Help! Relative has made a beautiful blanket for our firstborn and I've ruined it (I think)

[Horehound]

Oh god oh god oh god. Relative on my husband's side spent months making this blanket. We got it at the weekend and when we opened the box it absolutely stunk of smoke. So I popped it in a pillow case and then washed it along with some other baby stuff. Except I just put it on a normal wash not a wool wash and now it's all kind of stuck together :s
I can't even tell if I have shrunk it yet because it's so mangled. I can peel little bits apart but I'm wondering if I stick it in the bath and soak it will this help? Or what can I do? I feel sick.

I wouldn't worry if it's a bit out of shape it's ideal as a swaddling blanket. It looks stretchy and can be wrapped tight around baby. I did this with a precious crocheted blanket. Still have the misshapen heirloom decades on

It is beautiful but ridiculous. Most hand knitted stuff will be fine in the machine, don't worry OP.

Cohle nuts to that...

👏🏻

I'm with AnotherEmma. I wouldn't have used it, even after washing, if it were me. I'd feel very sad about it but I just wouldn't.

Thanks all! I do think I have rescued it sufficiently enough that we can use it for bringing baby home, swaddling or using in some newborn photos..not sure if we will do a "shoot" per se but we will take nice photos. Apart from that maybe I'll just put it some where decorativley!
The relative..I have actually never met or even spoken to and in the 4.5 years I've known my husband he hasn't spoken to her either. We will send a thank you note and some photos with the baby wrapped in the blanket.
I think the point about the smoker not noticing is correct. Guess they are used to the smell and it does sound like she is quite a heavy one. Well.. the blanket definitely smelled very thickly of smoke. At least it smells of fabric softner now!

I trust my MIL because of the confidence she spoke with when saying in a pillow case in the machine would be fine and also the fact she ordered the wool I thought she would know.
I have learned a lesson today :D

@CatteStreet and @AnotherEmma but now i washed it, its ok isn't it?

I'm on a few knitting and sewing forums, I see a huge amount of grandchild/baby gifts that I wonder about the practicality or taste. Some people have good intentions and a lot of time on their hands and its the process of creating that gives them the most pleasure. The smoke thing is really tricky. It is lovely work but you needed care instructions at least!

I may have missed it if already mentioned, but to shape a lace shawl you pin it out damp and slightly stretched on a clean carpet or something. This will make it look x 100 better and give you pretty little points round the edges.

Possibly it is, OP. But if it were me I wouldn't use it. I may be overcautious but I don't think I could stand the thought of it. If it smelled that badly that the whiff leapt out at you from the box, it will likely have been exposed to secondhand smoke (not 'just' third hand, though that's pretty bad too). And I'm not sure a 40 deg wash in a pillowcase would have got rid of it all.

Well call me PFB but there was no way I would have used it - even after washing - for anything other than a quick photo!

Ok, photo op only then.

Thanks everyone

Agree, not worth the risk.

Also, if it does get pee/puke etc on it, you'd have to wash it again! 😵

Ah yes but I'd leave that to husband to deal with since I'm so terrible at it :D

Nah, I honestly think I'll use it for some photos and then it will be put away/displayed artistically some where!

For future reference, you don't 'wash' woollens. You put some wool wash in a sink in tepid water, pop your item in there, and leave it there. Don't wash/agitate/scrub. Just let it sit there and occasionally gently swoosh the water through it by gently giving it a sort of a squeeze. After a while, pull it out, rinse it in the same manner, squeeze water out (put flat on a dry towel and roll it up) and then dry flat. Don't rush the process, but at the same time, you don't have to physically 'be there', so it doesn't take a lot of time out of your day.

But it is a bloody faff. Im staying away from wool stuff!

You’ve rescued it beautifully. What a faff.

Interesting the information about third hand smoke... I hadn’t realised it was a problem. Not that it’s an issue for me, thank goodness, as no one in our family smokes.

I read a few articles though and they did all say washing is a good preventative. E.g. (although their study looked at cotton and polyester, I expect wool would bind similarly to the other natural fibre) Our data show that nicotine, nicotine-related alkaloids and TSNAs could be readily removed from cotton fabrics by washing, which could become a simple remediation procedure.

And as not all children in households where someone smokes die of SIDS, I think saying things like ‘it’s not worth the risk’ is overplaying the risk TBH. It’s probably more risky to take your baby into the community than have that washed blanket available for occasional use.

Get a nice photo of baby swaddled in it, send it back with a thank you note, then put the blanket away in a drawer.

Bless you. Everyone tried to do something nice, it’s not your fault your DHs relative smokes. I’m sure she’d be devastated if she knew just how bad the item smelt when you received it.

I think your idea of taking some photos of the item and sending photos is great and really all that’s expected.

Nice rescue job OP, well done! Don't feel too bad, I run out of fingers if I try to count the amount of wool things I've ruined over the years and I'm an avid knitter and should really know better ;)

Hehe thanks all. I do feel better about it today. You can definitely tell it's not what it was but it's no where near as bad as what I thought it was going to be. When I initially took it out the machine my heart sank, i didnt realise I would be able to peel it apart as it was so solid!

Me and husband actually had a laugh about it today. He called to see how I was and I mentioned I put a wash on and stuff in the drier. There was a long pause and he asked what Id put in the drier and asked if I'd put silk or cashmere stuff in. Haha so least he can see the funny side now. :)

Wow! What a beautiful blanket! Stunning.

This is why I try to never buy clothes which have to be hand washed. However I have a few cashmere items which I wash using the hand wash cycle on my machine. It washes in a similar way as @HypatiaCade mentions. It can be either 30° or 40° and they turn out fine. I also use one of those liquids especially for delicates.

I actually have a similar shawl my mother brought me home one time from Scotland. Apparently it us known as a ring shawl as it should be able to pass through ring I was once told. If I ever come across it I would probably try washing it in the handwash cycle

It looks like a mess of wool or acrylic fibres that have been washed too hot.
If its cotton fibres then washing doesn't normally harm them.
I knit too.

@celticrose
Apparently it us known as a ring shawl as it should be able to pass through ring I was once told

Yes that's right, its a ring shawl. It did pass the my husband's wedding ring when we first unboxed it now sure it will now...might do!
Fellow Scot here :)

@gill1960 yes its wool and I washed it too hot. I should have hand washed it as I have now learned.

My washing machine has different settings for wool or silk or cashmere and I use those instead of handwashing.

It was a lovely idea but not practical for every day use.
Your solution of taking pictures is perfect .
Also lots of people like me find wool products too harsh and scratchy on their skin ... that's why I use cashmere sweaters.