Standing in my laundry room this morning, holding a delicate piece of clothing, my mind wandered to simpler times when my grandmother would meticulously care for her prized garments. The digital age has brought us countless conveniences, but sometimes it feels like we’ve lost touch with these fundamental skills.

Reading through an online discussion about caring for a vintage knit camisole brought back memories of watching my gran carefully handwashing her woolens in our old laundry trough. These days, many of us default to tossing everything into the washing machine, hoping for the best. But there’s something almost meditative about hand-washing delicate pieces.