How to Hang Sweaters

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When it’s time to wear your bulky sweaters and delicate cardigans, you might notice that they’re looking stretched out or they have bumps on the shoulders. These things are due to gravity pulling the thick fibers as the sweater hangs on the hanger, causing the fibers to stretch and press against one another. To prevent stretching, hanger bumps, and wrinkles, you can hang your sweaters by folding them around the hanger or over the bar of the hanger.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Hanging to Prevent Stretching

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  1. Hold the sweater up by the shoulders and fold it down the center. Make sure the arms of the sweater are lined up, and then lay the sweater onto a flat surface. [1]
    • To reduce wrinkles, you can smooth the sweater with your hands after you fold it.
    • This method can be used for both cardigans and pullovers.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Hang Sweaters
    Lay the hanger down on the folded sweater. Then, move the hanger so that the hook of the hanger is situated in the open space between the sleeves and the torso of the sweater. Depending on which way you placed your sweater, this might be on the left or the right side. [2]
    • The open part of the hook can be facing upwards or downwards, as long as the hook part of the hanger is in the right place.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Hang Sweaters
    You can fold them both together at the same time, or do them one at a time to make them easier to maneuver. Make sure the sleeves are as close to the hook as possible when they’re folded. [3]
    • If you’re using a hanger with a bottom bar, you can tuck the sleeves through the hanger and under the bar once you fold them over the shoulder. This will help keep the sleeves in place while you hang the rest of the sweater.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Hang Sweaters
    Hold the torso of the sweater, and fold it over the other shoulder of the hanger so that it lays over top of the sleeves. This will create a sort of triangular shape, with the sweater wrapped around the hanger. [4]
    • You can also tuck the torso of the sweater under the bottom bar of the hanger if it has one to help keep the sweater on the hanger.
  5. Lift the hanger by the hook, and carefully transfer the sweater to the closet. When you hang it up, make sure the sleeves and torso of the sweater are still in place and not scrunched up. [5]
    • If you’re using a plastic or wooden hanger, be aware that the sweater might slip off of the hanger, especially if the sleeves and torso aren’t tucked into the bottom bar of the hanger.
    • To prevent slippage, you can use a felt-coated or velvet-coated hanger which will hold the sweater in place.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Preventing Hanger Bumps and Wrinkles

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  1. Place the sweater on a flat surface, and use your hand to smooth any wrinkles along the back of the sweater. Remember to cut or fold the tissue paper so that it fits on the back of the sweater with no overhang. [6]
    • The tissue paper keeps the fibers of the sweater from molding to the hanger, which causes bumps and hanger marks. Additionally the paper prevents the fibers from catching on each other and bunching, which can cause wrinkles.
    • The tissue paper should touch just below the collar and reach all the way to the bottom hem of the sweater.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Hang Sweaters
    Take one sleeve and place it across the back of the sweater so that the cuff touches the opposite side of the sweater. Do the same with the other sleeve, forming an “X” on the back of the sweater with the sleeves. [7]
    • Be sure to smooth the sleeves as well to keep them from creasing when you hang the sweater.
  3. Use a hanger that has a bar across the bottom connecting the two sides. Position it so that the bar is on top of the bottom hem of the sweater, with the hook facing away from the sweater. [8]
    • Make sure the tissue paper is also under the bar, as this will also be folded and hung up with the sweater to keep the fibers from rubbing against each other and molding to the hanger.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Hang Sweaters
    Grasp the bottom hem and work it through the middle of the hanger, under the bar. Make sure the sleeves move through the hanger, and then position the hanger in the middle of the sweater, with the hook on the front side of the sweater. [9]
    • Once the bottom hems and the sleeves are through the hanger, it may be easier to slide the hanger up to the center of the sweater, rather than pulling it through. Test both techniques to see which one works best for you.
  5. Lift the bottom hem of the sweater and the sleeves, and fold them over the bar to rest on the top half of the sweater. Then, lift the hanger by the hook and carefully place it in your closet. [10]
    • Make sure the sweater doesn’t become wrinkled when you put it in the closet.
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      Tips

      • Avoid hanging your sweaters by the shoulders like you would a regular shirt. This can cause shoulder dents in the fabric which are quite difficult to remove.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.rachaelrayshow.com/lifestyle/26285_best_way_to_hang_sweater_so_does_not_get_stretched_out/
      2. ↑ https://www.rachaelrayshow.com/lifestyle/26285_best_way_to_hang_sweater_so_does_not_get_stretched_out/
      3. ↑ https://www.today.com/style/how-hang-your-sweaters-without-ruining-them-t118188
      4. ↑ https://www.today.com/style/how-hang-your-sweaters-without-ruining-them-t118188
      5. ↑ https://www.today.com/style/how-hang-your-sweaters-without-ruining-them-t118188
      6. ↑ https://www.womansday.com/home/organizing-cleaning/a52335/this-genius-hack-will-save-your-sweaters/
      7. ↑ https://www.womansday.com/home/organizing-cleaning/a52335/this-genius-hack-will-save-your-sweaters/
      8. ↑ https://www.womansday.com/home/organizing-cleaning/a52335/this-genius-hack-will-save-your-sweaters/
      9. ↑ https://www.womansday.com/home/organizing-cleaning/a52335/this-genius-hack-will-save-your-sweaters/
      1. ↑ https://www.womansday.com/home/organizing-cleaning/a52335/this-genius-hack-will-save-your-sweaters/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To hang your sweater in a way that won’t stretch it, start by folding your sweater in half vertically, with both arms facing the same direction. Make sure to smooth out the fabric with your hands to reduce wrinkles as much as possible. Then, place the hanger on top of your sweater so the hook is situated under the armpit. From there, fold the sleeves over the shoulder of the hanger, as close to the hook as possible. Wrap the body of the sweater over the other shoulder to create a triangular shape around the hanger. If your hanger has a bottom bar, tuck the sleeves and torso under it to help keep them in place. When you go to hang your sweater, check that it doesn’t get scrunched by your other clothes. For more tips, like how to hang your sweater so it won’t get bumps, read on!

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