blocking how-to sought

It depends what it's made from. Blocking is supposed to shape a knitted piece to its intended size, which can help with garments that may be a smidge too small, or to open up lacework. It mostly only works with wool, so if it's acrylic, it doesn't `block'. You can however, throw acrylic in the washer and dryer to even out the stitches, which is another goal of blocking.

sue

I never Block , i shape with my knitting , changing stitiches patters needles etc,,,, mirjam

Wow, that surprises me. I finished an alpaca shawl a while ago that looked quite unfinished until I blocked it. Since it is a flat oblong item, there is no shaping required by stitches. Blocking the shawl also helps pull it to the proper finished size.

Shelagh

You have to block some items. Lace for example often looks like a mess of nothing until you block it. I find blocking garment pieces certainly helps me do a neater job when sewing up.

Knitty has an article on blocking you may find helpful:

helpful:

I just steam iron to make yarn know its shape...square...especially granny squares. The stitches line up better to sew them together as well. Hope this helps, Annette

thank you all so much for your replies. i was worried enough to be afraid to wash the blanket! unfortuneately, sensitivity to wool prevents knitting with it---& i do so love the feel and look of wool.

If you are not using wool, do not block! Back when the instruction books still assumed all knitters used wool without actually saying so, but the only places to get yarn had only acrylic, and I was new to knitting, I killed a bootie trying to block it. Since then, I have never blocked anything! Even when using wool.

If you are using wool, and you see a need to block -- getting the edge smooth despite the way the pattern pulls it, getting the patterned piece to lie flat -- pin it on down on your ironing board with _rustproof_ pins, lay a dishtowel over it, and wave your steam iron about an inch above it. Leave it till it dries.

Cece

great idea! thank you so much...and an efficient way of blocking also (considering the dirtractions of 3 dogs, 7 cats, 1 grandchild and another on the way)