How to Block Acrylic Yarn

[@MaiCohWolf]

Thank you so much for saying what *not* to do with acrylic yarn! Some of the other blocking tutorials I watched only mentioned steam blocking, but didn't say what yarns it was inappropriate for. I kept thinking that heat didn't seem right for acrylic since I know it has a plastic-y quality (at least, as paint it does). I'm so thankful I watched this before going ahead with some of those other tutorials...

[@EdieEckman]

You are so welcome! And I'm glad I saved you a potential disaster! Good luck with your project.

[@SuperHappyNotMerry]

oh you absolutely just saved my first ever project. I'm as close to a beginner as i can be and every other resource is actually misleading about the steaming method because they never take care to show that they aren't actually _pressing_ the iron into the garment, they're just hovering

[@EdieEckman]

Whew! So very glad I could help with that! I have other tips, too! I hope you'll follow my KZbin channel and subscribe to my newsletter so I can help you prevent other potential disasters! ;-) And welcome to the world of yarn! www.edieeckman.com/newsletter

[@SuperHappyNotMerry]

@EdieEckman thank you!! I'm really excited about beginning my knitting journey so I'm looking for information everywhere I can. your's is so comprehensive! I finished that first project just before christmas and the steaming method even helped me even out the fabric (when I started, I genuinely did not even know tension could affect size lol). I'm already looking for a new project because I loved making the first one so much

[@laurenmcdonnell9213]

Thank you! An expert knitter friend advised me how to block, but I thinks she assumed I was working with wool. I would have totally ruined my knitting! I did the cold blocking method on a baby blanket and it worked very well. Side note -- the blanket is very big and the blocking mats at the craft story were VERY expensive! So are the puzzle-piece exercise mats. I ended up going to Home Depot and getting four pieces of insulation board. It comes in purple squares that are about 2' x 2' and about an 1' thick. It's a very clean material. Worked very well, and $6!

[@EdieEckman]

Thanks for the tip about insulation boards. Good to know!

[@yolyprog2561]

Thank you for the info and where to purchase them.

[@kahlan6574]

I taught myself to crochet about a month ago and I’m finishing up my third project right now. The first two I didn’t block but this one I felt brave enough to try it out I don’t know why but it always seemed an intimidating process. This video was so helpful and made it seem much more simple to me. I’m going to try the cold blocking method tomorrow as I think that would work the best for my project. Thank you for making such an informative video!

[@EdieEckman]

Good luck!

[@leew5090]

I really like this tutorial, it's clean and easy to follow even for me (an amateur knitter) Thank you!

[@EdieEckman]

You're welcome! Please follow my channel and check out my blog for lots more instruction.

[@violinsturner]

Thank you for the clear, concise, and easy to follow tutorial! Also, love your camera person! They did a great job too!

[@EdieEckman]

Thanks! I'll tell him.

[@johannewatson4591]

Great tutorial. Very easy to understand. Thanks for saving me from ruining the acrylic top I just knitted- I was going to iron it! Close shave!

[@EdieEckman]

Whoa! Glad I helped save it!

[@Rat-Fiend]

this makes it so much easier than i thought blocking was! i'm a beginner but i'd really like to try this out with a blanket made from shapes. thank you for sharing with us!

[@EdieEckman]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ccpperrett7522]

This would make a great science project for a student. Very facinating. Thank you.

[@EdieEckman]

What a great idea! And you're welcome!

[@Iggystar71]

Excellent video. So clear and concise!!! I’ll be saving this for future reference.

[@Iggystar71]

Edie Eckman I look forward to seeing more. My crochet skills are lacking so I plan on watching all of your other videos. 👏🏽👏🏽

[@virginiasoskin9082]

Very clear, and you move along without going to fast or too slow. I have several of your crochet border books. They are excellent too!

[@EdieEckman]

Thanks! Glad you found it helpful!

[@dkscca]

great video! Many thanks. Helpful to see them all and compare!

[@EdieEckman]

You're welcome! I'm glad you found it helpful.

[@kitsunefire92]

getting ready to block a bunch of blanket squares for my gmas blanket, thank you so much! looks like cold blocked is the way to go! Though crochet doesn't look as delicate as stockinette stitch, so wet blocked could work too.

[@EdieEckman]

Let me know how it works out!

[@kokittoful]

Thank you very much. Your video helped me a lot.

[@EdieEckman]

Glad it helped!

[@dissodatore]

with the steam setting, if you are really worried about touching, maybe carefully set a few pins throughout the square/project so that if you start to get too close, you would hit the pins?

[@EdieEckman]

Yes, good idea. I've actually done this, although not necessarily on purpose.

