Balls of yarn that smell - help

[olien]

My SIL gave me a bag of yarn, maybe 10 skeins/balls. She got them at a garage sale. They smell so musty.

I really like the yarn. Is there a way to wash/soak them in something & keep them in ball form or should I knit with them & deal with the smell & then wash the knitted item??

Thanks.

[cristeen]

Are they all washable? I'd probably hank them up and toss them in the washing machine. I've actually been putting off doing this myself.

Don't try to wash them in skein or ball format - you'll wind up with a huge tangled mess.

[feest]

What fiber is the yarn? If u think it's wool don't throw it in the wash. Make a hank, and let is soak in some warm wool wash for a while and then carefully roll it in a towel and hang to dry.

[olien]

Ok, kind of new to knitting

How do I make a hank???

[handspun]

you can make a hank by winding the yarn around the backs of two chairs, or around the legs of an overturned coffee table, or even around your knees. use scrap yarn tied loosely several places around your skein to keep it from getting tangled.
i'd wind it, soak it in eucalan (or comparable wool wash that you don't have to rinse and that doesn't weaken fiber the way woolite can) then gently squeeze and give it plenty of air to dry. (hang it outside if you can.)
if that doesn't work to get the musties out, try vinegar and water.

[~*max*~]

I agree w/washing it first, not after you make the project. I had a similar experience w/some yarn given to me. I thought I'd knit up a quick scarf, then give it a good soak. The mustiness in the yarn must have been caused by mold and it gave me the worst headache every time I tried to use it. I ended up throwing it all out out of frustration.

[SophieAnn]

Try Soak! I've heard great things about it, but never used it. It's a no-rinse cleanser.

http://www.soakwash.com/Default.aspx