3 Tools for Blocking Knitwear That You Probably Do Not Use Yet

[@tracyvision]

You have mentioned the salad spinner before because I remember you changing my life that day. I confiscated my good Oxo salad spinner for yarn and bought myself a cheap one for salad. Clearly I have my priorities in order.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Totally agree. Lettuce doesn't need high end LOL.

[@marycase5473]

Thank you, Barbara! This is the first time anyone has explained how to place a knit hat onto a balloon!! I’ve been knitting for over 60 years and I just learned something new today!!!💜🧶👍

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Excellent! I am so glad to have helped you.

[@TygerKaye]

You are absolutely adorable! I love your personality in this video. I giggled through the whole thing. Please don’t lose that! I was actually wondering how you would block a hat. Thank you for explaining! And never, ever, longest day you ever live, change your laugh!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Thank you so much!!

[@janedaniel7288]

This is one of those few videos where I wish that there was a love it button. Apart from all the useful information, you had me laughing out loud with your antics. I love your videos for that reason. My yard stick is a foldable one, so much easier to store! It wood so I can't cheat and fudge but folds away for convenience. Love your award-winning section. Seriously I resound you four time to listen to you 😂😂🙈. It is a great useful tip though. Just make sure you grab the right one or you might Have a spare! Hmmm. The ballooning is a great one too. Even though I hate popping balloons, it is one of the handsets blocking tools. Tip: don't let your children/grandchildren know about spare balloons!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I've seen those fold-able ones, they are cool. Thanks so much for your kind words.

[@carlytasmith5754]

I have and use my yard stick for blocking & have used balloons for blocking hats. They dry very fast. I like the idea about a salad spinner. Will try to get one. Thanks for these ideas🧶

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I'm glad I got one new one for you.

[@lpm82]

That was a great video. I really liked the salad spinner idea to help with blocking. I have a yardstick, salad spinner but need balloons. Dollar store, here I come!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

The dollar store rocks LOL.

[@elizabethwhitehousehammond9997]

The salad spinner is genius! And it makes me want to eat more salad😂

[@leighannscraftroom]

Thankyou Barbara for the great tips for blocking, loved them 🌸

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I am so glad!

[@lindawalsh9502]

Loved the salad spinner idea!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

It's the best.

[@fairymomma3506]

Love your Tips!! Love macguyvering my yarn projects! Love your channel. Love your personality I wanna rake a vacation to your area and take your in person class you are such a wealth of knitting knowledge!!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Thank you so much for your kind words! Once travel becomes more commonplace I'd love to start traveling to teach, but we'll see!

[@JessicaSmith-gd1fu]

You are a genius! Wish I had known about the salad spinner years ago. Thanks!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

It's a great trick!

[@FreyjaHighUpNorse]

That was fun AND informative! And yes, I have used a salad bowl myself before to block a hat. Thank you, Barbara! 👍🏻

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Bow, lid, yoga mat ... the possibilities are endless.

[@nancybwilborn6752]

Love these tips….You are so resourceful Barbara!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Thank you so much!

[@dorothygarriott9721]

New to your program and am learning so much already. Love the idea of the salad spinner. I've tried the towel method before. That won't be happening any more. I have yard rulers that I didn't know could be used with knitting. The balloon idea is a great thought. Will need to work out a way to blow them up--hyperventilate too quickly, however, where there's a will, there's a way. Thank you for your easy to understand instructions and your clear speech. Enjoying this very much and looking forward to watching more of your programs.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I'm so glad you enjoyed the video and hope to continue to earn your viewership.

[@deelonnevik9397]

Awesome tips! Love the idea of using everyday objects to make my simple knits look great! Many thanks Barbara!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

It is amazing what you can rig together if you look about.

[@jennifersanders4165]

I'm so glad I watched this! I'm going to be using a balloon for a custom colorwork hat and I had no idea about the ribbing! You've certainly saved me some heartache

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Yay! I am glad I saved your hat LOL.

[@lpj7589]

Brilliant! Fabulous ideas!! I enjoyed your video, as usual.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

That is wonderful to hear! Thanks.

[@herdazzlingcreations7487]

Great video! Love the balloon idea!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Yay! Thank you!

[@karendavis7278]

Love those unique blocking tips.

[@gabrielegunther5545]

You can reuse the balloons by not tying a knot but closing it with a plastic clip (those that are supposed to close pantry items).

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Oooh, that is a fabulous tip. Thank you so much!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Yay!

[@victoriaburkhardt4402]

Hi Barbara, love your channel, also love your shirt lol!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Thank you so much!

