Effective ways to shrink a wool sweater: affordable and simple methods that will reduce the size of the product

It’s not at all difficult to save a stretched wool product by reducing its shape and size. However, it should be borne in mind that you can change the appearance of such an item by no more than one or two sizes and only if the composition contains natural wool with a small admixture of synthetics. Fully synthetic items, such as acrylic, will be quite difficult to change, especially by washing, which is considered the most popular and convenient method today.

Let's consider the main effective ways to reduce a product.

When does the wool “shrink”?

A material such as wool, due to its naturalness and natural characteristics, can easily be modified under the influence of various sources. First of all, woolen items shrink when washed at high temperatures . Natural hairs curl, compact and “fall off”, which makes the product warmer, but significantly reduces its size.

Important! Items containing both real wool and artificial fibers can behave completely differently. Some things containing synthetics do not shrink at all, some only stretch. Therefore, for products with a mixed composition, methods typical for natural woolen items may not always be suitable.

If your denim jacket is stretched

• To shrink a denim jacket in a certain area, for example, in the waist, sleeves or shoulders, mix warm water and conditioner in a ratio of 3 to 1. Spray the solution on the desired area and dry the product in an electric dryer, washing machine or radiator. Repeat the procedure until you get the required size;
• Wash denim in the washing machine at the highest temperature setting on the intensive or wrinkle-resistant cycle. Then dry the jacket and iron the dried material with a hot iron;
• An old and worn denim jacket, as well as a light-colored denim jacket, can be boiled. To do this, place the product in boiling water and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. It is important that the clothing is completely submerged in water. This method will dull the color, resulting in a “washed” denim jacket with a smaller size;
• To prevent denim from shrinking, wash the material by hand at temperatures up to 40 degrees. Do not dry items in the fresh air or throw them over a rope, otherwise streaks and marks will remain. You can read more about caring for denim in the article on how to reduce jeans size.

Washing rules to make woolen items shrink

In order to “plant” a knitted item, you need to pay attention to several parameters. If you follow all of them, you will be able to carry out the procedure without incident, as a result of which you will have a sweater of the ideal size.

Temperature

First, pay attention to the label on your item, as the temperature at which it should be washed is always written above it. Since we are pursuing slightly different goals and want the product to change slightly, we should “conjure” with the temperature regime. Typically, the optimal temperature for washing wool is 30–40 °C , but we need to increase it by 20 °C to make clothes smaller.

Mode

The best option is to wash the item by hand . However, if you are lazy or simply don’t have enough time, use a washing machine. To do this, set it to one of the following modes:

• "wool". Its settings are usually set to a small number of revolutions. This is a good feature because at high speeds a wool sweater can change from adult to child size;
• “hand wash”, “children’s mode”. These programs are also quite delicate, so they are suitable for washing.

Hand knitted item

The problem with hand-knitted items is often that there may not be a tag on it indicating the specific material and the required washing temperature . If you are sure that the hat you bought from a craftswoman is truly completely natural, then you can try reducing its size by steaming. Do this through a cloth so as not to damage the delicate texture. If you do not have accurate information about the composition of the yarn, then it is better to wait with steaming. Try reducing it using the washing method.

Machine knitted item

An important feature of wool products is that they will retain the shape in which they dry . Therefore, if dried incorrectly, even machine knitting can suffer and stretch. This can be corrected by drying the sweater again. For this:

• wash the sweater or just soak it well in water. It must be completely saturated. If you are afraid that it will shrink very much in the water, then use a contrasting method: do not immediately soak the item in too hot water;
• After this, remove the clothing, but do not wring or twist it - this will damage the fibers again. It is better to place it on a flat surface (for example, in a bathtub, basin or on a special board) in a free position and allow excess water to drain;
• wrap it in a thick cloth or terry towel that will absorb unnecessary moisture. This method will replace traditional squeezing;
• change the fabric or towel, spread it on a flat surface, and place your sweater on top. Give it the desired shape, for example, lay a collar or adjust it in length. This is the form the product will be in when it dries.

