Knitting Projects - To Block or Not to Block

January 9, 2022

I only finished a handful of projects in 2021, blocked a few - but was asked by a fellow crafter whether it's really necessary. Take a look at this cowl & mittens -

The cowl definitely needed the lace to be opened up and overall to be made more uniform. Somehow, whether it was the yarn, or my tension, the mittens came out pretty much the same size & didn't really need any blocking for sizing (I often knit one mitten tighter than the other.) I blocked the mittens anyway to see if the stitch pattern would bloom a little after a soak. I don't have a before-picture of the mittens but they really don't look much different afterwards.

Am pretty please with the results of both & will keep on blocking my projects.

So the answer to my crafter friend is — it depends. If your project has lace in it, or something needs a little finessing or stretching — I say block away!

How I block - I soak the project in my bathroom sink, and usually forget about it for a few hours. Once I retrieve it and let the water drain, I gently press the excess water out then roll it in a towel, pressing gently - no wringing or twisting! Then I pin to a blocking board, stretching where necessary and wait until they're dry. That's it!

The only time I've run into trouble with blocking was with cotton projects - it really does take a very long time to dry & I wonder if air-drying is the best way to do this - maybe next time a gentle spin in the dryer may be in order.

Projects posted at https://www.ravelry.com/projects/tamdoll

Cowl:
Soul Warmer pattern by Justyna Lorkowska
Mini Multi Bundle yarn from Dirty Water DyeWorks

Mittens:
Seersucker Stitch pattern
Schachenmayr Regia Merino Yak yarn from Twill Fabric & Yarn