Brian's just come in here to tell me that he put my black cashmere jumper in the washing m/c earlier and has only just realised when he took it out: it might fit a six year old!

I protect them from moths, but there's nothing you can do to protect them from "always in a mad rush" blokes.

Oh dear ... Now let's guess who'll be trawling the January sales looking for a replacement. What a shame, just as the weather is turning colder, too.

I learned very early on not to wash cashmere, angora, silk, woollens, fol-de-rols, in fact anything except the odd apron!

I know exactly how you feel. I put a silk skirt and jumper I had machineknit into the washing machine and tumbledryer one day when my mind had gone walkabout. It had looked and felt so lovely and it went thicker, tighter and coarser. I still get so annoyed when I think about it.