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10 Steps for Seasonal Woolen Storage
Protect your beloved handknits and stash yarn by following some sensible precautions
Dried lavender sachets may help protect your yarn and your clothes—but don’t rely on them alone. Image by No-longer-here from Pixabay
It seems to happen overnight: one day you look in your closet and are warmed by the sight of all the lovely woolens in your closet—the next moment, the bright rays of the sun beating through the window and the rising temperatures make those same woolens seem heavy and unbearably warm. So off to storage they must go!
But it is not only clothing that needs to be stored carefully, it is also your yarn. Although all-natural fibers are susceptible to the dangers of moisture, dust, pests, heat, and light, certain fibers are more at risk than others. Animal fibers seem to send out a beacon to every fiber troublemaker around, so it is important to keep those fibers under wraps during warm weather and times of disuse.
It requires some effort to safeguard your yarn, projects, and finished objects, but it is completely worth it. You put so much time and money into your knitting, and you certainly do not want any unpleasant surprises when you pull out yarn or a garment to wear when the temperatures drop. These tried-and-true methods for storage are based upon preventative measures: clean and pack your items away carefully for maximum protection.
Best practice: launder and fold your woolens before putting them into storage Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash
The 10 best steps to keep your yarns and woolens safe
As a knitter and a lifelong sweater lover, I have compiled some of my favorite tips for you (and my secret weapon for success) to use to keep your precious knits away from harm.
- Clean-up time! Understand that pests are looking for something to eat and that they find the body oils, sweat, food, perfumes, and beverage stains that are housed on your clothing or yarn to be very appetizing. Follow the instructions on the yarn ball band for garment laundering instructions. Even if you are not storing your woolens, keep your clean pieces separate from anything that has not been washed. Also, remember to wash your hands before you caress that lovely ball of wool in the basket—hand creams can transfer to the fibers. Store any yarn that may not be clean separately.
It seems to happen overnight: one day you look in your closet and are warmed by the sight of all the lovely woolens in your closet—the next moment, the bright rays of the sun beating through the window and the rising temperatures make those same woolens seem heavy and unbearably warm. So off to storage they must go!
But it is not only clothing that needs to be stored carefully, it is also your yarn. Although all-natural fibers are susceptible to the dangers of moisture, dust, pests, heat, and light, certain fibers are more at risk than others. Animal fibers seem to send out a beacon to every fiber troublemaker around, so it is important to keep those fibers under wraps during warm weather and times of disuse.
It requires some effort to safeguard your yarn, projects, and finished objects, but it is completely worth it. You put so much time and money into your knitting, and you certainly do not want any unpleasant surprises when you pull out yarn or a garment to wear when the temperatures drop. These tried-and-true methods for storage are based upon preventative measures: clean and pack your items away carefully for maximum protection.
Best practice: launder and fold your woolens before putting them into storage Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash
The 10 best steps to keep your yarns and woolens safe
As a knitter and a lifelong sweater lover, I have compiled some of my favorite tips for you (and my secret weapon for success) to use to keep your precious knits away from harm.
- Clean-up time! Understand that pests are looking for something to eat and that they find the body oils, sweat, food, perfumes, and beverage stains that are housed on your clothing or yarn to be very appetizing. Follow the instructions on the yarn ball band for garment laundering instructions. Even if you are not storing your woolens, keep your clean pieces separate from anything that has not been washed. Also, remember to wash your hands before you caress that lovely ball of wool in the basket—hand creams can transfer to the fibers. Store any yarn that may not be clean separately. [PAYWALL]
- Find the right container. Acid-free plastic tubs with tightfitting lids, cedar trunks, and collapsible cotton boxes or hanging cotton garment bags are all good choices. The container should be large enough to allow the air to circulate inside. Choose wisely: the container must keep pests, dust, and moisture out. Cardboard boxes are not pest-proof.
- *Fold your clothing carefully, adding acid-free tissue or (prewashed and dried) cotton fabric, if necessary, to help a garment keep its shape. Place it into the container, and don’t pack the container too tightly. Do not place your items directly onto a cedar surface, as the natural oils in the wood can seep out.
- Add additional protection to the container in the form of purpose-made herbal sachets (such as lavender, thyme, or eucalyptus) or cedar blocks or balls. To prevent staining, make sure that neither the sachets nor the cedar actually touch the clothing: their natural oils are what make them repel insects. Reinvigorate cedar by lightly sanding it before use so the oil can reach the surface of the wood.
- Seal your containers and find a good spot for them where they will be undisturbed.
- Temperature and moisture control is important. Hot spaces such as attics, garages, or spots near heating vents can damage fibers or even promote dry rot if the containers are not sealed and if the environment is very humid. Damp basements are not ideal for storage, either.
- Lights out! Do not subject your yarns or woolens to a lot of light. Yarn can fade over time, and this is especially a concern if your yarn is sitting in sunlight for prolonged periods.
- Keep the containers off the floor (if possible). You may not realize it, but there are many floor-level pests (such as the teeny, tiny carpet beetle) that are underfoot looking for a meal. Place your clothes up higher, or if you must store things below, use airtight boxes on scrupulously clean floors, especially if you have carpet.
- Shut the front door! Actually, shut all of them. Keep your home and closet doors closed, and seal container lids, garment bag zippers, and hope-chest lids if you are not using them. Do your best to make it tough for any mini invaders to enter your home.
- Air out your yarn and woolens after a few months. Clothing should not remain in storage indefinitely, especially if it has been placed in airtight plastic containers. Make sure you remove your garments from storage periodically and give them a chance to breathe. Brush them off gently or shake them out. Check for any tiny holes, thin spots, or dried casings or trails, as well as tiny white and black specks that look like ground pepper, which are telltale signs of insect larvae. Take the time to replace any herbal repellants or cedar blocks after a few months before placing the garments back in storage.
Beautiful yarn is inspiring to look at, but open-air storage is only beneficial for short periods of time. Photo by George Boe
This might seem like a lot of work, but your knitted pieces deserve the best treatment, and a little care throughout the year should keep them in tip-top condition for a very long time.
*My secret weapon is that I place my folded clothes and extra yarn in clean cotton white pillowcases before I put them into bins, hanging cotton garment bags, or drawers for an additional layer of protection.
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Pat Olski is the editor of PieceWork.
