natural stuff for anything but carpets & outerwear that will never come within 5 yards of bare skin.
I use the dryer and find it shapes back up. It does become very soft though but I usually knit with it for that drape. I always put a towel or two in with it.
I have used two different brands of ‘eco-wash’ superwash wool, which uses a different process for neutralizing the scales on the fiber. Under this process, there is no need to coat the yarn with resin. Supposedly the manufacturing process is kinder to the environment. These yarns are much closer to non-SW wool in my experience – bouncier, less dense, feel more wooly. I like them a lot.
I know about O-Wool eco superwash, what brands did you use?
Tania Fiber Arts have a non-superwash washable yarn and so do Rosy Green Wool. I haven’t been able to find out much about the processes used though.
Autocorrected! Should say Tanis Fiber Arts.
Spirit Trail, which just closed its doors (sob!), had a worsted & a dk weight (Luna & Selene) and they both were wonderful. Swans Island has a sport, dk & aran. I’ve only used the dk but loved it, too: made a highly textured baby sweater and texture totally popped, which hasn’t been my experience with regular SW wool.
Thanks for this but I am disheartened! I was loving my Millamia fair isle WIP – so soft! So colourful! but it is plasticated! ? You live and learn. So it is gonna get saggy and smelly. I’ll just have to throw it in the machine and not treat it like he heirloom I was hoping. Been knitting for 45 years and I didn’t know this. It is jamieson and smith for me all the way now 🙂
I love super wash yarns – some of the best ones feel like cotton without the stiffness. I think the quality of the yarn can make a big difference in the feel and look of a final product.
Ahhh, allergy. Having tested allergic to everything with fur or feathers, wool and hair included, I can nonetheless wear high quality merino next to my skin. Not cashmere, soft as it is, not bunny. Merino and those breeds that have a lot of merino in their breeding are my go-to for spinning and yarn buying. My only guess is that as a breed merino was isolated a long time ago and is just…different.
This approach may not work for all with critter allergies or sensitivities but I am ever so happy it works for me.
And yes, dearies, there is always silk, and then linen, bamboo, cotton, hemp and other scrumptious fibers.
Good luck, and, Happy Knitting!
Here 8n Australia you can buy merino undergarments. A fair price but worth it if you can afford them.
Same here. I guess the merino puzzle in my case may be because allergies mean I’m very sensitive to generally itchy fibres (mohair, alpaca with long guard hairs, even my own hair) as well as allergic to specific fibres if I inhale them or they get into my skin. Merino generally feels soft and stays together, whereas I find Mohair/Angora is generally itchy and sheds a lot so I breathe it in. Double whammy! Wollmeise feels like cotton to me. It’s one of the few wool yarns I could wear next to my neck.
My impression of superwash is that it is really stretchy compared to “regular” wool. Also, it seems to pill more. I use it for gifts because even those who know better sometimes pitch a scarf or hat into the wash without thinking, although I did knit myself a sweater from superwash because, YES, the COLOR!
Question: why does some yarn pill and others don’t? I have 3x 30 year old (approx) handknits I made from Anny Blatt No.4 and there is still not a pill in sight. Over the years I have hand washed and machine washed these (on warm gentle cycle) and they still look and feel fabulous! These days, pretty much anything I knit will pill and I have used a great variety of brands including chain yarn.
Can you elucidate? What do you look for if you don’t want yarn to pill?
BTW…can’t get Anny Blatt in Australia any more…. haven’t been able to for a long time.
Many Thanks,
Heidi
My local shepherdess ( who is biased ) told me about superwash, and why she doesn’t like it. Most of the wool comes from China where they process it into superwash using toxic chemicals to remove the scales, and resins/ plastics to coat it. She also mentioned how it squeaks when knitted, and how it stretches out. It is the yarn most indie dyers use. I have heard recently that some people in the U.S. are making it using less toxic methods. The would like to hear about them. I think O-Wool is one of them . Please let us know about them. But I still prefer good old wool. I know my shepherdess and her sheep, and I like buying yarn from her because I like supporting local farmers.
To Be or Not To Be a Hypocrite: American Superwash Wool https://www.pigeonroofstudios.com/from-the-studio/2017/9/5/superwash Maybe your “local shepherdess” ought to learn something about her industry before she mouths off.
