Friday, July 14, 2017

Knitting blocking or blocking knitting?

I have never truly learned how to block knitted or crochet items so today was the day!  I had finished all my little star ornament points/pieces and they were all curled up so I thought blocking would help before I tried to sew them together..........
I got my new blocking mats out...I only needed one....
 I didn't know the letters came out........... 
Not knowing where they had been I decided to wash it good with my Mrs. Meyer's counter top spray..........
I also downloaded and read a free lesson on Craftsy about 'finishing' items which included how to block properly.  I got out some Eucalan wool wash that I had bought on my way back from a Canadian fishing trip when I stopped at a sheep farm several years ago.....

  If you don't have wool wash Craftsy suggested baby shampoo which is actually what I use on my hair but since I had the wool wash I figured I would use it.  I followed the directions which uses just a tiny bit of the wash in a bowl since my pieces were small.......see how they are all curled up?  I hope the blocking takes care of that............it said to let them soak for 5 minutes....I let them soak for 15....if 5 minutes is good...15 must be better right? LOL!  Also, there is no need for rinsing with the Eucalan wool wash.
a little bit of dye came out but not much.........
then I squeezed the water out and rolled them up in a towel to get as much moisture out as possible...........
 
 I grabbed my pins and my blocking mat which I put a towel underneath and started the process of pinning them down into the shape they would hopefully dry into......
This was backbreaking as I was leaning over my desk and I had to take a break when I was about halfway done........but finally they were all pinned....I used every pin in that container except for 3!  Maybe I over did it but better safe than sorry..........
Tomorrow I hope to sew it together and be ready to have a finished object come Sunday's Year of Projects post....we shall see but I think I now know how to block items...I hope.
Happy Trails!!!
P.S.  Tomorrow I am posting my white bread recipe that several of you have requested so tune in again tomorrow!





7 comments:

  1. Wow, what a puzzle piece of a star. Kudos to you on that. Yay for puttin' them new, blocking mats to work.

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    1. I was pleased that I took the time for the Craftsy class and learned to block and now have actually done it!

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  2. Blocking is one of my least favorite things to do. Looks like you got the hang of it pretty good, though.

    Yum on the bread recipe. I will have pen and paper ready.

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    1. Glad to hear you thought it looked like I did it right since you have blocked before! Thank you!

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  3. That's pretty much how I do it too. :-). Lots and lots of pins and you used the Q for Queen!!!!!! I love my mats and how you can put as many of them together as you need. Looking forward to your finish post.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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    1. I was so happy to find those as it has been about 3 years that I've been looking.
      So glad to know I'm doing it right....thank you!

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  4. Yep,looks good to me, although if all those tiny pieces are the same size, you could have placed them on top of one another and pinned them out that way. Not sure if that's technically correct but it's what I do when I have so many little parts to block. I usually use an old towel on top of an old cot mattress! Works for me! Re. the T.K.Maxx candles, yes I think perhaps they sell mostly the same stock worldwide. The Scottish Fine Soaps produce (I love their soap, it smells like Johnson's Baby Powder)is made not very far from where I live and where the Scottish Kelpies are located. You should Google them, I think you'd like them.

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