Countdown to Knitmas: Day 22!

When giving a hand made fiber gift, we always worry if the recipient will know just how much careful they should be when considering washing their new treasure. There are two things that you can do to help ensure that there are no mysteries or accidental felting incidents.
Thing one: Include the ball band with your present. The ball band or tag holds all the information from composition to care (from "100% alpaca" to "handwash, lay flat to dry, etc."). Since you may be one who keeps the bands and tags or you may find that the care symbols are too hard for a lay person to interpret, you could copy down the information on a 3"x5" card or a decorative tag.

Thing two: You could become less subtle and include some wool wash with your gift. We have Eucalan brand in 3.3 oz at only $4.00, which is a small price to pay for some peace of mind. If you have a lucky individual whom you plan on knitting or crocheting a lifetime worth goodies for, then you may want to invest in a large bottle of Eucalan or Kookaburra. These rinse optional washes are almost easier than doing the regular laundry: fill a sink with cold or look warm water, add an appropriate amount of wash, insert fiber item, let soak for 20 mins., and lay flat to dry.