Today we continue with part 2 of how and why to wash and block your knits from the series #YarnWhisper. In the first part of the blog post I tried to make the whole process attractive for you with some - in my opinion unbeatable - arguments. As promised, today it's time for the step by step on how best to proceed when you want to wash and block your knitwear.
First of all, you should set your mind to take as much time for this process as you do for the knitting itself. So not necessarily in hours and minutes, but keep in mind: the more precise and conscientious you work on this part, the more beautiful results you can achieve for your piece! Also the blocking is a one-time procedure that does not have to be repeated with every wash, but is limited to the very first one.
In any case, you should always first check the band of the skein you have used. Here you will find all the care instructions for the yarn. Can it be washed in the washing machine or must it be washed by hand? How high can the temperature be? Can the yarn be pressed or not? And so on and so forth...
Even though it is generally always advisable to do a gauge swatch before you even start your knitting project, we all know that this doesn't always happen. Oopsie! The anticipation of finally starting to knit is too great. Well and if unlucky we'll find ourselfs in a fine mess when nothing fits anymore - especially after washing! Who hasn't experienced that? ;)
So my lovely fellow knitters, always make a gauge swatch and wash and block it before you start the project!
If you're still not sure how best to wash your finished knitted piece, it's really worth having a swatch. It's a great way to experiment before you might ruin your work!
Once you're sure what the appropriate care for your piece is, it's time to move on to the materials you need.
First of all, you should buy a suitable wool detergent, as conventional detergents are often too aggressive for the delicate yarn fibres - regardless of whether you wash by hand or with a washing machine. I personally have had very good experiences with Eucalan. The advantage of this product is that it doesn't have to be washed out after the washing process, which saves you a step if you wash by hand.
Other materials are a large, flat, padded surface, pins | T-pins | Knit Blockers, two large towels and a tape measure. For example, children's play mats, which can be adjusted in size, are perfect as a surface. Alternatively, just a yoga mat or an ironing board will do for smaller projects. If you like, you can also use specially made blocking mats for knitting. The important thing is that your whole project fits comfortably on the surface.
Optionally, you can also use blocking wires combined with the needles. They can be used to quickly and easily tension straight sides of a project to exactly the same length.
Before you start, I would also like to point out that wet yarns should be handled very carefully. Depending on its composition, it behaves differently when wet and is always delicate. Therefore, you should avoid pulling it or even wringing it out! This could not only damage the fibres, but also affect the shape of your knitted piece in such a way that it becomes very misshapen and is difficult or impossible to save.
And now it's time to get down to business!
We start with - logically - washing the knitted piece. Depending on which method applies to you, either put your piece in the washing machine (again with the right detergent) or fill a suitable bowl | sink with lukewarm water and detergent.
For hand washing, now drop the knitting project into the prepared water and soak for 10-15 minutes. Be sure to avoid direct contact with running water from the tap, otherwise the yarn may become matted.
Depending on the detergent you have chosen, you may need to wash it out. To do this, run fresh water into the bowl | sink and swirl your work back and forth in the water without pulling or rubbing it firmly together. Repeat the process as long as it takes to wash out the soap.
Continue by lifting the piece out. In either case, washing machine or hand wash, your knits will be well soaked with water and therefore (very) heavy. For this reason, you should lift it out of the washing machine or water carefully using both hands and without pulling on it. For hand washing, it will still be necessary to squeeze out the excess water. To do this, squeeze it out carefully with both hands - never wring or pull!
Even if this step is done very conscientiously, there is still water left over from the hand wash that we want to get rid of. To do this, lay your knit-ball on a spread out towel and carefully flatten it out. It doesn't have to be perfect yet, just so far that everything lies next to each other again. Then roll up the towel together with the laundry, pressing firmly on it with your hands. It is even possible to put more pressure on it with your knee or even standing up.
Now the second towel, still dry, should be ready on the mat. Spread your work out on this, hand wash as well as machine wash. Now take some time to bring your knitted piece back into the right shape. Again, be careful not to pull too much on the knitted piece, as the yarn is still very delicate and deforms quickly. Try to push it or tap it a bit - sounds strange, but it really does work ;)
If you just had a normal washing process in front of you, your work would be done here. Let everything dry and your piece is ready to use again!
If this is your first wash, it's now time to start blocking. When setting the needles, start with important reference points, such as the shoulders, underarm points and hem. Have your tape measure ready and always check the desired length you want to stretch your piece to. Then work your way to closer together points and place your needles about 2-3 cm apart. Make sure your sides form an even edge. You could also thread blocking wires into the outermost stitches here to tension all of them at the same time.
Now all you need to do is let everything dry completely (patience, patience) and you'll have your finished knitting project in a perfect, freshly washed state!
I know this whole task can be a bit daunting. I'm absolutely no expert either and I'm still learning all the time! Nevertheless, I wanted to share a little step by step with you that I hope will help you a little and maybe take away some of the fear of washing knits.
As always, I've put together a compact summary. This time you can even look forward to a little illustrated version on how to wash your knits!
I hope to have given you some tips and look forward to the next post with you!
Have a great week and happy knitting :)
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