'Blocking' knitten woolen clothes

[Deleted User]

Hi I am in the middle of knitting a jumper for one of my grandchildren, and have just noticed it says when making the garment up 'block it first'
Well I have tried various methods of doing this, and have never been very successful.
Any ideas folks .I paid a fortune for the wool at a craft show and don't want to ruin the effect.It's the type of wool that is very fluffy. I'll be glad when it's done as it's like knitting fog

moggins

Jackie it shows what a rubbish knitter I am as I don't even know what that means

exlibris

I suspect it means that you have to get it to the shape it should be when made up. I pin the knitting to the ironing board and then press it under a damp cloth. This makes sure the edges don't roll over and are easier to sew together. The seams should be the same length too making it easier to sew.

I hope someone will correct me if I am wrong.

cath-w

exlibris wrote:

I suspect it means that you have to get it to the shape it should be when made up. I pin the knitting to the ironing board and then press it under a damp cloth. This makes sure the edges don't roll over and are easier to sew together. The seams should be the same length too making it easier to sew.

I hope someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Nope you are spot on. This is what I do too.

C.

moonbeam682

Hi Jackie

It's a good idea to check what temperature iron to press the garment with (should be on the wool label) as I once blocked a baby outfit I knitted using the method suggested above & totally ruined it, iron was too hot I think. Have never blocked any knitting since!

carol_a_3

My mum who was a brilliant knitter used to spread the knitted pieces out under their mattress, sleep on it for a couple of nights and lo and behold, beautifully flat knitting without the danger of burning it with the iron.

I don't press it either but I remember pinning the knitting out to the required size on top of a fluffy towel in a quiet corner somewhere, gently spraying with a plant water spray and leaving to dry naturally.

Bossyboots

I have never blocked a knitted garment in my life and have not had any problems.

[Deleted User]

Thank you all for your tips I shall try them,
Cheers

pol

I've been knitting for 30 years and only blocked once. All it does is stop the edges from curling up when you come to sew together. If it's very fluffy, it's going to be hard to sew up anyway, whatever you do.

But it'll be worth it in the end!

pol

Glad

most knitting patterns say to block first, I usually only do this if I've been using different wools/colours and need to get the edges just so

maryb

Blocking helps the stitches become more even but it does that the first time you wash it anyway.

I did have to block a very delicate baby's cardigan once. What I did was to pin it out onto a large bit of corrugated card - I just stuck the pins into the cardboard to hold the pieces in place. Then I sprayed it with a plant mister until all the pieces were evenly damp but not wet then let it dry. The knitting was beautifully flat and the stitches were a lot more even (though not perfectly so) and it made matching up a complicated pattern much easier. But what a palaver!!