[Nfb-krafters-korner] Blocking knitted items

Fri Dec 9 03:00:17 UTC 2011

Hello all,

I just wanted to thank Sarah for the informative post about blocking knitted
items. I also had been wondering about this topic but hadn't yet gotten
around to posting it as a question. so thank you Sarah, and all the rest of
you who are posting and teaching me ever so much!

Cathy from Ohio

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sarah Sykes
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 6:14 PM
To: Barb Roland; List for blind crafters and artists
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Blocking knitted items

Several opinions exist about blocking, some of them create arguments among
knitters, but here's the basic info and my personal take on blocking.

Sorry for how long this email is, but I wanted you to be well-informed. I
hope you find it useful.

What is blocking? There are several different techniques for blocking, but
basically, blocking is taking a finished knit object, applying moisture,
shaping it into the shape you want it to have when it's done, and then
securing the knitted object in place until it dries.

Why block? Blocking will help your stitches to even out, so if maybe one
stitch happens to be quite a bit larger than the ones next to it, blocking,
because it involves stretching your finished object, will help the odd
sized stitches to even out and become more uniform. It will make your
project look FAR more neat and professional than if you did not block.
Experienced knitters can tell at a glace whether you have blocked your work
or not. Also, because you block out your piece to specific measurements,
blocking will help you ensure that things like sweaters or other items that
must be a certain size will fit properly.

When should you block? I block everything I knit. things look nicer that
way. if my finished object is made from 100% acrylic yarn or the yarn label
says it's machine washable, I usually just machine wash in a mesh bag and
then lay it out flat to dry, gently stretching it into the shape and
demensions I want it to keep. If I'm using a wool or wool blend yarn, I wet
block, see description below. I've only dry blocked once and discovered I
didn't like the method, but I've described it also, so you know what it's
like and can try it for yourself to find the method you prefer.

Dry blocking. This is where you take your finished object, stretch it out
on a flat surface, pin it to the surface with rust proof pins to the length
and width you want it to be, and then spray the object with a spray bottle
filled with water. Then let the piece dry thoroughly. I find that this
method is not as effective as wet blocking.

Wet blocking. First, wash your item. Check the yarn label to see if it is
hand wash or machine washable. If using a machine, I strongly advise using
a mesh laundry bag. With  all wool or wool blend yarn, you should hand wash
your knitted item in lukewarm water. I strongly suggest using a wool wash
like Eucalan or Kookaburra. Many of these are rinse free, which is nice.
They may seem costly to some people, but it is well worth it. The lukewarm
water relaxes your yarn and stitches and the special detergent will clean
it of any residue it had before you got it or that it picked up while you
were working on it. Once you've washed your work, don't ring it out, just
press the extra moisture out, then roll it in a clean towel and press down
on the whole thing to get a little more water out. Then take your finished
object out of the towel and stretch it out on a flat surface. Pin it to the
demensions you want it to have and then let it air dry.

Should you get a blocking board? At first, I used my guest room mattress
with a plastic garbage bag laid out on top of it, then a clean towel, then
my finished object. This was a pain because it took up my guest room bed
for a couple of days at a time. And the garbage bag towel thing, while it
kept the mattress dry, was not weighty enough to stop from moving around
while I was pinning my work out.

So I constructed my own. I got a couple of ceiling tiles from my hardware
store and covered them with fabric. They're stiff enough, and big enough,
not to move around while I'm trying to use them, and you can stick the pins
straight into them. I will caution you, though. While this method is quite
a bit cheaper than the ready made blocking boards, I did get some seriously
crazy looks from the hardware store guy when I told him I wanted only two
tiles and that it wasn't for any kind of construction or anything. The
words "craft project" caused his "this woman is crazy" look to glaze over
into definite certainty. I only got the tiles so cheap because some of the
ones in that box got damaged, so they sold me two of the others in the box
for cheap since they couldn't sell the whole box. If you do decide to go
this route, wear gloves while covering the tiles with fabric so you don't
get all the little scratches from the fiberglass. Be sure to cover it
completely, both sides and all edges.

It may just be less hassle to buy the ready-made blocking boards or ask for
them for Christmas.

Whatever you decide, in my opinion, blocking is WAY worth it.

I'd better sign off now. Please let me know if any of this is confusing or
if you have other questions. I'd love to help.

Cheers,
Sarah Sykes

On Thu, Dec 8, 2011 at 8:44 AM, Barb Roland <barbwire59 at gmail.com> wrote:

> I am very new to fiber arts and have seen or heard the tern "blocking" in
> regards to the finished project. Can someone explain this a bit more to
me,
> such as when is blocking needed, what types of items need blocking, is
> blocking needed only on certain yarns, and whatever else I need to know.
Do
> I want/need to add a blocking board to my christmas wish list? lol Best
> method of blocking for someone with low vision would be another question.
> Thanks in advance,
> Barb R.
> Z6
>
> 'Just living is not enough,' said the butterfly, 'one must have sunshine,
> freedom and a little flower.' ~ Hans Christian Anderson
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