How can I purposefully shrink a wool sweater?

[Zireael]

Just that really.

I have found a light weight, preloved Joules sweater which is no longer available in store. The label size is correct for me but it is clearly too big.

Any suggestions on how I can try to deliberately shrink it?

Well, you could put it in a very hot wash, but it might shrink more than you want!

Wool doesn’t like the spin cycle, tends to contract the fibres a bit. Going hot for washing is very unpredictable!

It depends what % and type of wool it is. What does it say on the laundry label?

Machine wash at 60C. It's the swishing to and fro that shortens the fibres. Or try at 40C first.

Given that it is unwearable currently I don't mind taking the risk with the hot wash!

40 degrees long wash. My husband has ruined many a good jumper this way 🙄.

My Uniqlo wool sweaters don't like the 30 degree wool wash and they have shrunk. I would give that a go first.

Post it to me and I'll put it into the linen basket.

As long as it looks nice and new, I can pretty much guarantee that it'll come back from the wash somewhere around five sizes too small.

There's a reason why I don't bother buying clothes made out of natural fibres side eyes DP currently acting shifty around the washing machine after a theoretically white wash

Wash at 40 degrees instead of 40 degrees delicate. Worked for me. Several times. I now buy a size bigger as it will inevitably happen again.

How about putting on the jumper, then having a very long, very hot, bath??
My jumper that got shrunk in the machine got passed onto my 8 year old.....

I shrunk DH's wool jumper by putting it on the delicates cycle instead of the hand wash, and it's now about one size smaller. I assume the spin was the issue.

Tumble dry?

Shrink in a hot wash then use hair conditioner soak to get it back to the size you want

If the size on the label is your size and the jumper is too big, it is probably meant to be.
If you wash it in water that's too hot it will not give you good result.

Hot wash fast spin will shrink it to teeny tiny size. But 30 degs and anything over 600 spin cycle will shrink but not felt it. Felting is the issue (although you could always make a warm pair of felted gloves if that happens!

Wrong temperature wash…too hot

Some great, although not particularly useful, answers. I've only managed it once and that was an accident.

Give it to me, I'm a master at it 😂

In the 70s and 80 s people used to sit in baths with their new jeans on to shrink fit them . Maybe that will work.

Anything warmer than cold will shrink it gradually. I’d try 20c and 400 spin and that will do it slowly.

Take the slow approach.

Measure it.

Hand wash it in hot water and agitate it a little.

Dry it. Measure how much it has shrunk.

Repeat until desired size.

May take a few goes, but better than over-shooting. You can always shrink it a little more. You can’t rescue if over shrunk.

I wouldn’t trust the washing machine/ dryer as it could massively overdo it and it could come out child size and as stiff as a board.

Also sometimes things shrunk more one way than another which is why you need to be cautious.

e.g. You get it to a good width, but the length has shrunk more and it’s now a crop top.
Or other way round. You get it to a good length, but it’s so tight on the shoulders you can’t move your arms.

Just let it go into the washing basket with all the other clothes. Always works for me .

Over sized is in though, does it really look too big?