The Benefits of Blocking
February 20, 2017
Blocking is an essential step in turning your hand knit items into masterfully finished products. Natural fibers will relax through the process evening out stitches, smoothing the fabric, and bringing the garment to the right shape and size. There are two main types: wet blocking and steam blocking. Today we'll focus on wet blocking.
Depending on the garment type and fiber, there are different steps to take when blocking the fabric. The first step is to soak the garment in a gentle wash per the instructions of the yarn. When removing the garment from the wash it is important to support the complete weight of the garment. The accumulated water can pull down the fibers stretching out your garment unevenly. Gently squeeze the water out without wringing and roll your garment in a towel (or two) to remove as much moisture as possible.
Be sure to lay out the garment on a flat surface to dry. Some people use a clean floor or bed while others use interlocking foam tiles. If you are blocking a scarf, shawl, or seamed sweater, interlocking tiles provides the best surface for T-Pins and blocking wires, both of which hold the fabric in place to create clean lines and angles, so seams line up and give the garment a finished look.
There are many informative and useful videos which provide step by step instructions on YouTube, however, one of our favorite tutorials comes via
VeryPink.
To make the blocking process easier, we carry the Knitter's Block by Cocoknits. This blocking kit comes with 18 interlocking, 12 x 12" fiber-topped foam tiles, 40 T-pins, a 48" square cotton cloth with 1" square gingham (to help size correctly to the pattern), and a water-resistant jute bag to store everything. The tiles in this kit can be used for both wet blocking and steam blocking. This kit also comes with written instructions on how to maximize the use of each component to create the best looking finished project possible. Feel free to call with inquiries (801.487.5648).
Happy Knitting and Happy Blocking!
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