Blocking is the process of loosening the fibers in a knitted piece to even out the fabric and give it a more finished look. By adding water, through steam or soaking, the stitches even out as the fibers rearrange themselves. It helps with uneven tension and makes the fabric smoother.
There are three ways to do it. Wet blocking soaks the piece. Steam blocking uses steam. A hybrid method uses a wet towel, so you get steam without soaking the piece directly.
Blocking can also reshape and resize a knit, and it opens up lace so the pattern shows. How a piece responds depends on the fiber, which the later lessons cover.
1 Know what blocking does
Blocking loosens the fibers in your knitted fabric so the stitches even out and the piece looks more finished. Water, through steam or soaking, lets the fibers rearrange themselves. It helps with uneven tension and makes the fabric smoother.
2 Pick one of three methods
There is wet blocking, where you soak the piece. There is steam blocking. And there is a hybrid that uses a wet towel, so you get steam without soaking the piece directly. Which one you use depends on the fiber.
3 Use it to reshape and open up
Blocking can also reshape and resize a knit, and it opens up lace so the pattern shows. The next lessons cover the tools and each method.