Let’s face it. At least half of us never get around to finishing our knits. *twitches sheepishly* Guilty! My latest issue is blocking. I have absolutely no clue what I’m doing, and as much information as I’ve been able to spin out of the various knitters I’ve talked to, or books that I’ve read, I still am not convinced that I’m doing it right. Like almost anything to do with knitting, everyone has their own way of doing it and no method seems to be any better than the next. Mostly I’ve gotten by with a haphazard half-assed attempt at wet blocking on towels on top of the washing machine. Oh, and that time last winter when I had lace scarves pinned out on both sides of the guest bed for a couple weeks straight. What with all the dips from the buttons on the mattress, it’s a wonder they didn’t come out all warped like a damp old Zeppelin LP. And it was a b*tch besides.
But Fiberistas Beware: There’s a new toy in town!
Check it out: The Knitter’s Block from Cocoknits (though I purchased mine through Knitwhits). I haven’t had a chance to try it out yet, but it just sounded like such an amazing alternative for the wet towels on top of the dryer thing I’ve been doing. You can rearrange the “puzzle” pieces to make shapes of varying sizes and you can even lay them out in a 12″ x 108″ piece that would be a perfect alternative to the old pin the scarf on the mattress trick. I had considered blocking boards before that I’d seen on WEBS or in various catalogs, but my main problem with those was the limited variety of sizes that could be accommodated. Sure, they’d be kickin’ for a sweater, but what about a long ass scarf? The only benefit those boards have over this system might be the grid which would come in handy if you were blocking something to a specific measurement. But I think the versatility in shapes/sizes of the Knitter’s Block will make up for the lack of a grid. Besides, I can always do it the “old-fashioned” way and bust out the measuring tape.
So, (hopefully) no more fighting with my fiendish knits! I’ll be a blocking banshee next time I’ve got a knit to wrestle into submission.
