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The precise approach to pinning will depend on the shape and style of the garment you’re working with, but I wanted to include this image to give you an idea. Once the corners are pinned, assess whether the shawl is stretched enough. If not, pull it a bit further in each direction for a better look. Meanwhile, prepare the surface. Here I am using foam play mats from Lidl. Note that I am using them ‘upside down’ – the flat side up – as I don’t want the ‘print’ of the right side to transfer to my shawl. You may wish to cover the mat with a sheet, especially if your shawl is white.
For really good results, use your own head! Put a thin towel over your head, and wear the slightly-damp hat over that for a few minutes. Remove it carefully, so it holds its shape, and leave it to dry. It might feel strange, but it'll help you get a hat that fits like a glove. Summary Throughout the instructions, I have given some guidance about the best method for different fibres but I wanted to take a moment to clarify this. Tip 2 – Don’t Use A Surface You Use In Everyday Life. Your knitting has to dry for a while. Put your knitting somewhere out of the way. The surface gets damp, don’t use a surface that will mark with moisture. It gives the knitted project a smooth and flat look, which improves your garment’s overall appearance. Roll your sweater in a towel and stomp on it, this remove excess water. You may need to use two or three towels in a row if you’re drying out a larger or bulkier sweater, as the knit will have soaked up a lot of water.
Leave the item to dry in situ. Try not to move it too much, and definitely do not hang it to dry as this will result in a misshapen piece of knitting.
Water – you can soak your project in a clean bowl, basin, sink or bath, and you may also find a simple spray bottle useful This technique is a gentle method that doesn’t require you to soak your knit. You only need a steam iron, T-Pins, and mats. First, make sure you have at least two hours, and preferably three, free. Remove pets, children, partners and all other distractions; take the phone off the hook. This is hard work. Get together the things you will need – pins with large heads, wires if you have them, a tape measure. Place the vice of your choice out of reach but in sight to spur you on. This is ONLY for when you have finished – wine or a malt will make your straight lines wiggly and chocolate stains…. Set aside at least a couple of hours. Weather is a factor. If you live in a place with dry sunny days, these are perfect for a large blanket outside on a big sheet. If outside drying isn’t possible, you’ll need a big space and a fan to help it dry.Step 1: Lay your newly finished knitted piece onto a soft towel. Put the towel on a surface suggested above.
Then pull out each scallop individually. If you need to use pins, make sure they are quilter’s pins – long, with a prominent head – so that you are less likely to spear your next guest. As with all things in life you can go wild buying all the latest gadgets for the task in hand. Conversely you needn’t spend a fortune on the latest and greatest of everything and should be able to achieve great results. After all, most of the time it is technique that rules over tools.
How to block lace knitting
I’m just beginning to recover from ‘flu – hence the long silence – and my friend Jan Clarke asked me to reprint an article I did about dressing shawls for Yarn Forward many moons ago. It was the final part of the Mystery Shawl, but all the following applies to all shawls. (If you have a curved shawl, flexible wires are invaluable…) So here it is: I aim to reassure you too, that it’s not as intimidating as it can seem. And in addition to my normal disclaimer, as I so often find in crochet, there is rarely only one correct approach. A table, open space of floor or bed works well. If you are going to use your bed remember you will need to sleep and knitting can take a while to dry, especially in the colder northern climes. Carefully lift the soaked item from the water and gently squeeze out the extra water. Gently does it!
If you’ve read any of my posts on gauge, you will know that I am a fan of always making a swatch for any crochet item which needs to fit. Not everyone has a large enough empty space on which a mat can be placed for two days and nights. But once you know what the ideal is, you can work out how to do it to suit your circumstances. My mat is flexible, and I can fold it in half – not perfect, but much better than nothing. Wires come in a variety of weights. Some are thin and flexible — perfect along shorter curved edges — while others are a bit more sturdy and work well along the straightaways of a scarf or stole. To use them, you weave the sides of your fabric onto the wire (think of the tip of the wire as a yarn needle) at regular intervals, spreading one side out evenly over the wireYou will see here that there are dips in the fabric between the pins. Carry on using your fingers to manipulate that fabric and place the next pins half way between the previous pins. In the pictures I am using knit pro T-pins which are super sharp (so please take care!), robust and easy to use, however any rust-proof dressmakers pins should work too. It straightens stitches and evens the tension in your knitting. It defines intricate knitting patterns, relaxes the pattern, and dries it evenly. If space of any sort is at a premium, you can dress your shawl folded. Decide how you are going to fold it – one idea is to make use of the lines along the edge of the centre and at the mitres. If possible, pin the scallops, putting several layers on the same pin if this suits. It will take longer to dry, but take a lot less space.