Rewards
I get this question a lot; "How can I speed up the break-in period of an item I made?"
Great question! Over time, the silks that you work with from Darn Good Yarn will get softer and softer. However, I understand there are times where you want that vintage soft look.
So follow these easy tutorials and you'll be on your way to experience the softness that all of Darn Good Yarn's Recycled Silk Yarns and Ribbons can bring!
What you need:
Dryer
5-7 tennis balls depending on the size of your dryer and/or project
2 Tbsp of hair conditioner or liquid fabric softener
4.5 cups of warm water
Bucket
Optional:
Soak Wash to pre-clean your project (great for those items that will be against skin!)
Dryer Safe bag
Instructions
1.Pour and mix the conditioner (or fabric softer) and water in the bucket until conditioner is dissolved.
You can precede this step by washing your project in Soak Wash.
2. Place project into bucket and hand agitate being sure to get this softening solution in all of the nooks and crannies. (about 2 mins)
3. GENTLY, squeeze out the water. Be careful about warping the project by over-squeezing the water out of your project...you could misshape it!
4. Throw project in dryer safe bag (or not). I originally made the mistake of having too large of a bag and my project wound up being mashed to one side and did not dry! When I re-tried the process, I stuck some wet towels along with 5 tennis balls and my project into the dryer on my standard setting (until everything was ALMOST dry). Remember, don't go on your hottest dryer setting--use the medium setting.
5. Check your dryer every 10 mins. You want to pull your project out just when it still has a little bit of dampness. This is important in case you have to reshape your project. From there you can lay it flat to dry the rest of the way. If your project doesn't need reshaping you can let the full cycle of dryer take over.
6. You're all set! Not only do you have a softened project, but it smells good too:)