OK you knowing knitters! Please consider my question.
If a yarn is 70% cotton and 30% rayon and the label says dry clean only, how would you block it? The yarn is a substitute for a different yarn, so I don't think the pattern directions would necessarily be right. The original yarn was 100% rayon and the pattern directions say "steam lightly" to block. Do you think I could submerge the fabric in cool water? Any other advice/suggestions?
TIA
Hesira
PS: I should have said "Yarn Folk" because I know there are many crocheters out there also who block stuff as well.
Hesira
The "safe" instructions for any garment or yarn is always "dry clean only". A cold soak, roll in a towel and stomp, then pin out as usual.
FWIW cotton/rayon has practically no memory.
On 18 Apr 2006 12:21:28 -0700, "hesira" spewed forth :
+++++++++++++Reply to the list as I do not publish an email address to USENET. This practice has cut my spam by more than 95%. Of course, I did have to abandon a perfectly good email account...
Hesira, I would not submerge the fabric in cool water - but I would slightly steam it - with a dry cloth over the swatch first. If this did not steam too well then I would take away the cloth and then steam directly onto the fabric but very gently. Because the yarn has 70% cotton, a natural fibre, it should be quite sturdy.
Why not knit a much smaller swatch to test first. It could save a lot of time in the long run.
Bye for now and good luck AnneMarie
Thanks AnneMarie and Wooly,
I don't know why I didn't think of using the swatch for a test blocking. I've already made it, to check the gauge! All I'm trying to do is straighten it out for sewing together.
Hesira
When in doubt, wash and block a swatch! (giggling, thinking of our old tax accountant's advice-when in doubt, deduct!) {appropriate today, the day after USA taxes were due!} Noreen feeling a little giddy/silly
Wooly I agree, I never take any notice of the " dry clean only" in fact I have never had anything dry cleaned for as long as I can remember - careful washing beats the cleaning bit.
As for blocking I also agree with you- a cool water dip and a roll in a towel suits all types of yarn I find and the pinning out can also beat steaming. If I feel the need to steam I usually use a cloth such as "cleanex" which is porous and so I just wet it and hover the iron over it. God Bless Gwen
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