10 Steps for Seasonal Woolen Storage

It seems to happen overnight: one day you look in your closet and are warmed by the sight of all the lovely woolens in your closet—the next moment, the bright rays of the sun beating through the window and the rising temperatures make those same woolens seem heavy and unbearably warm. So off to storage they must go!

But it is not only clothing that needs to be stored carefully, it is also your yarn. Although all-natural fibers are susceptible to the dangers of moisture, dust, pests, heat, and light, certain fibers are more at risk than others. Animal fibers seem to send out a beacon to every fiber troublemaker around, so it is important to keep those fibers under wraps during warm weather and times of disuse.

It requires some effort to safeguard your yarn, projects, and finished objects, but it is completely worth it. You put so much time and money into your knitting, and you certainly do not want any unpleasant surprises when you pull out yarn or a garment to wear when the temperatures drop. These tried-and-true methods for storage are based upon preventative measures: clean and pack your items away carefully for maximum protection.

Best practice: launder and fold your woolens before putting them into storage Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

The 10 best steps to keep your yarns and woolens safe

As a knitter and a lifelong sweater lover, I have compiled some of my favorite tips for you (and my secret weapon for success) to use to keep your precious knits away from harm.

1. Clean-up time! Understand that pests are looking for something to eat and that they find the body oils, sweat, food, perfumes, and beverage stains that are housed on your clothing or yarn to be very appetizing. Follow the instructions on the yarn ball band for garment laundering instructions. Even if you are not storing your woolens, keep your clean pieces separate from anything that has not been washed. Also, remember to wash your hands before you caress that lovely ball of wool in the basket—hand creams can transfer to the fibers. Store any yarn that may not be clean separately.