How To Block Knitted Garments · How To Knit · Yarncraft on Cut Out + Keep

By A Mystery Man Writer

Last updated 07 Jun 2024

How To Block Knitted Garments · How To Knit · Yarncraft on Cut Out + Keep

Learn how-to block knitted garments with Argyle Yarn Shop\r\nFirst of all, what is blocking? You’ve put plenty of time and love into knitting your latest project. You may have even unknit stitches or ripped out rows to make sure the finished result was picture perfect. Given all that work, if you knew there was a technique that took just a half hour more of your time and would greatly improve your satisfaction with the results, would you balk at it? Blocking a finished piece means getting it wet, laying it out on a flat surface, and gently manipulating it into the size and dimensions you wish it to be. Once it dries, your garment will remain held in the form you shape it in. Why block your knits? There are a few reasons, which can be boiled down to two general benefits: It can dramatically change your knitting’s shape, and it can make the uneven even. For knitters who feel that the tension of their stitches is a little irregular, blocking can help equalize the stitches’ appearance. Even for experienced knitters, certain kinds of stitch patterns can result in a finished work that looks rumpled and bumpy, curled and puckered. Blocking flattens and smoothes all these out just as surely as when a wrinkled shirt is ironed flat with steam. Blocking can make flat edges become crisp straight lines, and can make shapes like points, scallops, and zigzag really pop. It can also open up lace stitches so you can see the design more clearly. It can also easily add to the overall size of your project. If you’ve finished a scarf or a baby blanket and the only thing wrong with it is that it’s too small, consider blocking it out larger instead of knitting more repetitions. We once turned a 6-foot scarf into an 8- foot scarf by blocking it! If you’re knitting a blanket in squares and they all come out different sizes, just block them all to the size of your largest square. On the other hand, if your pattern calls for an exact measurement, like a sweater, you can use a tape measure to make sure it is laid out to dry to the precise measurements.