Thursday 6 January 2011

Knitting - the MAGIC of blocking and a current work in progress

Well hello there!

I thought I'd give you a peek at my current knitting project and rave about a knitting epiphany I have just had.

I recently bought a heap of pdf patterns from one of my favorite online shops The Vintage Knitting Lady and quickly started on the clear "instant gratification" item.  A 1940's blouse that claimed it could be knit in three evenings (Hah!).


It actually is a fairly quick knit, especially if you only do 1.5 instead of 2.5 inches of K1, P1 rib.  I hate K1, P1 rib with a passion, especially on tiny needles.

The pattern doesn't requite much yarn as it is a very loose knit and so I used some unidentified yarn I picked up from the local charity shop.  It came with some vintage 3ply and is a little thicker so is possibly a 4 ply and is definitely 100% wool and such a pretty blue. 

The pattern does not have any tension information and needed to be resized so I took a gamble and used needles 0.5 mm larger than suggested. 

I was worried throughout knitting the back section as it still looked incredible small and when I stretched it it looked odd.  I persevered though in the hope that blocking could sort it out.

This was quite a gamble for me as I have, so far, found blocking to be completely pointless.  However this is the first time I have worked with 100% wool yarn and now I have seen the light, for animal fibres at least.

I soaked the finished piece in cold water for 20 minutes and then  gently squeezed out all of the water and rolled the piece in a towel.  I then pinned the piece out to the size I wanted and let it dry.

In the morning there it was, dry, with even stitching and in the size I was after.  An absolute miracle.

Here is the blocked piece next to the unblocked front piece so you can see the difference.







It's a miracle, a yarny miracle!

I'm still not sure how this will turn out, or if I even have enough yarn to finish it, we shall see. 

7 comments:

  1. Ha! I'm laughing at my earlier comment on your previous post, obviously you are already halfway there. :) Such a cute pattern.

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  2. Oow, oow, oow, what a lovely pattern. I was just reading a pattern of mine, that said it could be knitted in a few evenings- sorry but no- it’s in 3 ply… they are having a laugh, aren’t they!? Any hoo- does washing and blocking really get rid of uneven stitches- if true, yippee, as I have real bother with stocking stitch (I get very tense!)
    Night night Tups x

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  3. I really does help, I can't beleive the difference.

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  4. Lovely pattern :) And wow, what a difference the blocking made!

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  5. That blocking has worked hasn't it? I hate blocking, but have found that with a bit of time and patience it really does work miracles (esecially with my dodgy tension!) I'm looking forwards to seeing the blouse when its completed.

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  6. It IS magic! I remember the first time I actually bothered to wet block something (instead of pressing a bit half-heartedly) - my knitting looked so much nicer, and sewing up is miles easier. Can't wait to see the sweater on you :)

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