More About Blocking…

Blocking is a most important part of knitting. Or finishing. Or both, really. You can gain length or width. You can open up a scrunched up lace design, and you can “gently stretch to fit” a garment that isn’t behaving as expected.

Wools that need to be stretched generally respond best to wet blocking. This is how I would block a wool garment that needs to be “rearranged”. Mix in with hot, hot water, some Soak, Eucalan, or other Wool Wash. Gently immerse the item into the hot, hot water, and let it soak, squeezing gently every now and then to remove dirt, debris… When the water is lukewarm let it drain. Fill up the sink again with lukewarm water and gently squeeze the rest of the wool wash out and let drain again. Lift up the item and gently press it between towels to remove as much as the water as possible. Then lay it out, arranging it the way you want it. Pin and let dry.

You can also use steam blocking if your item doesn’t really need to be washed. To do this, lay out your piece, and then either put a wet towel on top of the item to be blocked and press with a hot iron (don’t move the iron over it, just up and down), or just use a hot iron without the wet towel, making sure not to touch the fabric, just letting the steam go through it. Rearrange it and let it dry.

Spritzing until damp and letting dry is another option.

My favorite? The first, since usually by the time I’m done knitting an item, it’s been sitting in the bottom of my knitting bag, taken road trips (or sometimes bike trips) and is generally just a bit dirty or dusty.

Knitty.com has a wonderful article about blocking that elaborates on the process including various types of fibers. You can read that here: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter02/FEATdiyknitter.html

Next Pattern:

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

Next Pattern:

Have you read?

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