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Do you block?


Do you block your work!  

119 members have voted

  1. 1. Do you block your work!

    • Yes - Always!
      5
    • Well, sometimes depending on the project (please explain)
      61
    • No, never.
      53


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I was wondering if most crocheters block their work. If so, what do you block? Just wool, anything but acrylic, everything? Maybe just wearables? I have never blocked a project, I have never had the need to. So far I have made things like pillows, blankets, booties, hats, scarves, etc. I have just started making squares, and I am currently trying to make a sweater for my dd. The patterns for some of the squares, and for the sweater say to block. I always thought blocking was for knitting! I have never done it :think OK, novel over! :lol So do you block, and if so, what?

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I block doilies, wool and smaller projects that washing would shrink or misshape. These are shaped and pinned to my blocking board (using stiffener when needed) until dry. Larger wool and cotton items (that are not mercerized) would be shaped and dried on a sweater screen or towel. When using acrylics, most are self blocking when washed and dried in the machine.

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Doilies or lace projects I do block. Afghans no. And I don't really "block". I just wet and lay flat to dry. I use to iron the doilies, but I"m not a person who favors ironing (my iron stays in it's original box to keep the dust off). I'm thinking the snowflakes I'm maknig will need to be stiffened, not just blocked, but maybe that would work too.

I've never pinned down a doily. The only thing I pinned were two sides of a thread ornament that had to be sniffened over a foam ball to have a shape.

 

Most of the doilies I give away so I figure the person receiving them can decide what they want to do. One lady didn't ever stiffen them, she remembered her grandmother dong that and didn't like it. Another lady doesn't even really 'block' them. She just lies them out after she washes and dries them. And if a recipient wants to use a fabric stiffener or whatever, that's up to them.

Debbi

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I have blocked cotton when it needed it. I haven't really worked with wool much as most people I know are allergic but if I were to work with wool and it needed blocking, I'd do it. I've never needed to block acrylic and I read somewhere that you can't anyway. Only natural fibers take to a blocking. Just saying that's what I read.

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larger items I don't worry about, but doilies get at least pinned out, snowflakes get stiffened, and I'm looking at making a lace shawl that would need to be blocked to achieve its full potential. The sweater I'm making for DH will probably need to be blocked too since it's just too stiff. So many items just look and work better after being blocked, but I don't have anywhere to do anything bigger than a 20" doily.

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It all depends...I'll block afghan squares (even though blocking acrylic doesn't really do anything), so that when I sew them together they'll lie flat and be a uniform size. I'll block an article of clothing if it's done with wool or other natural fibers. Most of the time, though, I don't bother.

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I had never blocked anything until recently. Then I made a sweater and after some encouragement, decided to try blocking. It helped the drape of the sweater. So now I find myself thinking about a few other items I have previously made that could be helped with some blocking. I'm not sure that I would block an afghan, but for a sweater or a shawl, I think it can help, even with acrylic.

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I don't block acrylic--this is one of the several reasons I love acrylic! Same with some of the other manufactured fibers.

 

But I would block almost everything else. Either make it wet, pull or pin to the correct shape and let dry.

 

OR

 

Make a press-cloth wet and wring it out, lay it over the finished piece, and hold a hot iron gently at the surface of the press cloth--never press down! This puts a lot of steam in the piece. Let dry in place. I use old cloth diapers for press cloths. Most clean, undyed, cotton, woven fabrics are fine. Undyed because you don't want the color to bleed into your project.

 

You say--"As long as it looks good" but you may be surprised how much better some projects look after blocking. They're more polished looking. They hold their shape better (less curling and stuff). And the crochceted fabric relaxes a little, so they drape better.

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Thank you! I am currently making a wool shawl, it's just a double crochet pattern, but maybe I will try blocking it to see what happens :-) It can't hurt, right? Just a little water and pins. What do you pin it to?

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Thank you! I am currently making a wool shawl, it's just a double crochet pattern, but maybe I will try blocking it to see what happens :-) It can't hurt, right? Just a little water and pins. What do you pin it to?

 

Well, I am lucky enough to have been given a blocking board by my knitting and crocheting mil. Hovever there are many ways to make your own here's a c'ville thread to check out http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=51124&highlight=blocking+boards

 

I can't seem to find the thread but Jean Leinhauser suggests homasote (sp?) board. I read somewhere else that you can wrap particle board with an old flannel sheet.

 

I have blocked a few things-- particularly Christmas ornaments that needed to be stiffened. Mostly I block cotton or wool although I did block a 12" granny square once because it was concave until I stretched it into shape. Normally I don't bother with blocking acrylic.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I only block thread pieces, and then only if I really can't stand the "ruffles" that develop. Hey, sometimes they're pretty!:lol

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I have never blocked anything. Most everything I make is out of acryllic, like hats, afghans, scarves, and squares. With cotton I make bags/purses and dishcloths. To be honest, I don't know how to block and wouldn't even know where to start :lol:lol:lol. I just started learning to crochet with thread, just a couple of bookmarkers is all I have made with it so far. But guess I better learn if I intend to make doilies and other things.

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I have never blocked anything. Never felt the need to.

 

 

I feel the same way. Maybe it's because I mostly use acrylics, so maybe you don't have to block.

 

:manyheart

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Shhhhhhhh.....don't tell my mom....but no, I don't block :lol She is a firm believer in blocking EVERYTHING whether it needs it or not. So, I blocked the first afghan or two that I made...after that, they got tossed in the dryer and came out just fine. The only things I block are snowflakes. Then again, I generally use acryllic and never have used wool, etc. and I also don't make wearables except for hats and the occasional scarf.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 9 months later...
  • 1 month later...

I block when I think the item needs to be blocked. A lot of the time I get away without blocking.

 

Most afghans-no but one I remember blocking because it was lacy squares.

 

most bags-no but occasionally I will block a bag by wet spraying & place some skeins of yarn inside to get it in a nice "shape".

 

snowflakes-yes, plus stiffening but I don't make them much anymore due to my tendinitis flaring up when I work with thread.

 

Wearables--yes & no--mostly yes probably...it depends on what it is & if it needs some shaping or lining up pieces better before sewing/joining together. Blocking is a great help in that area.

 

How I block varies by project but an afghan I will use my bed with a quilt on top...pin & spray & wait for it to dry. Doesn't take long.

 

Bags--already mentioned above.

 

Snowflakes--I use the top of a styrofoam cooler with waxed paper taped on top of it. Stiffen & pin, wait until dry. Works for me & pretty easy to store when not in use.

 

Wearables--same as afghans usually.

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