Blocking: The Finishing Step Worth the Wait

Blocking is the difference between a handmade knit and a homemade one. It evens out your stitches, sets the fabric to the correct measurements, and opens up every bit of texture you worked so hard on.

Fill a basin with lukewarm water and a splash of wool wash. Submerge your piece and let it soak for twenty minutes — no agitating, no wringing. Press the water out gently, roll the piece in a towel, and step on the roll to squeeze out the rest.

Lay the piece on blocking mats and pin it to the measurements in your pattern schematic. For lace, pin points aggressively; for garments, ease the fabric to size rather than stretching it.

Let everything dry completely before unpinning — usually a full day. Rushing this step is the most common reason knits spring back out of shape.