BLOCKING YOUR KNITS
WHAT IS BLOCKING?
Blocking is the finishing process of applying moisture to your knit piece to condition the stitches into their final place. It immediately transforms your knit swatches, panels or finished projects from looking home made to ultra professional. It evens out your stitches and sets the final measurements of your garment. It also plumps up the yarn and makes it feel softer, too.
Blocking is literally magic! Professionals say that your knit is never actually finished until it’s gone through the process of being blocked.
Fact: All factories do a final steam block of their knitwear... that's why manufactured knits always look so beautiful.
DO I REALLY NEED TO BLOCK?
Technically, no. But take a good look at your final knit piece with a critical eye. Do you notice any dimples or inconsistencies in the tension of your stitches? Are some of your panel measurements coming in a smidge long or short? Do the edges of your piece have a little wave and don't lay perfectly flat? The answer is, YES!
This is completely normal, it doesn't matter what level of knitter you are, no knit piece looks perfect right off the needles. Blocking can transform a beginner level piece to professional finished quality. In fact, expert knitters block all of their pieces after knitting them, that's one of the reasons why their finished pieces always look SO GOOD!
THE 3 DIFFERENT BLOCKING METHODS
SPRAY BLOCKING: Spray blocking is the most gentle blocking option and is ideal for natural fibers like wool, alpaca and cashmere. A great method for blocking swatches, panels and finished garments. Our LOLL yarn loves to be spray blocked.
STEAM BLOCKING: Similar to spray blocking, except you use steam from an iron to relax the fibers instead of water. Great for natural fibers but avoid steam blocking if you are knitting with synthetic fibers as heat and steam will destroy them. A great method for blocking swatches and panels.
WET BLOCKING: The most dramatic results are achieved with wet blocking your knit. It involves fully submerging the knit piece in a tepid water bath. It's an ideal blocking method for man-made fibers, novelty yarns and if done carefully, can be an option for some wools and wool blends. A great method for blocking swatches, panels and finished garments.
Read below for step-by-step instructions for all 3 methods.
HOW TO SPRAY / STEAM BLOCK
STEP 1 : GATHER
- A large flat surface
(bed, ironing board, yoga mat, table, carpet or blocking mats) - Clean towels
- If Spray Blocking: Spray Bottle (with mist setting)
- If Steam Blocking: Iron (with steam function)
- Measuring Tape
- Your Knitting Pattern
- Rust Proof Pins
(pins are optional, but will achieve better results)
STEP 2 : PREPARE
Place towels over your flat surfaces or set up your blocking mats.
Lay your knit piece out flat (right side out) on top of the towels/mats.
You will be using water and/or hot steam for this process, be sure to use
many towels to protect any surfaces that can be damaged by heat and water.
IF SPRAY BLOCKING
Fill your spray bottle with room temperature water and adjust the spray
nozzle to mist.
IF STEAM BLOCKING
Fill the iron’s water reservoir, plug in the iron and set the dial to steam function.
STEP 3 : WET
IF SPRAY BLOCKING
Spray water through the entire piece, the goal is to make the stitches damp the whole way through.
If blocking a full garment, be sure to spray both front and back sides of the piece.
IF STEAM BLOCKING
Hover the iron an inch over the piece and pump steam through the entire knitwork.
Steam blocking a full garment is a bit difficult, try to steam both front and back sides of the piece.
Do not touch the iron to the knit fabric as you will scorch/burn/flatten it.
Keep your fingers out of the way of the steam as you could easily burn them.
Be careful!
STEP 4 : BLOCK
Arrange the piece out completely flat.
Using the measurements from your pattern, gently press and pat the item into shape.
Some fibers (wool!) are difficult to manipulate as they become very limp when wet.
Keep patting, squeezing and manipulating the stitches, they will eventually settle back into place.
You can never be too picky about getting final measurements.
Adjust every seam, straighten every hemline and pat down any excess back into shape.
Use pins to pin out the panels/sweater to hold the measurements in place while it dries.
If you need to spray or steam again to further
relax the fibers to achieve measurements, now is the time.
NOTE: When wet, your piece can be very scary and you might feel like your measurements are unattainable!
Rest assured, when the fibers dry, they will plump up again and become gorgeously packed together.
Just make sure you place the piece into the proper measurements and let dry-time do the rest.
STEP 5 : DRY
Once you’re happy with the measurements, and your piece is pinned in place, let it sit undisturbed to dry.
Drying times will vary depending on how bulky the item is and how much water you were able to extract from it.
It could be as little as a few hours to a couple of days.
Once your piece is 100% dry, you’re all done!
NOTE: Let the item dry completely before unpinning.
This drying process is what places the stitches into their new forever home
(thus fixing any tension errors, tightening up any minor loose stitches and sets the final dimensions of your piece).
HOW TO WET BLOCK
STEP 1 : GATHER
- A large flat surface
- (ex: bed, ironing board, yoga mat, table, carpet or blocking mats)
- Clean towels
- Clean sink or wash basin large enough to fit your knit item
- A kind of rinseless wool wash like Eucalan, Soak Wash or a mild laundry detergent
- Measuring Tape
- Your Knitting Pattern
- Rust Proof Pins
- (pins are optional, but will achieve better results)
STEP 2 : SOAK
Fill your wash basin with cold water and mix in a tsp. of wool wash.
Place your knit item into the bath, gently pressing the piece down into the water so all stitches become wet.
Do not dunk the piece up and down, or agitate it in any way while it is in the water.
Let the item sit in the water for 10-15 minutes.
STEP 3 : DRAIN
If using a rinseless wool wash, skip to Step 4
If using a detergent, drain and fill the wash basin again with water to
rinse the detergent out of the item.
Repeat until water runs clear.
STEP 4 : COMPRESS
Your piece will have absorbed a lot of water and will be very heavy, it can stretch out if not picked up properly.
Carefully pick it up as a bundle.
Gently compress excess water out of it. DO NOT TWIST or WRING.
Gently roll your knit piece up in a towel,gently pressing the water out as you roll.
If you soak through the towel, repeat this step with a new dry towel. The goal is to get as much water out of the piece as possible.
STEP 5 : BLOCK
Lay 1-2 towels out on a flat surface or set up your blocking mat.Carefully lay the piece out flat.
Using the measurements from your pattern, gently press and pat the item into shape.
Some fibers (wool!) are difficult to manipulate as they become very limp.
Keep patting, squeezing and manipulating the panels, they will eventually settle back into place.
You can never be too picky about getting final measurements.
Adjust every seam, straighten every hemline and pat down any excess back into shape.
Use pins to pin out the panels/sweater to hold the measurements in place while it dries.
NOTE: When wet, your piece will be very scary and you might feel like your measurements are unattainable!
Just make sure you place the piece into the proper measurements and let dry-time do the rest.
STEP 6 : DRY
Drying times will vary depending on how bulky the item is and how much water you were able to extract from it.
It could be as little as a few hours to a couple of days.
Once your piece is 100% dry, you’re all done!
NOTE: Let the item dry completely before unpinning.
This drying process is what places the stitches into their new forever home
(thus fixing any tension errors, tightening up any minor loose stitches and sets the final dimensions of your piece).