I’ve heard of acrylic squeaking, but not superwash yarn, ever. It doesn’t stretch out any more than any other type of wool yarn as long as you knit it to the proper gauge. Knit it too loosely, & yes, it will stretch. And pill. But then, so will untreated wool. N.B. the wool itself does not come from China, but because of the rules of international trade its country of origin is listed as China if it has been spun, dyed, or superwash treated there. Also polymer does not equal plastic. Polymers can be either natural or manmade.
The article you link to explains how superwash yarn revitalized the American wool industry, apparently in large part due to the military need for superwash wool and the requirement that it buy American. A single facility was built for the superwash process to ensure military requirements are met. The article further says people shouldn’t argue against superwash b/c that will damage the American wool industry, while acknowledging that perhaps it is not an environmentally friendly process. But that doesn’t necessarily follow! Let’s push the American wool industry to support less toxic and more environmentally responsible s/w processes and, in the meantime, let’s continue to raise awareness of what the s/w process is and why it needs to change. At the same time, we can buy non-s/w wool that has been raised locally or at least in the US.
YES!! It squeaks! I’ve never liked superwash and only use it for gifted baby things. My own kids had real wool sweaters that I washed carefully. I’m not a sock knitter but might consider using SW for that. Thank you for the info on the coating process. I will research that before buying.
So helpful!
I am a crocheter. What do these yarns look like when used in a crochet?
I was wondering the same… Gonna have to get myself some and find out…
Love this environmently friendly wash cloth idea.
Thank you for the eye opening article on Superwash yarns! I like them for my grand kiddos garments…but I used a Superwash to knit Marie Greene’s Foxtrot KAL. While it was blocking my cat pulled two very long strands out from the front panel. Trying to even the stitches out again, has become a nightmare. I now need a secluded cat free area for blocking!!
Oh wow how serendipitous this post was!!!! Finishing a couple commissioned blanket and was pondering an Autumn sweater for myself in superwash fingering!!!! IMore thought and swatching now imperative thanx!!!
I too fell to the color and washability. When I washed and “blocked” I was furious. It stretched beyond belief. Now, I am new to blocking and try to do it right but I now have a sweater I can’t wear. So back to the drawing board. I am going to frog back beyond the pockets and redo shorter, then if it stretches it won’t matter. I made a second sweater “Roger”, but this time a little tighter tension and have not blocked yet. Now I know not to block like I would other yarn. I am fading away from the “superwash”. Linda
Very informative,Thanx
Thank you for the wonderful article on superwash yarns. Your analagies really helped me connect with your ideas. I haven’t used superwash yarns before, but now I can since I understand what it means….thanks again.
Brilliant article, I had no idea there was such a difference, thank you so much!!
I don’t use wool for things I knit for my grandchildren due to allergic-type reactions + the machine-washing issue, but have never used superwash because I’d read about the non-elastic problem and the stretching. Instead I have a stash of polyester/acrylic that I use for hats and mittens etc for the family. I’d appreciate a piece clarifying and comparing the environmental costs of non-fuzzy animal choices (superwash, synthetics) and maybe others as well (cotton, bamboo, linen must go through some processing as well).
Superwash is actually more elastic than acrylic. It may be coated, but it still is a protein fiber at heart and retains many of the inherent properties of protein fibers.
Love this article! Thanks! Might you share just what the process is that removes the yarns scales? Mechanical?
The scales are removed via a chemical process, not mechanical. There’s going to be a follow-up article apparently. Looking forward to it!
I just finished a gorgeous sweater in Rios and after washing and blocking it is much larger than expected. I checked the Malabrigo website for any washing tips and it says to dry flat. It would be great if you would publish an article on how to block/resize superwash. They say you can put superwash in the dryer(gasp) to get it back to size. As a life long knitter, I’m rather nervous about doing that.
That cabled swatch is also flat and limp because that particular yarn is not spun tightly. A tighter spin, like in the other 2 yarns, makes up for some if the properties that superwash can be lacking in. It also reduces pilliness. This is why I don’t buy loosely spun superwash anymore. A highly spun superwash can have lovely crisp stitch definition!
