How to Fold a Sweater

Last Updated: October 27, 2022 References

Sweaters, especially bulky ones, are hard to fold. There are a few easy techniques to make folding and storing your sweaters a breeze. So grab your favorite sweater and get started!

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Folding a Regular Sweater

1
Take a sweater and lay it out. Place the sweater so that the front is facing up, towards you, on whatever surface you are using. Spread the sweater out flat against the surface.^{[1]
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- Use the flattest surface you can to ensure cleaner folds.
- Make sure no parts of the sweater are bunched up.
2
Fold the sleeves inwards. Take one sleeve and lay it over the front of your sweater, with the cuff towards the opposite side of the sweater. Take your other sleeve and cross it over top the first sleeve in the same fashion.
- Make sure to smooth any wrinkles as you work.
- Don't extend the cuffs beyond the edge of the sweater.
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3
Grab the hem of the sweater. Bring the hem up towards the neck of your sweater. Make the fold itself at the level of your sleeve cuffs.^{[2]
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- Folding the hem up too high may cause wrinkles.
- Some sweaters might require two folds.
4
Flip the sweater over. Complete the fold by double checking that all parts of the sweater are folded and remove any wrinkles.^{[3]
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- Store the sweater carefully so as not to undo the folds or cause wrinkles.
- If the fold looks wrinkly or bunched up, simply start again from the beginning.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Folding Bulky Sweaters

1
Lay your sweater out. Try to use as smooth a surface as you can and work any wrinkles or bunches out. Using a bumpy or uneven surface won't let you get the best folds.^{[4]
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- Place your sweater with the front facing upwards.
2
Fold the arms in. Take your arms and fold them towards their opposite side of the sweater. Try to make them crisscross while avoiding making the folds bumpy or uneven.^{[5]
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- Starting with either arm makes no difference.
- Keep the shoulders level with the sides of the sweater.
3
Roll up the hem. Take the hem and start to roll it up towards the neck of the sweater. Think of it as rolling up a scroll, old map, or a poster.
- Don't roll the sweater too tightly as this may stretch the material.
- Make sure the roll is as even as you can get it.
4
Flip it over. Turn the sweater to the other side, so the front of the neck and sweater are facing upwards, towards you.
- If the sweater looks bunched up or uneven, unroll it and start fresh.
5
Put a rubber band around the sweater. Gently slide a rubber band down the sweater, working it towards the center. Using the rubber band will help hold the sweater in a roll.
- Make sure your rubber band is the right size to prevent its breaking.
- Using a string will also work well.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Folding Airy and Light Sweaters

1
Lay out your sweater. Get it as flat and smooth as you can on a level surface. Missing any wrinkles now will cause them to become more pronounced after being folded and stored.
- Smoothing out some sweater materials may be more challenging than others.
2
Fold the arms. Take one arm and fold the arm over the face of the sweater, towards the other side of the sweater. Grab the cuff of that arm and fold it back over the face of the sweater, towards the side that the arm is on. Do the same for the other sleeve. ^{[6]
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- Try to keep the edge of the sleeve flush with the edge of the sweater.
3
Roll the sweater up. Take the hem and start to roll the sweater upwards, towards the neck. Stop the roll when it reaches the neck of the sweater.
- Don't make your roll too loosely as it may come undone.
4
Fold in half. Take one end of the sweater and bring it over to meet the other. The fold will be directly in the center of the sweater.
- Use this method to fold the sweater into small storage spaces.
- Some larger sweaters might need to be folded more than once.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Folding to Avoid Hanger Marks

1
Lay out your sweater. Take your sweater and place it on a flat surface. Make sure there are no bumps or wrinkles.
2
Fold the sweater in half. Take one of the sweaters arms and bring it over to the opposite arm. Make your fold as clean and sharp as you can.
- Fold directly down the center of the sweater.
3
Grab a hanger. Use a wooden or plastic hanger as these are more gentle on clothes. Place your hanger on top of your sweater, with the hanger hook facing down from the armpit.^{[7]
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- Use only flat hangers.
4
Make the last folds. Take the bottom hem of the sweater and fold it down over the hanger arm. Take the arms of the sweater and do the same.^{[8]
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- Make sure the sweater is tightly folded over the hanger.
- Starting with the arms or the body of the sweater will make no difference.
5
Hang it up. Hanging your sweater with the folds you made will prevent wrinkles or hanger marks from appearing. Save your sweater from stretching out by using this method.
- Hang your sweater to save space and avoid wrinkles.