Do you Need to Block Suede?

[sandra2469]

I've never crocheted with suede before, but since Lion Brand has had such a great sale lately at Michaels, I decided to try it. I'm almost finished with a pretty clutch purse, but the flap isn't working as well as I'd like it.

 

Here's what I've done:

Single crochet only and then reduced by 1 on each row until it was long enough to put in a pretty button for a closure. Then I am adding a simple scallop to the edge.

 

Here's the problem:

I am noticing a tendence for the flap to curl under or up - depending on the side of the flap. Can you block suede to take out the curl? If not, will changing the number of reductions take out this curl or make it less noticeable?

 

I really want to put this up for sale on Etsy, but it's got to be perfect - and I'm not ready to deem this one ready for sale because of the curl.

 

Any ideas?

[Real Deal]

I've never blocked suede, but the problem is probably not the suede itself, but the single crochet. Single crochet is famous for curling.

 

You can't sc too tightly. You have to have a nice, moderate st. It's possible that you just need to loosen up a bit where you decrease.

 

You can try a couple of things. First, I would leave the flap as it is, sc all the way around it, then put on the scallop edge.

 

If that hasn't helped, unravel it and do the flap over. Make the first row all sc and make the second row all sc with 1 decrease on each end.

 

Repeat the first and second rows for as long as you'd like the flap to be.

 

Sc around the flap, then do the scallop edge.