[@vickyleather1147]

Great tips, Barbara! Well done!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I'm glad they helped you!

[@catlady743]

I love my salad spinner! I usually put my daughter in charge of spinning and she loves it.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

My son used to love the salad spinner too.

[@those_eyes]

Wonderful video! You are so much fun to watch! Good ideas! Thank you! Would love to attend live class!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Hopefully some day soon!

[@darlenefarmer5921]

Neat! I am going out to purchase a salad winder tomorrow! Thank you.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Maybe I should "invent" one that has some sort of special stuff and call it the Yarn spinner LOL.

[@sussevad]

What useful info ☺️ thank you so much

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

My pleasure!

[@jeanmills7707]

Gonna try that salad spinner idea!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Spin away!

[@KarinMurati]

Thank you very much for your great tips. I love them. ♥

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

You are so welcome!

[@nballesterob]

I'm learning how to sew and I need a yard stick. But usually I use a steam pronto block my garments

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I pretty much wet block everything!

[@joanmachado9063]

Great video thank you

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I'm so glad you liked it.

[@rebeccaloudermilk2574]

Love it!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Thanks!!

[@sharondelrio8791]

I have used the 1st and 2 nd tip but the balloon is new. Thanks for the tip

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Yay for getting one!

[@leavesongrass]

Ah! Now I know what size balloon to buy!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Head sized!

[@nydiaotero314]

Thanks for the informative video. You always make me laugh. I love your videos. I didn't know about those tools. I like to look for useful things around the house. Too bad I don't have a salad spinner which means I have to buy one and a pack of balloons. I have some rulers around which I will be using for blocking. Any suggestions on what can be used when you don't have a blocking mat? It was easy for me to answer the Facebook group questions. I have been binge watching your videos since I found your channel a couple of weeks ago.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Anything you can push a pin into. I have been known to block on a spare bed, yoga mat, a couple of layers of towels .... you can get creative!

[@nydiaotero314]

@@WatchBarbaraKnit blocking on a spare bed. 😂🤣 A yoga mat?! Nice!! Awesome!! Thanks!! 👍🏼🌷💙💜

[@ArtemisMaelstrom]

Oh, I totally forgot about using the salad spinner instead towels 👏🥰. What do you use to block socks (or is sock blocking necessary)? After all the knitting, blocking and hopefully several years of wear. What do we do of the dreaded hole in knitwear? Any tools to use? Your thoughts on darning egg vs. darning mushroom (I’ve never used them and am wondering if they are worth it). Best substitution for them? Also, what about a darning loom? Would love to see a product review on these items.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I'm afraid I don't knit socks LOL. Typically soaking and then laying flat to dry work for them but if you want to stretch they sell dedicated sock blockers. As to your other questions, I have no experience with any of those things so I'm afraid I'm unhelpful on that front.

[@ArtemisMaelstrom]

@@WatchBarbaraKnit Thanks Barbara...a darning loom popped up on my feed so the YT algorithms sent me down into the rabbit hole of visible mending. After a glass of wine my daughter stopped me by asking, “MOM, what you doing?!” while I was holding scissors in one hand and a piece of knitwear in the other. 🤣🤦🏻‍♀️ Reply to daughter: “No worries, this item was store bought and ready for the donation bin. I’m just repurposing it and do a bit of practice of Swiss darning and duplicate stitches and maybe get my hands on a darning loom to play with it”.🥰

[@CastOnCalamity]

Maybe a snack bag clip/clasp that you can get at dollar stores could close the balloon rather than tying it off. Then you can unclip rather than pop.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Great idea!

[@KittenWAW]

I don't have a salad spinner, but have put wet knits into the mesh bags that some fruit comes in, like 8 lbs of oranges, and swung them around over my head. Not as efficient as the spinner, but can hold a larger item, like a sweater or large shawl. OUTDOORS! Probably should have said that first. It also gets a lot "Whatya doin'?"s from passersby, since I live in a busy section of SF. I'll tell them I'm drying clothes, and then come the "WHY?"s, since it's right across the street from a laundromat. I used long tube-type balloons, like the clowns make animals out of, to block my sweater sleeves without creases from laying flat. The sleeves looks like Giraffes. Huh? What did you ask? OH, no. The shape is fine. It was just a giraffe colorwork pattern. It may not always seem like it, but I love you, and your tips, Barbara!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

That works fine. I once put a fairly large throw blanket in an old draw string laundry bag and went out in my back yard and swung it around in circles for the same reason. My neighbors were used to my particular eccentricities tho LOL.

[@MistressCrescent]

I block my berets around a dinner plate. It seems to be the perfect size

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Yes they are!