Wow thanks for this article! My favorite yarns are both superwash: malabrigo Rios and malabrigo chunky. I usually knit hats and scarves with them. Specially the hats I don’t wet block because I don’t want them to get huge. However, I knitted a wonderful sweater with Rios and when I blocked it grew like twice the size. I wear it anyway even if it was more beautiful before. But I want to knit another one and I want to be sure that I’ll have the right size. Some people told me to knit the small instead of the medium and other people told me to keep the size but decrease the needles. What is the best option? I love malabrigo and I don’t want to stop knitting with it. I was thinking to switch to malabrigo worsted because it is not superwash but I heard that it pills a lot. I also find it a little bit more fragile. Do you have any experience making garments with this yarn? I only made a shawl and it doesn’t pill but it’s not like a sweater that we wear all the time and there’s friction.
Oh it’s funny! Just after I let a comment I went to malabrigo site to read about the yarns and I just saw that chunky is not really superwash! I’m surprised because it grows a lot! I usually knit my scarves a little bit shorter because after blocking it becomes longer.
Really useful info, thanks.
I am terribly allergic to non-superwashed wool. I breakout in a lovely rash. Superwashed wool I can wear with no problem for the most part. This article is very informative. I now know to avoid Superwashed wool when structure is important (not much of an issue since I mostly do socks). Thank you.
Did NOT realize all this was true about Superwash. I know there’s a lot of debate back and forth on Superwash to begin with, but this completely gives me a different sense of perspective to consider in the future.
Thank you!
These articles are fascinating; opening up a new world of knowledge for me. Thank you!
I am looking for a yarn for a sweater pattern. After reading this article, I feel like I need to get rid of all my yarn, everything is Superwash! A long time ago I only knitted with acrylic. Now, I am a yarn snob and want to use wool exclusively. The sweater pattern was knit with a merino, alpaca, silk blend. Is that a good combination? The wool is non Superwash. I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks
Hi!
I crochet. I want to make these great slippers I found on YouTube. I’d like to make them in something soft but wont stretch out. Should I use Superwash, wool blend, cotton? I’m so confused what yarn would work best.
Thank you!
Julie Shaker
This is such a good article! As one who uses superwash for a lot of gifts, I have knitted a lot of samples (my word for swatch) to look at the colors and patterns. For the most part I have never had family or friends who knit (online has been an all time bonus!), but the recipients would not appreciate hand was or dry clean gifts. So I began to stabilize the ‘samples’ I made with whatever I had on hand: I added thread for light yarns, usually in an matching color to make it invisible. Thread did not seem to change the gauge, but supported the weight. Yes, you need to make sure you are picking up the thread as you knit, but it has not seemed a problem. But with a bit of a dull knit, variegated thread adds spark. I use crochet thread sometimes to support heavier yarns. Just my 2 cents worth, but as long as the addition is strong it works for me, ( but you have to remember that I am an improper knitter.
My goodness… I bought Cloudborn superwash yarn and the crochet stitches were tighter than what was projected on the pattern. I was confused and just continued. Then I washed it and VOILA it stretched to the pattern! Yeah, superwash yarn is weird.
I went through the comments quickly and see how things got larger when wet blocking. I did not see anything on what happens when you put superwash garment in the dryer. Does it go back to the original size?
Great article. I learned so much how yarn has changed and gauge has over the years with advent of super washed yarn.. I have a question and I hope you can help me understand my tight knitting. I have always known I have been a tight knitter but I am making a sweater in 2 ply fingering weight and I had to up 3 needle sizes ( 2 to a 5). Is it possible some of this is could be the yarn and not all me.
I have a half knit sweater in superwash fingerling that I need to rip out and start something new with. Should I just rip out and reknit since I still have half the yarn that hasn’t been knitted. Or do I need to wash the “used” yarn before repurposing?
Hi! I have a question. I’m knitting a sweater and planned on blocking the individual parts separately. Now, I started with the back piece and blocked it yesterday. It has grown sooo much. I didn’t know Superwash wool would stretch and grow so much (I’m kinda new to knitting sweaters)…. so I want to frog it, make a new gauge swatch with a smaller needle and block it before defining the gauge.
Now my question: Can I frog the back piece and knit it again, using the new gauge? Because, when I block it again after reknitting, I think it will not grow so much anymore. It did already. So, the backpiece will be different after blocking a second time compared to the front and sleeves…
I hope you understand my question, help is needed haha!