Sugar... !! I've shrunk the jumper !!!

mrs_mix

I've just read in a magazine with tips if you leave it soaking overnight in a solution of fabric conditioner it may go back to normal
pam

Miss_Sharon

Hi,

I got a book for Christmas with the following advice.

The book is from Australia and refers to Fuller's Earth (something I've not heard of, not sure if it is available here) - Fuller's Earth is high-calcium clay with a beaching action. It's very absorbent and acts as a wool relaxant, so it can be used to shrink or unshrink woollens or remove sweat from felt of to block hats. It's available at chemists.

Q: How to unshrink a shrunken jumper?

A: For dark-coloured jumpers, fill a nappy bucket with blood-heat water and add 2 tablespoons of Fuller's earth. For light-coloured jumpers, add 4 tablespoons of Fuller's earth. Put the jumper in and gently agitate it with your hands until it's thoroughly wet. Let it sit for 10 - 15 minutes and then rinse completely in blood-heat water. Don't leave it longer than this as it will bleach. Don't wring out the jumper, but gently squeeze out as much water as possible. Then place the jumper on a towel in a shady spot and dry it out flat. Gently stretch it back into shape as it's drying. To make the stretch more even, use two wide toothed combs on either side of the jumper and stretch with the combs as it is drying. It's not as effective but you could also use 2 tablespoons of Epsom salts, instead of Fuller's earth, to a bucket of blood-heat water.

I hope this helps. I do intent to try to use this one myself, so will start to try to find Fuller's Earth. Let you know if I can find it - I'm in London.

The book is "Speed Cleaning" by Shannon Lush & Jennifer Fleming Their first book was Spotless (and described as a runaway best seller). Shannon is a fine arts restorer, so has some interesting tips. Published by ABC (Au BBC equivalent) 2006.

larmy16

Recently someone gave me a lovely Monsoon cardigan but because I am lazy I put it in the washing machine so when it came out it was all out of shape and much smaller - I was gutted and angry with myself.

Anyway I did leave it to soak in a lot of fabric conditioner and put it on a hanger wet and carried it through to the line and had a pull about with it and I am happy to say it has reverted to its former glory. Very pleased.

laikadog

fullers earth is cat litter (the cheap stuff)

demonicangel

I dont know if it applies to jumpers but i read on a US site that if wool longies shrink, the make a solution of water and hair conditioner, and put the longies in ( jumper in your case) ofr a few hours, the jumper should soak it up and return to a more normal size.

Will try and find where i found it and post a link

squeaky

Yes, I've seen the hair conditioner (not fabric conditioner) tip for natural woollens too.

In fact I've got some sitting on my kitchen worktop right now waiting for me to try and rescue a jumper I spoiled recently.

Note to self: get on with it!

JennyW_2

demonicangel wrote:

I dont know if it applies to jumpers but i read on a US site that if wool longies shrink, the make a solution of water and hair conditioner, and put the longies in ( jumper in your case) ofr a few hours, the jumper should soak it up and return to a more normal size.

Will try and find where i found it and post a link

I've just shrunken a wooly jumper (I too was being lazy), does it matter if it's a cheapy hair conditioner? Also what sort of quantity - half and half?

twistyfing

You can get fullers earth from chemists and beer making shops.

On a side note you can mix the clay with either mineral water, witch hazel or almond oil for a face (mud) pack (this clay is very strong tho so not advisable for sensitive skins for that type of skin I would use Kaolin and save fullers earth for oily areas such as nose / t-zone) leave pack to dry 10 mins or so and remove with tepid water and cloth or cotton wool pads

by mixing clays and mediums (oil being gentlest and witch hazel being strongest) you can make a presciption facial at home.

demonicangel

I have found the site where i read about the conditioner!

http://www.cutofcloth.com/howto_woolcare_kiwipie.asp

go down to 'i shrunk my wool wrap cover'

jimmy_g

I've got the opposite problem, my pretty chunky, off white coloured, woolly jumper is now about twice the size it was, after 10 years of washing. So, does anyone have any tips for shrinking such a garment?