Blocking crocheted garments?

[natalie058]

I've never done this before!!

 

I'm almost done with the last piece on this cardigan... And I have to block it before I sew it and add the collar - except I have no clue how to go about doing that!!

 

The only directions I've seen for blocking clothes involve soaking the items in water, rolling them up in a towel to squeeze the excess, and then stretching it to shape and laying to dry. That was for the Triple Play pattern.

 

I'm not sure if the same thing will work for this! I used LB Wool-Ease for mine. I've seen tons of stuff on how to block doilies but not clothing...

 

Help!

[crochettreasures]

you go about it just like you said - you may also press the pieces between two towels and use the steam setting on your iron (however) Please check the yarn label to see if you can do this.

[Aggie May]

I knitted and crocheted for people for more years than I can remember and I never, once, blocked anything.

If it looks OK how it is, why bother.

I sometimes washed things in Woolwash, to make sure any over-dye came out but that was usually when my hands were picking up the colour off the yarn. Black and blue were the worst for that.

Put it together in whatever method you are using and if it looks like the seams need a wee press, lightly steam without any pressure.

So many acrylic yarns melt and flatten with the iron and look used before you start.

This is just my humble opinion and I respect others who think differently.

Have fun.

Colleen. :hug

[natalie058]

This definitely needs blocking.

 

Plus, it's a stich pattern that tends to curl at the egdes, and I do not want to sew it while any curling is occuring.

[The Shrone]

Nat,

Be careful about using an iron if the yarn is acrylic based. Read the label as suggested. My mom made a beautiful baby sweater for someone and she had the iron too hot and the sweater scorched and burned and was discolored. I think she even was going to be paid for making the sweater!

 

If you can't iron it, just handwash it and wring it out in a towel and then let it dry flat. You can shape it by gently pulling it into the shape it needs to be in and then leave it alone to dry.

 

I'd hate for you to lose hours of work because an ironing disaster.

[natalie058]

I'm such a klutz I'm staying away from the iron - I know for a fact I'd ruin something &/or burn my house down.

 

So, I started with the sleeves - soaked 'em and rung 'em out in a towel - then had a booger of a time stretching them into shape - they still want to curl. I put them back out on the damp towel and that helped a bit, but I think I may have to go back with a spray bottle and some weights for the corners.

 

I had to do a bit of maneuvering to get it to gauge... I somehow lost about a 1/2 in. in width. Will that be okay??

[The Shrone]

The loss of the width depends on where the loss is at. If it is part of the body, and there are two pieces (front and back) then you've actually lost an inch in total circumference. If it is a sleeve, then it shouldn't be too bad, especially if it is around the upper arm (hopefully it isn't a form-fitting sleeve).

 

What you can do, is "fudge" a little. I had made a sweater back when I was new to making them and my gauge was off a bit, so what I did along the edges was make a few rows of single crochets to add back the width that was lost. It looked like it was simply part of the pattern/design. You might be able to do something similarly using stitches that look like the rest of the sweater.

 

~ Lori