Important! Wool takes a long time to dry; at room temperature it can dry for 2–3 days. Make sure that it does not acquire an unpleasant musty smell, so if necessary, change the towel on which it lies.

Resizing by suturing

An option that is suitable for products evenly stretched around the entire perimeter. This method will only take a few minutes and will allow you to significantly modify the item, giving it the desired shape and adjusting the size.

To implement this method, you will need, first of all, a needle with a thick thread in the color of the product, as well as pins with which you will need to highlight the silhouette:

• turn the item inside out and try it on yourself in front of the mirror;
• determine the desired shape and, using pins, carefully secure the desired shape on the sides , trying to release the material evenly. If necessary, you can baste the resulting silhouette with a thread with a contrasting, brightly eye-catching color;
• select a thread of sufficient density and a suitable shade that would blend in with the yarn, and use wide stitches to sweep away the future shape obtained after trying on the product;
• try on the item again, turning the item right side out . After making sure that the product fits as it should, sew the basted stitches on a sewing machine, selecting the standard stitching program and making the stitch length medium - about 0.7 cm;
• Carefully trim the excess material with scissors , not forgetting to leave about 1 centimeter for finishing the edges. This must be done so that the fabric does not begin to crumble and fall apart;
• finish the edges along the entire product using an overlock stitch or zigzag , then turn the item inside out and try it on again.

This method is recommended to be used to reduce the item by no more than two sizes, since too much suturing can warp the item, after which it will need to be completely altered and recut.

How to wash so that only the sleeves shrink?

If you are not satisfied with only the sleeves in a knitted product (for example, you pulled them unsuccessfully when putting on a sweater), then you can try to reduce only their length or width. For this:

• spray the sleeves with water from a special spray bottle or simply wet them carefully without touching other areas;
• lay the item horizontally again, straighten the sleeves and give them the required shape in length or width;
• wait for it to dry.

Advice! You can also try simply steaming only the sleeves. The main thing is that hot steam does not get on the main part of the blouse.

Required Items

Before starting work, you should prepare all the necessary tools so as not to be distracted from the process.

You will need:

• needle;
• 15-20 pins;
• threads of a suitable color;
• sharp scissors;
• soap or colored chalk;
• sewing machine. It will greatly facilitate the process;
• measuring tape.

How to wash something made from several different materials?

If the product contains both natural and synthetic materials, pay attention to the specific composition and recommended temperature conditions . Unfortunately, synthetic things are quite difficult to revive.

For example, it is almost impossible to shrink polyester. However, we advise you to try reducing the size of the item first only in those areas that have stretched. Also, do not immediately use extremely high temperatures - the wool contained in the composition may still shrink to child size. It is better to use the contrast wash method.

Sewing the shirt at the shoulders

There are two ways to change the shoulder size.

Without using ripping

You need to do the following:

1. Step 1. Using a measuring tape, measure the required length from the collar to the far shoulder line, draw a line here.
2. Step 2. Draw with chalk a place for the future seam, which should end at the edge of the armpit line.
3. Step 3. Fold the item in half and cut the fabric along the drawn line. If the instructions are followed correctly, the sleeves and body of the shirt should become separate pieces.
4. Step 4. Pin the cut sleeve with the back and front. It is necessary to connect the parts so that there are no holes. Remember that the armhole size has become larger.
5. Step 5. Sew the joined parts and iron. The product is ready to wear.

By tearing

You need to do the following:

1. Step 1. Determine your desired shoulder length and mark it on the fabric. It is also necessary to draw a line that will be parallel to the seam of the sleeve.
2. Step 2. Remember to check for symmetry, otherwise the sleeves will be different sizes.
3. Step 3. At this stage, you need to open the seams and carefully flog the sleeves.
4. Step 4. After cutting off the excess fabric, connect the sleeves and openings for them. Then the parts need to be double stitched.

For more precise instructions, use this video tutorial.

