How To Block Acrylic Yarn
This is something I typed into Pinterest so many times to find a technique that actually worked. I read repeatedly that blocking acrylic yarn can’t be done, or it can’t be done well, and I am here to tell you IT CAN!
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What is the purpose of doing blocking techniques? Have you ever finished a scarf and wondered why the ones in the store lay flat and yours doesn’t? Blocking! Blocking gives your project a more professional, finished look. It makes the yarn lay flat and in my case of the blanket I’m demonstrating with, it makes all the squares a uniform size, which will help with your sanity level when trying to sew them together.
I used it for this blanket and it worked beautifully!
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How To Block Acrylic Yarn
First step: Make your block
I used pizza boxes that I cut to the size that I wanted and then wrapped them in a thick cloth that I had lying around. I used fleece but you can use whatever you want, just so long as it’s thick enough that you can stick a bunch of pins in and they will hold.
*Have a project that is round? Cut a round block. Easy right?
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Pin the cloth at the bottom
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Now you’re ready for your squares. If you’re doing something like a scarf, just pin a section at a time and work your way down.
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Start by pinning the corners
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Then pin the middle of the sides (in case you were wondering, it’s really difficult to draw a circle using a laptop mouse)
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Then pin the in between sections. I used 36 pins per square. You should use as many as you need to make your edges straight.
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Why start with the corners and middles? Why not just pin consecutively around the block? In my experience, the yarn doesn’t stretch evenly using that technique. The first two sides aren’t so bad but the third and fourth become much more difficult.
While you’re pinning, have an iron heating up. It needs to be hot enough to utilize the steam function.
Next, cover your block with a wet towel. Something like a kitchen towel should be good. Make sure the excess water is rung out so it’s not dripping.
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Now, let your iron steam and hover over a section of your block. Make sure not to touch the iron to the towel, just hover. The steam will relax and soften (aka, melt) the fibers in the yarn and lock in the form that you’ve pinned it to. Hover over each section of the block for 5-10 seconds and then once the whole block as been steamed, let it sit until the towel has cooled. Acrylic yarn DOES melt so this is why you don’t want to touch the iron directly to it.
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Once everything is cooled remove the towel and the pins and start with your next section.
Blocking your yard does add on some extra time to your project but it also makes a big difference in the appearance of your finished project. Here’s some proof, before and after.
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Tell me:
- Do you use acrylic yarn?
- What is your favorite blocking technique?
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