Tutorial: Blocking

Hi All, back again with me. After a quite difficulties in getting my things uploaded (... actually, I barely able to login to my blog :S). Internet issues... no idea where did it lie but my BIL went in and fixed it. Sometimes I still have issues, but much better than it was before.

 For blocking, you have 3 steps:
1. wash
2. pin and additional step (if needed)
3. dry and remove pins, weave in strands


 I. Wash
Basically, what I do is just to soak the finished knitting into tap water + a bit of hand soap or shampoo. For silks, I don't recommend to wash too long as it is very delicate and fragile when wet. Don't use hot water (maybe cotton is ok, but I am just too lazy to do it). After soaking for 30 minutes (10-15 mins for silk), I rinse with running water and press dry on the basin and squeeze the water out. Before I start to pin dry, I will put them in a dry towel, fold them together, and press them again to ensure all water are well squeezed out.

 II. Pin (and additional step)
Prepare you blocking mat, or mattress, or anything that you will use to pin down your shawl. Remember, it has to be big enough for your shawl. For mattress, use a towel to cover the mattress before you pin down, so that you mattress will not be wet. Shape your shawl. I usually start with the STRAIGHT edge first, and to ensure the length is correct, I use measuring tape and pin them from center outward. To make it balance, I will pin left and right in sequence. example, I pin the center, then pin 10 cm to the left, and then 10 cm to the right. Then continue with the next 10 cm and so on. You can also pin from center to right (to finish) and then center to left (to finish), by using measuring tape to ensure the sizing's correct.

 Don't forget to ensure that the center stays. Straight center is the key to a beautiful shawl :)

After I pin out the straight edge, start working with the edgings. You have 2 choices, either to start from sides to the center, or from Center to the sides. I usually pull the center first, before I start from the sides to the center. Later, if you think the center is not in the right place, you can readjust again. 

Additional steps will be needed for cotton, viscose and acrylics. After the shawl are pinned, you have to steam them. You can use iron with steam, or damp towel with non-steam iron, or a steamer. Spray some water to a thin towel and put on top of the shawl and iron. if the shawl is quite damp, just use dry towel. When you steam, ensure that you do not touch the surface of the iron/steamer onto your shawl/project.


III. Dry and remove pins, weave in strands
So, you've blocked your shawl, it dried, and you can remove the pins. I usually left my shawl for 12-24 hours. Leave it longer if it is wet outside (rainy days) or humid, or snowy. Cotton looks nicer if you leave it longer as well. Try to remove one pin first, and see if it recoils back. If it is, it means that your blocking is not enough, either you need to steam it again or repeat the whole process. I usually do the first check on the first 6-12 hours and re-pin that one pin back. Hide the strands by weaving it in into your stitches, make it perfectly hidden. And your shawl is done! You can check my blog posts where I show my shawls are being blocked on my blocking mat.

Anyways, here's the video

 

Ginkgo Shawlette - Knitting Surgery Example

For the first time ever, I recorded my knitting surgery in a video.

Hope this method inspire you.

Ginkgo Shawlette - penjelasan lace chart

Halu....

Ini penjelasan soal lace chartnya...

Pakai video:


Pada intinya, chart terbagi di dua bagian, yang dibelah oleh center st.

Row 1:
KANAN
K2 (edging), langsung masuk ke yarn over yang ada di chart, dan masuk ke repeat lace (p2,k, yo, k2tog, k10) dan diulang hingga 2 sts sebelum center, p2, yo, slip marker.

tengah: knit center st

KIRI (kebalikan Kanan)
yo, p2, (k10, skp, yo, k p2) repeat hingga 2 sts terakhir, yo, k2.

Row 2 (WS)
KIRI
k2, p, (k2, yo, p2, ssp, p9) repeat hingga 3 sts sebelum center, k2, p

tengah: purl center st

KANAN (kebalikan kiri)
p, k2, (p9, p2tog, p2, yo, k2) hingga 3 sts terakhir, p, k2.

Video ada di bawah...