I thought I'd ask a little bit of adivce from you ladies. I have nearly finished my Ballerina now and am getting ready to block her. I was wondering - do you think I should block her first and then do the cuffs or should I do the cuffs first and then block her - I'm a little worried that if I knit the cuffs first and then block her the sleeves will end up too long as I won't know how much she will grow and therefore what the finished sleeve length should be before blocking - am I making sense ?! I don't want the sleeves to be way too long, so should I block her and then add the cuffs and hope they don't grow too much after knitting ? What do you think.
Becky
8 comments:
Becky,
What about knitting the cuffs, and then blocking...BUT don't bury the end/tails of the yarn. This way if it is too long you can unravel what you don't want. Of course you realize I make this statement without having knit the Ballerina. I'm knitting the Lastrada. I am also assuming you pick up stitches and then knit the cuffs, therefore allowing you to unravel what you don't want if it should grow too much. By blocking, are you refering to the washing and drying of the garment?
Yes that is the question, what exactly do you mean by blocking? Washing & drying or pinning and steaming?
Personally I never blocked mine I just lightly steamed a couple of spots in the fron but the whole sweater was pretty straight.
I never blocked mine either, and I have made two of the Mermaid so far. After I finished sewing the pieces together, I handwashed, then spun the cardigen in the washmachine. Than I just laid the sweater flat to dry. After it dried completely it was ready for me to wear. The yarn will soften with the wash and after that with wear. Hope that helps. Sabine
I lightly steamed my Ballerina before knitting on the cuffs because I had a bad experience knitting Tokyo which I washed. After washing the sleeves were 2" too long. After steaming the Ballerina I knitted on the cuffs and it's now a perfect fit.
I don't have the Ballerina pattern, but it sounds like you're picking up and knitting on the cuffs, right? Personally, I'd block first. There's nothing stopping you from blocking as many times as you want, and having the fabric settle out before you pick up stitches is always an excellent idea.
ilvpons -- isn't that blocking?? That's all I ever do to sweaters as well. I thought it was blocking!
Thanks so much for your comments ladies - Beanmama - I too only ever wash and lay flat to dry - I call that blocking - I know some people pin out as well - but I never seem to knit things so fiddly that they need pinning out.
So, I think I will hand wash - spin and lay the Ballerina out to dry and then I will pick up and knit the cuffs - I would hate for them to be waaaaaay too long when I have finished - it would ruin the whole thing.
Thanks again ladies - you made my decision much easier.
I recommend that you "block" the Ballerina by washing it and laying it out to dry. Try it on for cuff length. Knit the cuff and then wet the cuff only to block it. You don't need to pin and steam. The garment is not going to be pieced together. The act of washing it is blocking.
I use blocking wires to block pieces that require pinning because the results are superior.
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