I launder my knit garments with care: 

Hand wash gently in cold water and lay flat to dry. 

That is my motto. And our usual recommendation to our knitting students. 

I have used cold water to wash hand-knit socks (along with my wool store-bought socks), although I have laundered them in the washing machine (does anyone say “washing machine’ anymore?! maybe “washer” is more current…but I digress).  And I hang them to dry.  Has worked just fine.

Until I found myself dissatisfied with a particular pair of simple socks which I had knit recently.  They seemed to be growing.  None of my other socks were growing (so I stopped considering that my size 10 feet were shrinking!).  Just this pair.  I started with some basic knitting problem-solving:  maybe I had missed on gauge, maybe I should have paid better attention to my foot measurements (I have narrow ankles and narrow feet – like a kangaroo), maybe I should have used a smaller needle…But, hey, they used to fit. 

So, I thought about the yarn.  Good basic sock yarn from a company I trust.  Superwash, even.  Shouldn’t be temperamental.  Should be able to withstand wear and washing.  I admit I had not used superwash sock yarn before, but everyone seems to like it.  Heck, you can just throw it in the washer and dryer…in the washer and dryer.

Confound it, Watson, I have it!

My socks are supposed to go in the washer and dryer!  And be subjected to some heat and chugging around and tossing about.  So, next time I had a load of t-shirts and sport socks and jeans, in the socks went.  And, lo and behold, they came out nice and neat and fitting perfectly!  Gosh, I guess those yarn people know what they are talking about!