So I’ve been reading Brandy’s blog, Stitched Up in Toronto and she started this fun link up about knitting confessions. I thought since it’s Monday, I’d join in! From Brandy’s post:
“Like most things in the world, knitting has a set of rules and conventions. Sometimes, we knitters break them. This is my knitting confession.”
Here we go!
I don’t block my finished projects. With the exception of the Gefn fingerless mitts (after I read this post by the YarnHarlot and felt inspired)
I sent as a gift and my Citron shawl (which is a little small for my broad shoulders).
This is insane. Especially now that I’m undertaking my first garment that is supposed to fit me, my Whispers sweater. I even knit a gauge swatch because the yarn was not what the pattern called for and I ended up going down a needle size, but I didn’t block the swatch, I just went with it.
I’ve got 74 projects on my Ravelry page, and I know I’ve done a few more that I didn’t document and I don’t block. I find it tedious. I don’t feel like I have a place to properly soak the objects. I don’t even know how to pin out lace, nor do I have the proper things for that like wire & pins. I have some basic mats that I bought to just pseudo-pin the Citron shawl on it (with safety pins!). I know that it is fantastic for the wool or fiber just to clean it up and give it back its bounce. Or even to even out the stitches. Or any of the numerous benefits of blocking a finished object.
All of the projects in my possession (I could find since the move) that I’ve knit.
All the ones I didn’t block 🙂
If you want some more reasons to actually block, just read Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s post I referenced earlier. Or all the other knitting blogs and such out there.
In fairness, I am planning to block the lace Follow Your Arrow Shawl so that the lace will show.
Maybe this could serve as a confession & a resolution. I really think I could benefit from taking up blocking 🙂
v’s & bumps,
Jenna
hardknitlife 
Thanks for joining the link up!
When I block, I soak my items in my bathroom sink. And I just use a towel and straight pins to lay out my work. I don’t have all that fancy blocking stuff and I don’t plan on getting any soon. Don’t worry, you can still get a nice blocked item without it. 🙂
THANK YOU for the encouraging words. I am going to try this. I need to dig out my straight pins from my sewing kit so I can tackle the Follow Your Arrow shawl 🙂
i hate blocking as well, and often don’t. BUT, I do have nice foam squares and wires to block lace, and I have to say it is well worth the effort. It just looks so much better blocked.
Thank you for the encouraging words. I’m hoping to turn over a new leaf 🙂
Since discovering how much better my projects look after blocking I actually look forward to it now. It took a LONG time for me to get to that point though. All I do is use a <$5 cardboard cutting board for sewing and some sewing pins to block. It costs almost nothing and and those materials are so easy to acquire.
Thank you for your encouraging words! I’m hoping to get to the “looking forward to it” stage some time in the next few years. It took me this long to start working on a sweater 🙂
Whereas I look forward eagerly to blocking – it serves as a “hooray, the project is finally finished!” closure step for me. Getting to use my fancy wool wash and (often) seeing a lace pattern open up are real treats. Weaving in ends, on the other hand…
Weaving in ends are certainly a pain in the booty. I have found that doing this while surrounded by knitters in a knit group make it go soooo much faster and you don’t have to worry about messing up a pattern.
I actually really enjoy the blocking, even if it’s just a simple wash. Especially with colourwork that’s looking a bit wonky, the idea that the blocking will sort it out gives me motivation to continue. It’s like photoshop for knitwork!
What a cool way to look at it, photoshop 🙂 I am going to have to give it a try on a few of my older finished projects and see how they can transform!
I’m so glad I’m not the only one! Lets make a pact together to start giving it a try!
Pact made!! I will have to post about my shawl and I will look forward to yours as well!