Last week, I decided (during blog week, go me, as if I did not have enough to do already) to make a scarf for Mother's Day. I had been toying with this plan for a while because I was given a ball of Regia Extra Twist Merino Color in a swap and my mother had been dropping hints about how well the colours matched her coat. If you visited during Blog Week, you may have seen it feature in a few posts...
She wasn't very subtle about it, either. But hey, dropping hints about wanting to receive hand-made gifts doesn't make her a bad woman, it just means she's an enabler to my crafty hobbies.
So after much deliberation, I picked out a pattern, the Spring Ripple Scarf, ordered more of the same yarn (and crossed my fingers that there would be no distinct difference between the dye lots) and got to hooking the thing.
So here's where you guys come in. I have only blocked a few items in my life, and the last time was the first time it actually worked out okay. So how would I go about blocking this puppy? It's a merino/nylon blend (it's sock yarn). What would you suggest is the best way to block this scarf so that it will maintain its shape? Do you have a favourite blocking method for this type of wool?
I always wet block by soaking the item in a sink of lukewarm water with the tiniest bit of soak wool wash if I have any or just half a teaspoon of fabric softener if I don't.
ReplyDeleteI then squeeze (don't wring) as much water as I can out with my hands, lay a large bath towel of the floor and lay the item on the towel. I then fold the towel over and walk slowly up and down the towel in my bare feet, making sure to stand on every single cm of towel.
I then USED to pin the item out onto some foam boards (childrens play mat square, but I now use blocking wires made from welding rods. I am blocking a scarf myself right now as it happens. Have a look at this post to see how I do it: http://www.eskimimimakes.com/2012/05/blocking-lace-scarf.html It makes the edges perfectly straight.
Thanks! I've seen your post, and I spent a good half hour googling for a place that sells such rods over here on my side of the North Sea, because the welding rods I could find at local hardware stores all had weird-looking ends that seemed quite sharp... Though I haven't actually physically been to the hardware store to check them out so I might give that a go tomorrow.
DeleteI agree with Eskimimi, but I don't always pin my items (especially now that I don't have a place to pin things out). I find that lace sometimes just wants to be stretched out flat on top of a washing machine and/or dryer and let dry. If the lace doesn't open up enough, then sometimes I'll steam it with my iron, but with the nylon content, I would be careful not to let the steam get too hot.
ReplyDeleteReally? I tried flattening the scarf today (testing out a corner, to see if it would work) and it kept curling up as soon as I let go! Maybe it's because it's crochet? I've read that moistening it with a spray bottle also works for merino and that it's a delicate fiber so you have to be careful not to work it too much otherwise the fibers break, so I pinned it out on a towel and sprayed it until it was nice and moistened and left it to dry, if it doesn't work, I'll try the method you and Eskimimi recommend. Thanks for the help!
DeleteI iron my stuff to block it but it tends to squash the stitches... Maybe try the pinning option - if you have room!!
ReplyDeleteI gently wash (my wip's generally get a bit grubby with kids running around) then squeeze by laying them flat on a towel, rolling it up and standing on it. To dry I lay them out beautifully flat and pin. For something like this wires would be brilliant I think - although I am yet to invest myself!
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