Blocking can be a really magical, transformative process, but its’s something that (and you can correct me if I’m wrong) knitters rarely get excited about. It’s consigned, along with swatching, to the list of things one should do when knitting something, much like eating your vegetables or drinking more water.
This is this month’s Confident Knitting project, the Evolve Cowl by Hunter Hammersen, prior to blocking. The unblocked cowl just doesn’t showcase the beautiful lace pattern nearly as clearly as the blocked item. Photo © Jesse Wild.
But what if we change our perspective a little, and think about blocking not as the final box to be dutifully ticked off before officially declaring a knit Complete, but instead as a chance to engage in a little creative problem solving? It might take a little longer, but surely our finished items, the product of untold hours of knitting, are deserving of that little extra bit of care?
Look at the transformation once the cowl is blocked! The Evolve Cowl knits up a treat using two skeins of Fyberspates Vivacious DK. Image © Jesse Wild.
That’s the idea behind this month’s featured Confident Knitting technique, Excellent Blocking. Hunter Hammersen’s striking Evolve Cowl gives us a great opportunity to think about how we can do your best possible blocking. Cowls, especially lace ones, present a special blocking challenge. If you simply pin them flat, as you would a lace shawl, the lace might open up, but you’ll get some pretty prominent creases. We need a blocking method that acknowledges a cowl is a 3D object … much like when you use a a balloon to block a hat!
So today, we’ve got not one but two videos with some excellent blocking methods for you to try out. In both, Jen’s creatively using items that are found around the house or that are cheaply available to achieve some shining results. The supply lists aren’t prescriptive though … do look at what you have and think creatively!
First up, a method for blocking the Evolve Cowl (or a similar cylindrical object) with no specialist blocking equipment, just some cylindrical objects. Jen’s used plumber’s pipe insulation, but you could use rolling pins, tennis ball cannisters, cans … any cylindrical object that can get wet without damage!
The above method can give you really great results and is a great solution if you’ve not got blocking wires and don’t have much cause to invest in a set. If you do have blocking wires though or have decided to get some, this next video will show you how to achieve some really stellar results using them along with pins and some common household objects. This is next level blocking!
Both of these methods will give you some pretty excellent results … it’s just that using the wires and pins allows for a greater degree of precision. Have you ever made a tarte tatin? The first method is akin to throwing your chopped apple straight into the caramel, the latter more like arranging the slices carefully in the pan. Either way, you’ll end up with a beautiful finished tarte, er, cowl!
Pinning out the points is the tarte tatin apple-slice-arranging! Image © Jesse Wild.
Whether you plant to knit Hunter’s gorgeous Evolve Cowl or not, I hope these blocking tutorials have given you some inspiration to creatively approach your blocking! And if you’d like to join Confident Knitting, you can find the book in the online shop … when you sign up, you’ll get everything that’s been released to date, and ten more patterns + tutorials from ten awesome designers, released monthly! If you’re on the hunt for some blocking wires, our first stock of Walcot Wires went super quickly, but we’ll be restocking soon … if you’d like a heads up when they arrive, just drop us a line using the Contact Us form.
Have you ever had to get creative with your blocking? We’d love to hear your most adventurous blocking stories in the comments!