We're here to help you stitch sustainability into every aspect of your making.
With our carefully curated selection of non-superwash, plastic-free yarns and notions, we have everything you need to get started on your next project - and the one after that.
Here's to a wardrobe of knits we love and want to wear for years to come!
As you know, here at Making Stories, we're all about knitting sustainably, and one area of sustainability we haven't explored much is caring for your knits. That is until now!
Why does caring for your knits count towards sustainability? Because if the aim here is to create something that you will love and use for years to come, it will inevitably show signs of wear and environmental damage. So during that time, you're going to have to give it some love so it can keep loving you back!
If the thought of caring for your knits leaves you feeling a little - meh - worry not! I chatted with some seriously cool and knowledgable people (aka - the Making Stories Team), and they have some fantastic tips to share on the subject, and they won't seem like a chore at all. Some may even be a little controversial!
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I use a Gleaner on my sweaters to de-pill and I highly recommend it, mine has different attachments for fine or coarse teeth and it's really nice to tidy it up before storage. I keep all my sweaters in a wooden chest with sachets of lavender and cedar as moth deterrents. I love lavender-scented Eucalan for washing but I'd love to try our new solid wool soaps someday*!
*If you'd like to hear more about Hey Mama Wolf Wool Soap, check out our video here!
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I have a controversial one I wash most of my knits in the washing machine using the wool programme (on some machines it might be called hand wash). It's cold water and without spinning (on some machines one has to set it to 'no spinning' manually). After that, I spin it but on full speed and without any water added to it again. If you spin it full speed the garment is pressed to the wall of the drum and doesn't move much. As for wool wash, I use just normal wool detergent from the drug store (it does have lanolin in it) but just very little. Never had any problems with felting. Exceptions are Mohair or any other very fussy yarn, unspun yarn and hand-dyed yarn. Cotton (blend) yarns tend to shrink though (like cotton fabrics) so either add some extra ease while knitting or wash by hand... (this might also be true for other yarns based on cellulose but I don't have experience with those). If I want to wash two things at once I use laundry bags so they don't rub against each other. Would recommend testing the machine with an old sweater or a swatch just to be sure...
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I machine-wash all my handknit socks and my linen tees (they're actually getting softer and softer the more often you wash them, especially in the washing machine).
At the end of the winter, I usually (this year I didn't manage yet) hand-wash all my sweaters, let them dry and then put them away with fresh lavender sachets. During the winter, I don't wash the sweaters very often - instead, I air them out when I've worn them. I usually wear a thin T-shirt underneath them, so they don't smell.
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Since I've been terrible in the past about mending my knits, I've been focusing on, firstly, trying to prevent wear and tear before it happens, and secondly, making mending a little more exciting and trying new things!
I'm quite rough on my knitting, especially the elbows, so recently I reinforced that area on a vanilla sweater I made by embroidering some woolly flowers on there. I LOVE how they turned out, and it's not only practical but looks pretty cute! I've also been going over a fantastic book called Visible Creative Mending (which was thoughtfully gifted to me by Hanna Lisa last Christmas!) and it gives so many ideas and tutorials for different ways you can mend and reinforce your knits while adding some really fun details.
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Hi lovelies! The sun is out here in Berlin, and what better day to talk about one of the most joyful issues we've ever done than a brilliant sunny winter day – meet Issue 13, Confetti & Rainbows!
In Issue 13 – our Spring 2025 Issue – we want to play! Confetti and rainbows, unusually and unconventionally interpreted in 12 new knitwear designs – a journey through color, shapes, texture and materials.
Confetti made out of dried flowers, collected over months from bouquets and the road side. Sparkly rainbows, light reflecting. Gentle textures and shapes, echoing the different forms confetti can take. An unexpected rainbow around the corner, on a brick wall, painted in broad strokes.
Hi lovelies! I am back today with a wonderful behind-the-scenes interview with Caroline Frett, a super talented illustrator from Berlin, who is the heart and and hands behind the new look we've been sporting for a little while.
Caro also has a shop for her delightfully cheeky and (sometimes brutally) honest T-Shirts, postcards, and mugs. (I am particularly fond of this T-Shirt and this postcard!)
I am so excited Caro agreed to an interview to share her thoughts and work process, and what she especially loves about our rebrand!
Mariane Martin
July 15, 2022
I was raised in Finland and taught to not wash knits blankets or duvets more than at the end of the season. I often lay them in fresh snow for a day and then bring it all in to air out indoors before using again or storing.