can this sweater be saved?
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 7:01PM One day, while drinking my grande salted caramel skim mocha, I received an email from one of my adorable customers.
She needed help. She knit her daughter a sweater. It was adorable too.
Then she washed it. She washed it in Woolite. Bad things happened to the colors. Namely, the colors went where they weren't supposed to, and it was to the detriment of the adorable sweater.
Did you know that you should never wash your hand knits in Woolite?
It seems like you should, because the word wool is in the name. Do not be wooed by false nomenclature, my friends.
Woolite has something in it -- I'm not a professional chemist, nor do I play one on television -- so I can't pinpoint exactly what it is, but I've never had good results using it. And I have used everything.
Colors go where they shouldn't. Like on other colors. Like down the drain. My guess is that Woolite is formulated to be colorfast with commercial vat dyes, which is what store-bought clothes are often dyed with. But with acid dyes? Just say no.
So this adorable customer asked what could be done, because the purple and yellow that had met each other at the party decided to make an unattractive brownish shade. I offered to try and overdye the sweater to make it pretty again.
There were several paths we could have taken, and I'm sure they all would have been lovely. But ultimately, this is where we ended up:
I used turquoise, violet, and fuchsia to create several shades that would work with what was already underneath.
This is not the sweater my adorable customer set out to make, but sometimes the unexpected adventures are more fun than the planned ones.
I hope she likes it as much as I do.
Reader Comments (18)
Good to know about Woolite (which I used to use all the time before they started adding what they consider to be a "pleasant [gag me] scent."
BTW, I LOVE the over-dye, those colors are gorgeous! Very Irish Girl indeed.
Good information. I would have never known that about Woolite although I have not used that product in years. Usually I use the hand wash soap from Nordstrom LIngerie department or I use Soak.
If I were the customer I would be happy just in the fact that you took the time to fix something that you really did not need to take the time to fix. The personal customer service Three Irish Girls provides is just one of the reasons I love TIG, not to mention the yummy yarns! You helped me pick colors for a sweater I need to start!!
Elise
Oooooooooo I love the re-dyed version. MUCH prettier!!!!!!! Awesome Job!
I heard about not using Wool-ite. Someone needs to put a big sign out there on a few specific places like Ravelry and here and what-not to point out that the stuff is just bad. I use Dawn dishsoap if I have nothing else but for the most part I use Euclan wash. I love the fact that my hand knits end up with a light lavendar scent :)
Kudos to you for helping her out. Enjoy the rest of your week.
IMO Turquoise is the wonder cure all over dye color! Works wonders. Both the before and after sweaters are lovely!!
Beautiful! Your talents with colour, sorry...color is amazing! I love to look at what you come up with and this fix is absolutely stunning! The knitting is great too!
What a great post- glad to know that Woolite isn't the way to go for woolies! I love what you did with this colorway though, it looks vibrant and gorgoeus! She's sure to love it! :) Tessa Ann
Honestly, I think it's better! Absoultely gorgeous, I would be proud to wear something about that :)
It was wonderful of you to over-dye the sweater for her. It looks just as lovely and totally different. I'm sure she will love it - I would.
My LYS owner has told me that, but I never gave it much thought, 'til now. Thank you for the explanation. I also think that the decision to overdye the sweater was terrific. I never would have tried that to start with, but it's the old lemon/lemonade thing, how serendipitous.
I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to post a link to this on FaceBook, it's very useful/needed information that the world needs to know!!
Wow woolite is evil. I'm so glad you were overdye it to something pretty for her.
I like it! Thank you for the Woolite tip. I am going to spread the word if you don't mind.
whoa - that is good to know! I don't use Woolite but I've been told to over the years - for all the delicates including the wools - glad I ignored that advice. I use Eucolan - that'll be ok won't it? I have to wash a little toddler sweater made of your cotton/bamboo.
How nice of you to over-dye it - the blue is fabulous!
very good job on the redye -- I'm sure she'll be thrilled!
I think, the fact that you took the time to help her out is absolutely amazing, and so kind and generous!!! It certainly takes a knitter to understand the kind of work that can go into making a sweater for a loved one and understand the disappointment if something goes wrong and such a fantastic kind-hearted thing to help her out!
I can say that ever since I've discovered 3IG's I've become hooked and stuff like this just re-affirms my love of your products and company!!!
I love the new colour change! It looks stellar!!!!!!!!!!
Salted caramel mochas make anything possible, don't they? Wonderful job rescuing the sweater.
And that is why you are so fabulous. Call practically any other shop owner in the universe with the same issue and I can guarantee you their answer would not have been "send me the sweater and I'll overdye it for you". Every time when I think you have captured and totally defined awesomeness, you invent it all over again.
Kudos to you for being... well... awesomely you.
I am very thankful Sharon took the time to fix my daughter's sweater, and it looks wonderful. I've been trying to get a good photo of her in it to send a thank you card but have failed so far. Your customer service is really and truely the best, and I thank you again from the bottom of my heart. And I was serious, if you ever need anything from Alaska, all you need to do is ask. Quanna (thank you in Inupiaq), Again