In order to rip the seam correctly and accurately, use a special seam ripper. To do this, insert its thin tip under the thread and pull it up. Do this operation with each stitch.

Remember that you can only rip a seam on one side.

Ways to prevent woolen items from stretching after washing

In order to avoid the not-so-pleasant procedure of shrinking your favorite sweater, follow some rules during and after washing it:

• If possible, wash it in warm water by hand or use a delicate machine wash cycle;
• do not twist it when squeezing, let the water drain in its natural position;
• Do not dry the item in a vertical position: always lay it out on a flat surface;
• do not dry it on a hot radiator or in the open sun, as it will not only lose its shape, but may also fade;
• it must be ironed either through a cloth or by steaming without contact with the hairs;
• Do not dry or store knitted sweaters on hangers - they will definitely stretch out. It's better to keep them folded in the closet.

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Shrinking a sweater by dry cleaning

The simplest and fastest method to get rid of this problem is to go to a dry cleaner, where there is a special service for reducing stretched wool items. Using heat treatment or washing, specialists will return the product to its original appearance and desired size in a matter of minutes. However, this method can negatively affect the softness and brightness of the item , making the item scratchy and the shade dull. Therefore, when changing the shape of a colored or colorful wool item, it is advisable to ask dry cleaning specialists to add a product to soften the fabric, and also to use a gentle method to maintain color saturation.

Shrinking cotton

Need to shrink a cotton cardigan? This will work if it is sewn correctly. If the threads do not go as required, then nothing will work.

How to shrink a large cotton dress or suit? Experts recommend setting the machine to the hottest water possible with a strong spin. But you can only wash white clothes this way.

It is better to wash colored clothes by hand. Moreover, you need to remember the rule: when kept in boiling water for 5 minutes, the item decreases by 1 size. Accordingly, if you keep it in boiling water for 15 minutes, it will decrease by about 2-3 sizes.

After hand washing, it is advisable to use an electric dryer. If even after these actions the item has not decreased significantly, repeating the procedures is useless.

Nothing can be done. The clothes will remain the same size, but the structure of the fabric, especially colored ones, can be damaged by hot water.

We sew in by hand

A simple and smart way to make a wool sweater smaller without damaging the good wool material is to sew it in. Contact a tailor, or do the needlework yourself - there are no difficulties in the process.

Let's tell you how to do it quickly:

1. Turn the sweater inside out.
2. Mark the desired width with chalk or soap.
3. Sew with large stitches, following the side seams.
4. Let's try it on.
5. If you are pleased with the result, feel free to sew the seams on a machine.
6. We cut off the excess and sew the edges by hand or with an overlocker.

The technique is wonderful because it does not damage the fibers at all. At the same time, you can slightly adjust the cut of the product, for example, by narrowing the waist. Lack of sewing skills is not a problem. You can always take your sweater to a tailor to have it altered.

General Tips

You can reduce the size of clothes effectively and save money in a regular washing machine. Whether it is a shirt or a pair of denim trousers, the procedure can be equally successful and a person can get the size he needs without spending money on a tailor. But not every washing option may be suitable. To understand how to wash clothes so that they shrink, you need to know a few rules. Different materials shrink differently, so different methods must be used to shrink an item one or more sizes.

Before starting the procedure, you need to carefully examine the tags sewn to the back of the product and determine the material from which the item is made. For example, cotton shrinks the best, polyester shrinks the least, while leather and fur do not shrink at all. You also need to determine whether the material has been pre-soaked or pre-shrinked, as this will make it much more difficult to shrink in size by washing.

You can also use the tag to find out the recommended washing temperature. For example, wool should be washed at 40°C. It should be taken into account that the recommended temperature is also related to the durability of the textile paint. Because of this, after the procedure, the color of the clothing will be less bright. To soften the effect of fading, it is better to choose a powder for colored fabrics that prevents discoloration as much as possible. A pinch of salt will also help prevent fabric discoloration.