BLOCKING

[mare-nitt]

I just finished a vest made from a blend of Merion Wool, Nylon and Kid Mohair yarn.
Should this be blocked?

[ArtLady1981]

I would. Even if your stitches look good, they will look better after blocking. There are several methods you could use.
1) Wash, rinse, shape it, pin where necessary, leave til bone dry.
2) Pin down, lay damp towels on top, leave til bone dry.
3) Pin down, heavily mist, leave til bone dry.

Is it already seamed?
I block the pieces first (whenever possible).... then seam.

For the Tempting II summer top we're working on...I couldn't block as normally.

I laid down a wet bath towel. I placed Tempting II on top of it. Then I laid another wet bath towel on top of Tempting II. After a day, I removed the top towel. And now I am waiting for the bottom towel (and Tempting II) to become bone dry. My stitches are already beginning to perfect themselves!

This is a photo of Tempting II, after the top towel was removed.
At this writing, Tempting II is still sitting out there on the still damp towel. It will probably be dry by Monday. I'm in no hurry.

[mare-nitt]

Artlady, it was not knit in pieces, started at the bottom and then did a BO for the back and two front sections.
With blocking I can shape this correct, because right now the stitches are tight, it is like they need to loosen up alittle.
Should I spray block? Oor wet the whole vest first, then laid it out? It is joined at the shoulders, so it will be two layers laying flat.
Your Tempting turned out great. You are so good.

[ArtLady1981]

If the stitches look tight to you, my suggestion is: gently wash the vest in a good sweater wash, rinse, pat dry between two towels, and lay it out to dry. As you lay it out, you can slightly stretch it to the correct sizing that pleases you, and pin down into place. Leave til bone dry.

The reason I say to wash/rinse it is that this makes the yarn more compliant for blocking. Especially since you want to stretch it to enlarge your stitches.

Make sure that you squeeze the wash water through the sweater...don't agitate the fibers. Just massage the wash water gently through and through the vest. Then rinse in the same manner. Then squeeze out as much excess rinse water as possible, without twisting. Then lay out on a dry towel, place another dry towel on top, and roll up, and press down.

FYI: all the towels should be pre-laundered without fabric softener. Fabric softener coats/saturates the terry fibers and the towel is less thirsty....plus the fabric softener residue can impact your yarns when drying.

[silegose]

artlady.... Tempting 2 looks great! Thank you for the tips with the softeners. I learned something today.

[outdoordrea]

Thanks for asking the question, Mare-nitt; and thanks for answering so thoroughly, ArtLady. I'm almost finished with a pattern that needs to be blocked and I was not at all sure on how to do it. Now I am.