Sometimes, it’s hard to know what to do with a day off.
I just completed my first five-day week of the school year, and come Friday, I was exhausted. Then, global-warming apocalypse hit the Bay Area and I spent 48 hours sitting in front of a fan, wearing a damp t-shirt.
By the time Labor Day came around, I was in no mood to do the usual labor-day things: drinking beer in the park, hiking under the Redwoods, lounging on the beach.
Way too drained.
I decided to do the one thing that is perfect for a day off: shrinking a sweater, obviously.
It’s hard to see how baggy it is, but trust me – I wouldn’t lie about such things.
Gorgeous color and beautiful quality. Worth trying to make it work.
In spring, I found a great wool/cashmere sweater-vest for just a couple of bucks on eBay, and once it arrived, I found that it fit me like a floppy medium. I prefer a sweater-vest to fit slimly, to layer cleanly under a blazer. I did some research online about whether a sweater can be shrunk, and after reading the received Lifehacker wisdom (and making the mistake of “reading the comments”), consulting a co-worker who insisted I was about to create a “barbie-sweater” and texting with my mother-in-law for advice, I decided to conduct the experiment, even if I might eff-up the sweater in the process.
Step 1: turn it inside out.
Supposedly, this will reduce color bleed.
Step 2: Put it in a pillow case.
To keep the evil elves away.
You’ve heard of “Where’s Waldo?” This is “Spot the Bottle of Detergent.” Super fun for all ages.
Step 3. Look frantically around for your detergent.
I recommend doing the sweater in a load of laundry so as not to waste water on a vanity project. I also recommend carrying the detergent bottle IN the laundry bag to the laundromat so that when you dump the laundry into the machine, you can dump the bottle of detergent INTO the machine with the rest of the laundry, so you can’t find it anywhere. Then, I recommend that you text frantically with your significant other: “IS IT IN THE HALLWAY” and “I TRIED THE HALLWAY ALREADY” and that sort of thing.
Then, find it in the laundry machine.
Step 4: HOT water and let ‘er rip.
Godspeed to you, gentle sweater, and good luck.
I felt guilty, at this point, like I was consigning an innocent sweater to certain doom.
Step 5: Stand in line for 45 minutes for a croissant.
Step 6: Nom.
Step 7: Return to Laundromat and put sweater in drying for 25 minutes, checking every six minutes.
Step 8: Rescue and apply sweater to body.
The results:
While the sweater still doesn’t fit “slim,” it has dropped about a size, and it is definitely not ruined. It’s hard to tell from the photo, but yes – it worked!
Have a sweater that’s too big?
Wait until next Labor Day, and GO FOR IT!