cashmere sweater: getting out the "waves"

[brainchild]

I just acquired an excellent vintage cashmere sweater by way of eBay. It is Alan Paine, apparently when they still manufactured in England. It is of a thick yarn with no visible pilling, and generally in excellent condition except that it has a texture I can best describe as wavy. It would appear to have lost its shape after washing.

What is the best way to restore such a lovely piece to an even more lovely state?

 

[YoungAmerican]

Wash it, then block it.

 

[brainchild]

I would be grateful if someone could expand on this advice, as I have no experience either washing or blocking a cashmere sweater. To this point, I have only had them cleaned, and I was under the impression that blocking requires a special device.

 

[stubloom]

I'm not sure how you would accomplish this task using tools you might find in the home.

But here's a link explaining the role of blocking in a professional environment:

Blog post: Caring for sweaters and knit garments - the role of blocking.

Link: http://www.ravefabricare.com/true-q...s-and-knit-garments-the-role-of-blocking.aspx

You might be able to achieve a passable result by hand washing (please read the care label first), laying it flat on a large bath towel (double folded), manipulating the fibers with your hands to resize and reshape, and allowing it to dry naturally.

I'm not sure if this will produce the desired shape and texture, but it's the best "home remedy" I can think of. On the other hand, I don't think this procedure will produce a worse result than you are already facing.