BETTER BLOCKING

BLOCKING CAN transform your finished projects, and there are very few types of knitting that don’t benefit from blocking (or dressing) in some form or another. Adding water to a knitted fabric, whether it’s by soaking, spraying or steaming, allows the fibres to relax, making it easier to shape and enabling the fibres to settle into a more uniform alignment. Not all fibres are created equal, though, and it’s useful to know how and why water affects different fibres before you choose your blocking method. Here we explore how to block different yarns and stitch patterns.

Wet blocking

Fully soak the work for at least half an hour to ensure full absorption of the water (). Gently squeeze and press out the excess water in a clean towel (). Shape to your desired dimensions, pin and leave to dry.