Blocking (knitting)
Encyclopedia
Knitting
Knitting is a method by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth or other fine crafts. Knitted fabric consists of consecutive rows of loops, called stitches. As each row progresses, a new loop is pulled through an existing loop. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can...
, crochet
Crochet
Crochet is a process of creating fabric from yarn, thread, or other material strands using a crochet hook. The word is derived from the French word "crochet", meaning hook. Hooks can be made of materials such as metals, woods or plastic and are commercially manufactured as well as produced by...
and other textile arts
Textile arts
Textile arts are those arts and crafts that use plant, animal, or synthetic fibers to construct practical or decorative objects.Textiles have been a fundamental part of human life since the beginning of civilization, and the methods and materials used to make them have expanded enormously, while...
, blocking is a final stage of handmade textile production that adjusts the shape of the finished piece. Not all pieces need blocking, however blocking is standard for lace
Lace
Lace is an openwork fabric, patterned with open holes in the work, made by machine or by hand. The holes can be formed via removal of threads or cloth from a previously woven fabric, but more often open spaces are created as part of the lace fabric. Lace-making is an ancient craft. True lace was...
work, and is not uncommon in sweaters, socks, and other solid projects. Through heat
Heat
In physics and thermodynamics, heat is energy transferred from one body, region, or thermodynamic system to another due to thermal contact or thermal radiation when the systems are at different temperatures. It is often described as one of the fundamental processes of energy transfer between...
and moisture
Moisture
Humidity is the amount of moisture the air can hold before it rains. Moisture refers to the presence of a liquid, especially water, often in trace amounts...
, blocking sets the stitch
Stitch (textile arts)
In the textile arts, a stitch is a single turn or loop of thread or yarn. Stitches are the fundamental elements of sewing, knitting, embroidery, crochet, and needle lace-making, whether by hand or machine...
es and standardizes the final dimensions, and may enhance the drape. Hand manufacture places natural stresses on fabrics that may result in deviations from its intended shape and size. Blocking is only effective on natural fibres, but a technique called "killing" may be used on synthetic fibres to achieve an effect similar to blocking.
The degree of malleability is determined by the type of yarn
Yarn
Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery and ropemaking. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or...
used, with wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
providing the most flexibility. For projects that are produced in sections, blocking is normally done prior to final assembly.
Blocking methods
Blocking can be done in several different ways. Depending on the method, the crafter may use rustproof pinPin
A pin is a device used for fastening objects or material together.Pin may also refer to:* Award pin, a small piece of metal or plastic with a pin attached given as an award for some achievement...
s, blocking wires, a steamer, or a steam iron. A stable flat surface and towel
Towel
A towel is a piece of absorbent fabric or paper used for drying or wiping. It draws moisture through direct contact, often using a blotting or a rubbing motion. Common household textile towels are made from cotton, rayon, bamboo, nonwoven fibers or a few other materials.-Types of towels:* A bath...
s are standard. Fibres that tolerate water well may be wet blocked, shaping moist fabric into the desired shape and then allowing it to air dry. Cold blocking uses no heat and less water to achieve the same result by spraying water upon the material instead of immersing the fabric. Steam blocking uses a steamer or steam iron, but without applying direct pressure to the item.
Wet blocking
Wet blocking is done by saturating a garment in warm water and allowing it to dry. Some items (especially lace) are stretched while wet with the use of pins and/or blocking wires, while others may be gently shaped without stretching.BLOCKING HANDKNITS:
Wet blocking a shawlette or shawl is absolutely essential. Lace patterns open up, puckers disappear, and borders can be sharp and clear. It's a dramatic before-and-after process that provides much quicker gratification than a patient knitter may be accustomed to.
For a shawlette: fill a medium sink with room-temperature water and a mild soap (not detergent) or wool wash. Gently immerse the shawlette, pushing it under the water until it's completely covered. Let it soak anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. Generally, the looser the fabric, the easier it will be to fully saturate the fibers. Single-ply wool that hasn't been treated often absorbs water very quickly, as does undyed, natural wool.
AVOID the following, which can promote the opposite result, "fulling" (less accurately known as "felting").
Keep your water temperature lukewarm, and if you need to rinse your shawlette, make sure it's consistent. Abrupt changes in water temperature can cause shrinking.
Use a gentle soap or woolwash, not detergent.
Agitation can also cause the fibers to lock, so gently squeeze instead.
Drain the sink, and pick up the garment in one wad, to avoid stretching. Drop it onto a clean bath towel (avoid linty ones that are a strong contrast color to your yarn) and stand on the towel. Repeat if you must, but keep in mind that lace-weight and fingering-weight projects, especially of lace, will tend to dry as you're pinning them into place.
SURFACE: For very large projects, pin a clean bed sheet to your carpet or bed. Many knitters, including myself, favor industrial foam flooring. It comes in 12" blocks that fit together like puzzle pieces. You can pin right into them. Traditionally, Shetland Islanders and Estonian knitters use blocking frames. (for directions on building a blocking frame from dry, light, sap-free wood, like birch, see "Knitted Lace of Estonia", page 35, by Nancy Bush.
Use rust-free T-pins. Blocking wires are rustproof wires of varying lengths and flexibility that can be inserted in-and-out fashion through the long edges and points of any border you have, and then held taut by T-pins. Some people prefer the control of using pins only, while others swear by the speed of blocking wires. Pin centers first, and be prepared to adjust the pins a number of times as your project dries and stretches. You may want to be cautious about stretching if your item is made primarily of garter stitch. It's a compressed, cushy fabric, and that quality can be lost by over-vigorous blocking.
DRY COMPLETELY. If your project dries before you're done pinning, mist it with a spray bottle.
STORAGE: Lightweight laces may be stored carefully on padded hangers, or rolled (no hard creases) and stored in a drawer. When you launder, you will need to block the piece again. Moths are attracted to soiled clothing, so it's worth the effort.