I’m going to start this post by stating that I rarely ever block my projects. Not even my granny square ones. So if you’re new to crochet and new to blocking, it might be controversial, but you don’t have to block anything at all if you don’t want to. If you’re wanting to give it a go, then definitely keep reading, because different fibres respond differently to different blocking methods. You also don’t need to purchase any fancy tools to block either. Yes they can help, but no they aren’t essential.

So with all of that out of the way, let me explain different techniques for blocking.

Before you start blocking, you’re going to need to know what fibre you’re working with. Is it acrylic, cotton, wool or a blend? It will impact which method you choose, especially if it is acrylic. For all methods you’re going to need to be able to pin your project into place until it dries or cools. This can be as simple as laying out a towel or cardboard and using sewing pins to keep it in place. How you pin it is not as important as the method you use for shaping the yarn though.

Blocking Acrylic Yarn

Acrylic blocks best with hot air. You’ll need to lay out and pin your project before you start. Once pinned you can blast it with hot air from a hair dryer. Avoid holding the hairdryer still and instead use a slow sweeping motion across your work. Use a free hand to gently smooth over your crochet project to help the hot air work it’s way in and to press your work into the shape you want. Leave your work pinned until it is completely cooled.

Blocking Cotton, Wool and Blends

Cotton, Wool and their blends block best with water or steam. My preference is water over steam – but that would mostly because it is simpler and doesn’t require an iron or steamer. If you’re going to use steam, then follow the instructions for blocking with acrylic but replace the hair-dryer with a steam iron. If you’re going to block with water then you have a couple of options. First you can pin your project in place and then use a spray bottle to dampen your work. You’ll want to gently massage the water into your work so that you can shape it as you go and ensure that the water soaks in more evenly. I tend to use this method most as it uses less water and dries quicker. The other option is to wash or submerge your project into water to totally soak it. Then lay it out flat on a towel and if needed you can use pins as well. You’ll want to be able to lay it out in the sunshine if possible, or near a heater so that it can dry more quickly.

Hopefully that helps you. Don’t feel that you need to block everything though! I also have a free blocking guide that you can download and use as a quick reference. Just click the button below.

Seona x