Blocking Your Knitting Projects
Learn different methods of blocking and why it's so important
5/5/20253 min read
What is Blocking?
You may have heard this term before, but what does it mean? Blocking is a way to even out your stitches and ensure your knitting project has the correct dimensions. There are a few ways to do this, but the main idea is to get your project wet, pin it to a blocking mat or something similar to get the right shape, and then let it dry. Doing this will help your garment keep the right shape, improve the drape of the fabric, and, as I said, even out your stitches.
To Block or Not to Block
Natural fibers respond especially well to blocking and should almost always be blocked regardless of the project. You want to be careful with wet blocking cotton, though, as it can easily stretch out of shape when it’s wet.
Garments to be worn should almost always be blocked, especially to meet the size and shape intended. If you knit a garment in pieces, the individual pieces should be blocked separately before seaming.
Lace projects will always need to be blocked; the transformation is astounding! Blocking will open up the lacy stitches and reveal the true stitch pattern.
Many people say acrylic and other synthetic fibers can’t be blocked, but they can benefit from light steam blocking if needed. Superwash yarns also do not hold blocked measurements as well as non-superwash yarns.
Projects with plain garter stitch or stockinette stitch generally don’t need to be blocked. Things that will not be worn, like bags, toys, or amigurumi, usually do not need blocking either. Items that will be felted do not need blocking, as well as projects using novelty yarns.
Tools and Materials
Some mats are made specifically for blocking, which usually have grids on them to help measure. Some people (myself included) opt to use children’s play mats, which do not have the grids, but they are a much cheaper option and more widely available. If you don’t have these, you can use an ironing board or thick towels in a pinch.
T-pins or blocking pins are also essential. These don’t need to be ones specifically made for knitting, but they do need to be rustproof, as they will get a bit wet. There are also wires specifically for lace blocking, although I haven’t personally used them.
If you don’t have the blocking mats with a grid, a ruler is crucial to get your project to the right dimensions. Depending on the project, you may need to measure curved edges as well, so having a flexible tape measure can be useful too.
An optional but useful tool to have is a moisture eliminator. I get them at the dollar store and place one near my project while it’s drying. This helps speed up the drying process. A fan would work for this as well.
Wet Blocking
To wet block a project means to submerge it completely in water, usually a bit of wool wash, then gently squeeze out the excess and pin it into shape. Generally, it only takes about 15-20 minutes of soaking for your project to absorb all the water it needs. The nice thing about many wool washes is that you don’t need to rinse them out. Once it has soaked, do not wring it! Use a towel to roll up the project and press excess water out of the fabric. Some people like to use just the spin cycle of their washer, although I haven’t been brave enough to try it out myself. Pin it out in the correct dimensions on your blocking mats, ironing board, or whatever you’re using to keep the edges in place. Keep it flat and let it dry completely before unpinning it. This can take a day or two, depending on humidity and temperature.
Spray Blocking
For this method, you will pin your project out while it’s still dry. Use a spray bottle of water to get the fabric wet. Keep it flat and let it dry completely before unpinning it. This might take a little less time than wet blocking.
Steam Blocking
Similar to the spray blocking technique, for steam blocking, you will also pin your project out while it’s still dry. Using a steamer or iron, blast steam into the fabric. Be careful not to touch the fabric, especially if using an iron, and especially if you used acrylic yarn (it will melt and kill the fabric). Again, keep it flat and let it dry completely before unpinning. This typically takes less time to dry than spray or wet blocking.
Blocking Colorwork
If your project has colorwork or if the yarn is hand-dyed, you should let a small piece of the yarn soak to make sure the color stays true. You don’t want to ruin your hard work with dyes running!
In conclusion, make blocking part of your finishing routine. I personally like to wet block almost all of my projects, even if the main point is washing the item. If you have any questions about blocking, use the form below to send me an email. Happy stitching!
