Come and tell me how you keep your jumpers from looking shabby after 2 wears?

[whirlybird42]

because I seem to trash mine after a couple of wears - they look so bobbled and manky. This is irritating as some of them are new and relatively pricey - mint velvet, French connection etc. doesn't seem to matter what I spend, the under arms and sides look dreadful after no time at all. It's not the washing, just the wearing that wrecks them.

How do you keep your knitwear looking ok? I realise this is very much a first world issue but it drives me mad. tips gratefully received

I'm not surprised your knitwear looks manky if you buy it from French Connection! They have special wool that bobbles on contact with humans! I get most of my jumpers from Gap, Jigsaw, and Next and they are all good quality.

Whirly I have the same problem!

No idea what the answer is but following for ideas!

Wash inside out. Go over with nail scissors and VERY CAREFULLY snip off bobbles.

I foubd, in the past, that crap quality clothes bobble fast. Aim for quality of the fabric, not reputation of the shop (sorry if that soundz preachy).

However, I gave a couple of Primark jumpers that are about to embark on their third winter season with hardly a bobble between them, so what do I know?

Ok - I have extensively researched(!) and ordered a Philips fabric shaver from eBay after reading reviews on Amazon.
We will see.

I do agree about French connection quality - I often have to breach my no acrylic content rule but my new jumper is so nice. Just bobbly in places. I have several pure cashmere jumpers and they're a nightmare too. I don't know what I do to them. Maybe I swing my arms excessively when I walk.

Things with linen and cotton in tend to last the best but it's finding them.

use a Fuzzeater- looks like a wire mesh nit comb and it takes off all the bobbles.

I use a razor on jumpers and shave it off.

You see it on certain types of jersey dresses too. Not exactly cheap ones either.

I have one of those bobble eaters. Good, but takes ages.

If you can bear it, try a jumper comb (less than £5 at john lewis) or a microfibre jumper brush... the bobble eaters can cut fabrics and make it worse

Otherwise... debobble away, but next time go for merino. I have exactly same issue.. it is arms brushing against boob area. Cashmere is the worst.

Second (hand) washing inside out

Cashmere bobbles really fast. I think fine merino wool is the best for not bobbling; Gap always have good ones.

So far I've had most success with jumpers that have a high percentage of cotton in the mix. The less wool the better. I find wool too warm anyway. I'm doing well if a jumper lasts the entire season. The worst for bobbling was from white stuff.

I ordered a really good, heavy-duty fabric shaver - I think in the end it came from Korea or something as the instructions were in Korean. But easy enough to work out. Expensive - like £30. But really does work, and my old jumpers look much newer again. I used to have those little £5 sweater shavers that did almost nothing. But this was worth the money.

I get the same thing on the sides of my boobs and underarms. Do you have big boobs OP? That may be why you get bobbling there. No advice on how to sort it I just end up buying loads of jumpers

Wash inside out and inside a laundry bag if you must, but a soak (in Woolite or equivalent) and then spin dry is how I deal with my most vulnerable knitwear.

I do indeed have big boobs. They're the bane of my life, along with the bobbling. I might have known they'd be to blame.