Blocking your knitting is a major step in the successful completion of projects. After your project or a gauge swatch is off the knitting needles, it’s time for blocking. Blocking means relaxing your yarn and the overall knitted project. After all your yarn has been wound, unwound, twisted, tugged and stored for the duration of making your project. Now, the knitted yarn needs some love and pampering. There are many ways to block your knitted projects with specially-designed blocking tools to smooth your process.
Let’s take you through the method of blocking.
- Wet Blocking - A common way of blocking wool and animal fiber yarns. Fill a sink or tub with lukewarm water (hot water may cause felting in wool!) with some wash and mix it thoroughly.Submerge your project until fully saturated.Let the knitted project rest in the bath for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes. Lift the project out of the water gently. Make sure to not let the knitted project stretch or distort due to the water weight. Lay your wet project flat on a clean, dry towel or bedsheet. Roll the cloth and gently press out the extra water. Once its semi-dry, lay your project on blocking mats or a rubber yoga mat (spare one), bath mat, etc. Adjust your project and pin it with knit blockers.
- Spray Blocking – Lace projects and cotton fabric is blocked with spray blocking. Lightly spray with a diluted mix of wool wash and water in a regular spray bottle. The damp project can be shaped to approximately match the finished dimensions. Place knit blockers at intervals while stretching your project to the desired dimensions. When your piece is fully dry, unpin and use.
- Steaming – This method is recommended for delicate lace projects. Use knit blockers to pin the knitted project. In this method, you would want the steam to penetrate the piece. So, lay a light sheet or cotton towel over the project. If the project is made of cotton yarn, you can let the iron touch the fabric very lightly. You can also steam first and let your piece rest after using the knit blockers.
Use the blocking methods for your knit gauge swatch. After the swatch has been blocked, it will give an accurate result of the row and stitch count. You will also get a clear idea of how the yarn reacts after being washed, sprayed or steamed. For blocking your knitted projects, carefully use the knit blockers. Do not insert between the stitches. Blocking can work wonders for many projects, allowing to match dimensions, let the yarn bloom and even clean the yarn. So, be it the stockinette stitch or the intricate cables or the delicate lace, you make on any of the knitting needles, do not miss out on the process of blocking. Like knitting needle sets make your life easier, so does the blocking tools. You will be thankful for the extra effort.
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Source: https://uberant.com/article/1874308-how-to-block-your-knitting/
