4.28.2015

Job Done!

Re-blocking worked!

'Sprayed that whole bottle of water into the sweater without ever lifting it off the board. Spritzing with my right while squishing the fabric with the finger tips on my left. As the yarn absorbed the water I could feel it beef up, take charge and return a sense of resiliency to the the knitted fabric.


I then left it, rumpled just as it was for half an hour to allow the wool to really have its way. Then I gingerly kneaded it out, again without lifting it from the board and still using only the tips of my fingers to move it towards the pins that marked the margins I wanted to achieve and maintain.


Around the yoke I left the reintroduced puckers amid the decrease rounds as it dried thinking I'll see what pulling it on does to the fit. If its tight-ish as it was right off the needles the puckers will be pulled back out. If not they can always be touched up with a bit of steam without "disturbing" the rest of piece.


I learnt a big lesson through this process about using and blocking blended yarns. While the power of wool is not to be underestimated, neither should the value of careful handling post assembly. I feel like I've gained a better sense of the opportunities (and hazards!) of even the most careful of blocking efforts!

Darling Daughter (chief FO photographer) drove to Chicago for the weekend. (Hudson oversees all departures from the front window.)

So an FO shoot to capture the power of water and wool was out of the question Saturday or Sunday and since the ice went out on the 21st up at the lake we'll be heading there this weekend. Hopefully the longer days we're now enjoying will allow for taking a modelled "snap" or two one evening this week. I can't wait to post this finished product! 

1 comment:

Steven said...

Excellent work. It seems I'm always blocking things to get them bigger. Glad it can work in the opposite direction, too. And you have no idea how exotic and mysterious the phrase "the ice went out" is to me. It's going to be bouncing through my head all day...