Questions & Product Care

Is it true that hand-dyed yarns bleed color a lot?

No - our hand-dyed products do not bleed if taken care of properly! Since we take extra steps and care in our creation process to set, dye, and wash the materials, Tuscan Grove products are colorfast when washed correctly. It is true, however, that some colors (mainly red, bright yellow, and turquoise) may show a small amount of tint in the water the first few times that your project is washed.

How do I wash my Tuscan Grove projects / Do you have washing instructions?

The correct way to wash our products differs depending on what the product is made from. Fabric care for each of our different fibers is detailed below. As always, all of our products can be hand washed and laid flat to dry. Please note that we highly recommend avoiding the use of Woolite, as it tends to react to our dyes and causes bleeding. A dye-friendly soap that we do suggest, Synthrapol, can be found at many quilt and fabric shops.

• Superwash Merino Wool Yarn:
  
  This type of material can be machine washed. We recommend using the gentle cycle with cold water. The use of lingerie bags is also recommended, but not necessary. It is best to air dry this material flat.
  
  
• Superwash Merino Wool Roving:
  
  In order to prevent the possibility of felting, we do not wash our roving before it is sold. We have gone through a series of steps in the dyeing process in order to remove any excess dye particles, however, we do recommend that yarn made from this roving be blocked thoroughly before use. Blocking can be done by soaking and agitating your handspun project in cold water and Synthrapol for several minutes. This must be done gently to avoid felting. Dry your skein by hanging it on a plastic hanger. Be sure to weigh down the free end of the skein if there is any twist to it. Any heavy enough plastic item, such as an empty measuring cup, will work nicely. Once this roving is knitted, we recommend following the Superwash Merino Wool Yarn washing directions listed above.
  
  
• Kid Mohair / Nylon Yarn:
  
  This type of material should always be hand washed in room temperature water with the dye-friendly Synthrapol that we mention above. Rather than wringing out your items after they are washed, we recommend placing them in a lingerie bag and spinning them in a washer that has a "spin only" cycle. It is best to air dry this material flat.
  
  
• Merino Wool Roving:
  
  In order to prevent the possibility of felting, we do not wash our roving before it is sold. We have gone through a series of steps in the dyeing process in order to remove any excess dye particles, however, we do recommend that yarn made from this roving be blocked thoroughly before use. Blocking can be done by soaking and agitating your handspun project in cold water and Synthrapol for several minutes. This must be done gently to avoid felting. Dry your skein by hanging it on a plastic hanger. Be sure to weigh down the free end of the skein if there is any twist to it. Any heavy enough plastic item, such as an empty measuring cup, will work nicely. Once this roving is knitted, we recommend hand washing your item in room temperature water. Rather than wringing out your items after they are washed we recommend placing them in a lingerie bag and spinning them in a washer that has a "spin only" cycle. It is best to air dry this material flat.
  
  
• Superfine Alpaca Yarn:
  
  This type of material should always be hand washed in room-temperature water with the dye-friendly Synthrapol that we mention above. Rather than wringing out your items after they are washed, we recommend placing them in a lingerie bag and spinning them in a washer that has a "spin only" cycle. It is best to air dry this material flat.
  
  
• Alpaca / Wool Yarn:
  
  This type of material should always be hand washed in room temperature water with the dye-friendly Synthrapol that we mention above. Rather than wringing out your items after they are washed, we recommend placing them in a lingerie bag and spinning them in a washer that has a "spin only" cycle. It is best to air dry this material flat.
  
  
• Silk / Wool Yarn:
  
  This type of material should always be hand washed in room temperature water with the dye-friendly Synthrapol that we mention above. Rather than wringing out your items after they are washed, we recommend placing them in a lingerie bag and spinning them in a washer that has a "spin only" cycle. It is best to air dry this material flat.
  
  

How do I felt my Roving?

Roving can be felted by simply machine washing your project. Use a small amount of your regular detergent and set your machine on the hot wash / cold rinse cycle. The combination of the detergent, the agitation, and the temperature changes will cause the felting to occur.

Will you create custom dye orders?

We'll definitely consider any requests you have. Please send us an email: contactus@tuscangrove.com