I was complaining to a customer that the tunic sweater I had on display had slowly but surely gained four inches in length from the sheer weight of the wool and would soon be a maxi.  She suggested putting it in the dryer for a few minutes.  It was super wash wool, so I wasn’t worried and sure enough, after 20 minutes in the dryer with a dryer sheet, it was back to form and softer.  I decided to try it with my 100% wool hand knits.  I started with one I felt could do with a little shrinking.  Well, it didn’t shrink, but it came out softer and fluffier.  Since then I have thrown many sweaters in the dryer for 20 minutes and have been pleased with the resulting fresher, softer garment.  If your hand knit is looking a bit tired, try throwing it in the dryer!