Monday, April 14, 2008

Dangit, I was promised shrinkage!

I finished the baby blanket and the bunny blanket buddy this weekend, wove in all the ends, and triumphantly dumped the whole thing (including the hat) in the wash for a hot bath. I then nervously transferred the whole thing to the dryer, still wondering if I was going to end up with a couple of potholders and a washcloth. Just to ensure that I shrank the dang things all they were going to shrink, I set the dryer to the setting that said COTTON - HOT. I went back to my couch, knit on Odessa (love it, except for the sliding the beads down the string...they do not go as easily as one might hope), and worried.

The dryer buzzed. I went back and checked. Still wet. Really wet, in fact. Started the dryer back up again. Knit some more. Buzzer rang. Went back and check. Still wet. Set the dryer to "more dry" and started it up again. Buzzed a third time - STILL NOT COMPLETELY DRY. But, the dampness was mostly in the middle so I gave up, took it out, took it to the couch, held my breath, and measured.

It shrank ONE INCH. In LENGTH. Less than that in width. I couldn't believe it. I measured the bunny. Barely anything. I measured the hat. What's going on? My swatch shrank like whoa and on the project I get...nothing??

I remember the Yarn Harlot's advice. Swatches lie.

But...but...

I cast my suspicious glance to the dryer. I was house-sitting, remember. This was not the same dryer than shrank the swatch. This was a fancy, high-tech dryer, that might have some anti-shrinking technology.

I decided I should wash it at home, just to be sure. Andrea probably doensn't have a fancy anti-shrink dryer either. I better try again, just to be sure. I'm back home tonight. Tonight, we will settle this shrinking issue once and for all.

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