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Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

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How to Block a Knitting Project

March 18, 2014 4 Comments

How to Block a Knitting Project at Hands Occupied

Blocking is something I took years to start doing with finished knitting projects. Just like test swatches. It turns out that both can be pretty important as your knitting gets more sophisticated. Especially if you are making a wearable item, testing your yarn by knitting a sample swatch and blocking it is how you’ll establish a good fit. Here are the basics of how to block a knitting project.

Supplies

finished knitting project
cold water
clean basin or sink
wool wash (I like Eucalan and Soak.)
towel
timer
blocking board (optional)
pins (optional)

Directions

Yesterday I shared how to set yarn color so it won’t bleed, potentially ruining a finished project. Here’s where we left off:

These Colors Won't Run: How to set yarn color

The finished knitting project was given a special bath to set the color. If you’re not worried about setting the color, you can simply soak your knitting in a bath of tepid to lukewarm water with the wool wash of your choice. Stir around your project in the bath to get the wool wash into the yarn. Let soak for 30 minutes.

Full disclosure: Since I already soaked my knitting in a vinegar bath for 30 minutes, and since I used a simple cotton yarn instead of a wool, I skipped the wool wash, but I normally use it otherwise. 

How to Block a Knitting Project at Hands Occupied

When the half hour has passed, gently squeeze out the excess water, but do not wring it out. Lay out your project on a towel. I always use a dark towel like this old maroon one, particularly when I haven’t done the colorfast bath, in case some color bleeds.

How to Block a Knitting Project at Hands Occupied

Roll up the knitting in the towel like a burrito.

How to Block a Knitting Project at Hands Occupied

Pound all over your towel burrito, then turn it 90 degrees and pound all over it again. This gets out the excess water without wringing it, which can damage your knitting.

How to Block a Knitting Project at Hands Occupied

Next, lay out your work on a flat surface. If you need to use a blocking board and pins to set it to specific dimensions, you can do that. Since this is just a cotton baby blanket, laying it square was all I needed to do.

How to Block a Knitting Project at Hands Occupied

Filed Under: DIY FYI, Knitting, Knitting & Crochet Tagged With: blocking. knit, diy fyi, fit, how to block knitting, Knitting

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author & content creator in love with primary colors & vintage vibes. She specializes in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macramé, and her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now!

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Comments

  1. Kokeshette

    March 18, 2014 at 12:19 pm

    Thanks for this post and the pictures ! I have to admit, I don’t block my knitting projects yet… Only recently I started to make test swatches…
    I guess I still don’t have enough years of knitting behind me ;) (and I knit cowls, mostly…)
    I will try for the next project, with the help of your post !

    Reply
  2. María Ivelisse Fortunato

    March 24, 2014 at 11:43 am

    Excelente este articulo me encanta lo voy a poner en practica con mis trabajos.

    Gracias

    Reply
  3. Bonnie mcmillen

    March 30, 2014 at 12:23 pm

    I feel so dumb, I always thought blocking was done with an iron and a damp towel.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      March 30, 2014 at 9:18 pm

      You’re 100% smart! There’s more than one way to block a knitting project: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter02/FEATdiyknitter.html This is just my preferred way :).

      Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

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Are you looking for some late summer reading picks Are you looking for some late summer reading picks? Here are 3 fresh titles for makers of all ages - full reviews are on my bl0g, along with a giveaway for a copy of Knitstrips! The 🔗 is where you’d think. 😉
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To Make by Danielle Davis (@writesinla) / Knitstrips by Alice Ormsbee Beltran & Karen Kim Mar (@ik_knitstrips) / This Long Tread by Jen Hewett (@jenhewett) 
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#summerreading #bookshelf #readingrecommendations #handsoccupied #booksformakers #craftbooks
New on the blog today! This former Librarian revie New on the blog today! This former Librarian reviews three making-related books for kids, teens & adults. And there’s a copy of one up for giveaway too! 📚 
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To Make by Danielle Davis (@writesinla) with pictures by Mags DeRoma (@magsderoma) / Knitstrips (@ik_knitstrips) by Alice Ormsbee Beltran & Karen Kim Mar / This Long Thread by Jen Hewett (@jenhewett) 
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I’ll share preview page-through videos for these this week too, but for now the written reviews are at the top of handsoccupied dot com along with my search bar if you can’t find ‘em. All giveaway details are listed in the review post. 🤙🏻 
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(^ I heard a rumor that if I tell you to exit this app, no one will see this post, so plz forgive the song & dance just in case it matters. 🙈)
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#handsoccupied #summerreading #booksformakers #booksforcrafters #books #knittersofinstagram #craftbook #knittingbook
I think about the wrong side of my intarsia knitti I think about the wrong side of my intarsia knitting kind of like some embroiderers do: I get (probably too) excited when the back’s neat and tidy. Are you this way? Is it just me? 
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Pictured is the wrong side of a large primary color intarsia swatch I knit for an upcoming design in @brooklyntweed Arbor. When I pulled it from my studio, I thanked my former self for talking the time to knit, weave in ends, & block a clean swatch already. As critical as they are, I’m excited to not have to make one today. I’ll advocate for swatching all day long, but I won’t pretend it’s like the funnest step in the process! 😆🧶
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#stopswatchandblockit #intarsia #intarsiaknitting #handsoccupied #knitincolor #knitdesign #handknits
Weaving in ends when you’re knitting with black Weaving in ends when you’re knitting with black yarn… 😅 
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There are a few reasons 90% of my work is done in primary colors, & this is one of them! Lucky for me and my tear ducts, this secret monochromatic design project is off the needles. Just blocking, seaming, & then grading the thing before I can ship it off to make my deadline. 🤙🏻
Today’s knitting vocabulary words: deadline isla Today’s knitting vocabulary words: deadline island & intarsia lock. Have you run across these terms before? 
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If there’s interest, I can share more examples of how to wrangle intarsia locks in a future video. With all of the intarsia designs in my queue, examples are sure to present themselves. 😅🧶 
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#intarsia #deadlineisland #handsoccupied #intarsiaknitting #colorworkknitting
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