How to care for your handmade creations
Handmade means made with care, and it lasts longer when it gets some in return. Each section below covers a different kind of creation, so look for the one that matches yours.
Quick Links
Taking care of your macramé
COMING SOON
Looking after your crochet toy
Your little companion was crocheted by hand and stuffed to be cuddled, carried about and generally loved to bits. Sooner or later, it will need a clean, which is a sign it has been well used. These instructions are for toys made with acrylic or polyester yarn and stuffed with polyester fibre. If yours is made from something else, the label will say so.
How to clean your crochet toy
Marks and spills:
For a mark or a spill, wipe the crocheted part with a cloth and a little soapy water, then leave it to dry completely.
Dust:
Just like everything else, crochet toys gather dust, and not only on the outside: it gets into the stuffing too. Your first instinct might be to vacuum the toy, but putting a vacuum cleaner straight onto a crochet toy can pull the stuffing out of shape and tug out threads that have been sewn in.
This gentler method draws the dust out instead:
1. Put the toy in a plastic bag with no holes. A shopping bag will do.
2. Take the head off your vacuum cleaner so you’re left with the open pipe.
3. Gather the neck of the bag around the pipe and secure it with an elastic band, snug but not tight. Don’t push the pipe in deep: it must never touch the toy.
4. Switch the vacuum on and let it suck all the air out of the bag. Then leave it running for another 30 seconds or so, which pulls the dust out of the toy.
5. Switch off, remove the pipe and take the toy out.
Keep the plastic bag away from children and pets.
How to wash your crochet toy
If your toy has needle-felted details, go to Toys with needle-felted details instead.
Before washing, get as much dust out of the toy as you can, using the method above. Dust left inside will come to the surface in the wash and can leave marks, even on dark yarn.
Wash the toy by hand in lukewarm water with a mild soap. Squeeze the suds through gently and don’t wring or twist, which stretches the crochet and pulls the stuffing out of shape. Rinse until the water runs clear, then press out as much water as you can.
I recommend hand washing only. A wet toy is heavy, and a washing machine can pull it out of shape. If you decide to try the machine anyway, I can’t promise how it will turn out.
How to dry your crochet toy
Roll the toy in a towel and squeeze to take out as much water as possible, then leave it somewhere airy to dry. The fatter the toy, the longer this takes, and it must be completely dry inside before it goes back on the bed or the shelf. Direct sun speeds things up, though it could cause colours to fade over time.
Toys with needle-felted details
Needle-felted parts must never get wet. To get the dust out, use the bag method under How to clean your crochet toy.
It’s completely dry, so it’s safe for felted areas. Clean the crocheted body with a cloth and a little soapy water, keeping well clear of the felted parts. Don’t submerge the toy or put it in the washing machine. If a felted area does get damp, blot it gently with a clean towel and leave it to air dry. Don’t rub.
A quick safety check for your crochet toy
Every so often, and always after a wash, check that eyes, noses and any other small parts are still firmly attached, and look over the toy for loose threads or holes. If anything has come loose, take the toy away from young children until it has been fixed.
Repairs
Every stitch gets tugged, pulled and triple-checked, but I’m human and I can miss something. If something I made comes loose in a way it shouldn’t have, get in touch and I’ll fix it for free, postage included.
Toys also live hard lives: they get sat on, dragged about, tugged and occasionally stolen by the dog. If yours has seen a bit too much of that, I’m happy to repair it for free, whatever its age, as long as it can be mended. You’ll need to cover the postage to me and back, or you can bring it to me if you’re local.
I’d like your toy to have the longest life it can.
How to take care of your macramé
COMING SOON
