Taking special care of our clothes
How do I care for my Hope Macaulay item?
In today's climate, we believe it is very important that we all care of our clothes, so we put together a special guide on how to take care of your Hope Macaulay pieces!
Hope Macaulay knitwear pieces are handmade and super chunky, using super soft and luxurious un-spun wool and yarn, which requires extra special care to maintain their look – similar to a chunky knit blanket! Below we answer some of our most commonly asked questions about caring for your Hope Macaulay pieces.
You can also click the button below to watch Hope's detailed knitwear care video that you can watch on her IGTV or Instagram story highlights!
Can I wear jewellery with my knitwear piece?
When wearing or trying on the garment, please try not to snag the garment with jewellery, sharp objects or rough surfaces. We recommend to not wear bracelets or jewellery that has sharp edges that could snag or get caught on the wool or yarn – but don't worry! Jewellery such as hoop earrings that have smooth edges, tend to be perfectly fine when wearing with your knit!
How do I clean my Hope Macaulay garment?
Please do not wash in the washing machine. We recommend professional dry cleaners and to use the technique called spot cleaning immediately if you have any small stains on your printed garment or knitwear piece. To spot clean, damp a cloth with cold or warm water and pat the area. Please be extra careful if you are spot cleaning your knitwear piece - do not use soap or rub the area, as it may result in felted wool/yarn.
How do I store my knitwear piece?
Folding your knitwear piece into a drawer or box is always the safest storage option. Although, if you would like to hang your knitwear piece up in your wardrobe, we strongly recommend using non-slip hangers that have rounded edges. Hangers with pointy edges may snag and poke through your knitwear piece. From experience, (using the hangers we recommend) we haven't had any problems hanging up our Hope Macaulay knits.
Will my Colossal Knit pill?
Please take into consideration when you receive your super colossal knitwear piece that pilling may occur when worn. This is totally natural and due to the delicate, luxurious nature of the un-spun wool/yarn. Pilling is loose fibre, shedding or little balls that form when the knitwear piece is worn. This may happen more on the inside of the garment due to the friction against our clothes.
How do I remove any pilling?
We recommend using our Hope Macaulay Knitwear Comb to brush through your knitwear piece, which you can order here. Sharp scissors can also be used to remove any pilling or loose fibres, but be extremely careful not to cut into your knitwear piece. If the pilling is very loose, you can also very gently pull off with your fingers, but please be very careful not to pull too hard!
Do you have any more tips on how to keep your Hope Macaulay Colossal Knit looking fresh?
We recommend using a technique called petting! We have learnt this technique from chunky knit blanket owners – and it really works! By petting or stoking your chunky knit, it can bond any delicate fibres together. Also giving your knit a little shake is also a great technique to get rid of any dust and keep your knit looking fresh.
There is a loose end coming out of my Colossal Knit, what do I do?
We call these tails! When we are knitting the garment and finish a row, we end up with a little tail, which we tuck in so it is out of sight. Occasionally due to wear, these might pop out again. This is not a sign of unravelling – just a little tail that needs to be tucked back in again.
Can I wear my knitwear piece in the rain or snow?
We do not recommend wearing your Hope Macaulay knitwear piece in the rain or snow, unless you keep it dry by protecting with a coat! If you do happen to get caught in the rain in your knitwear piece, it's not the end of the world! When you come back inside, take off your knitwear piece and lay it on a flat surface to dry completely. Do not hang it up when it is wet, as this may put pressure on the knit due to heaviness caused by absorbed water.
If you have any further questions about how to care for your Hope Macaulay chunky knitwear piece, please email hope@hopemacaulay.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can :)