[@MelancholyMoondancer]

Thank you for this! Very clearly explained about all the methods.

[@EdieEckman]

Thanks! Glad you found it helpful.

[@GracefullyUnraveled]

This video has so much great information in it. Thanks so much for sharing!

[@EdieEckman]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@julietadelgado9778]

thank uuuu for this video, super helpful!!! didn't know there were so many ways to block a garment :)

[@EdieEckman]

You're welcome. Glad you found it helpful.

[@yolyprog2561]

Wow - what an excellent tutorial on this subject. Thank you!!

[@EdieEckman]

Glad it was helpful!

[@daniellemark5110]

I might want to use the "kill" method forca purse, only thing it would be good for

[@EdieEckman]

Yes, killing can be appropriate in some circumstances, as long as you know what to expect. (Please don't take that statement out of context!)

[@carlynewbrey6301]

This is such a great video!! Thanks for giving so much information! I'm pretty new at knitting and I just knit a patchwork cardigan with a few different stitches. I wish I had seen this video before I knit the stitches together cause I was having some problems with some curling the way yours did. Now I think it may be too late for me to try and flatten them out more.

[@EdieEckman]

You can still block things after they are put together, but it won't be *quite* as good as doing it beforehand. Still, give it a try and let me know how it works.

[@kateneonne6757]

Do steam blocked acrylic pieces hold their shape afterwards? Or do they pull and give about the same?

[@EdieEckman]

If you are careful not to kill them, they'll probably act the same way they did with other blocking methods. However, ALWAYS practice on a swatch first!

[@AV-yq6gf]

Super helpful! Thanks so much. Really clear instructions and thanks for the comparisons too

[@EdieEckman]

You're welcome. Glad you found it helpful!

[@TheLuvapug]

Hello, thanks for the information about blocking. I believe I have killed a garment that I knitted and am going to reknit it. Do I need to do anything to the yarn to replenish it? The Yarn IS 50% wool, 30% acrylic and 20% alpaca.

[@EdieEckman]

Once yarn is killed, there's no going back. You've melted the synthetic fibers. However, if it's not truly killed, you may be able to refresh the yarn by ripping it out, tying it off into hanks, and carefully steaming it.

[@dramamama3337]

Thank you so much for this informative video!

[@EdieEckman]

You're welcome!

[@BritBavaria]

This was very interesting. Thank you for sharing.

[@EdieEckman]

Glad you found it helpful.

[@stellamata8770]

Awesome, thanks for the tutorial. Loved it

[@EdieEckman]

Glad you liked it!

[@richardgodlove9662]

Please understand I AM NOT questioning you, this is just a question of curiosity. On the sample that you applied the iron directly onto the piece, do you think it would have a difference if it had been wet?

[@EdieEckman]

That's a great question, and I'm not sure of the answer. I suspect it would still melt, but just more slowly. Whenever I have a question like that, the answer is always the same: Make a swatch and try it. Let us know what you find out!

[@michellecollinsgalaviz2126]

Does washing a piece afterwards undo the blocking or is a blocked knit set in shape for good? I am currently crocheting a sweater made out of 100% acrylic yarn and although the label says it it machine washable and dry-able I am afraid I’ll ruin the project. Thank you for your informative video, it was both entertaining and to the point.

[@EdieEckman]

If you plan to machine wash and dry your sweater, you should first do that on your swatch, before you ever crochet the sweater. That way, you'll know what machine washing and drying does to the sweater. It would be a shame to crochet the entire sweater, then find out your way of laundering it causes a problem. Generally speaking, machine washing will somewhat undo the blocking, but probably not entirely. You may want to dry it partially, then lay it flat to dry the rest of the way, and pat it into shape. Again, your swatch will give you all the answers you need. You do always do a nice big swatch before you start a project, right? ;-)

[@michellecollinsgalaviz2126]

@@EdieEckman Thank you!!! It’s my first big project, before I’d just done scarves and one tiny amigurumi bird that I gave away and it’s my first time using acrylic yarn so I wanted to be sure

[@cruisepaige]

I made a gorgeous scarf out of acrylic yarn and a loom as a gift fir someone special, and it is totally curled. It is too narrow to fold and sew together. Hoping you can help me save it,. 5:02 Oh the humanity!!

[@EdieEckman]

Curling is what stockinette stitch does. If you can't block it out (carefully), you may be able to add a crocheted edging on it to help control the curl. Good luck!

[@cruisepaige]

Edie Eckman Thanks! I’m going to do the crocheted edge!

[@EdieEckman]

@@cruisepaige Let me know if that works.

[@juliemccullagh3962]

Thank you this was helpful ❤

[@EdieEckman]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nukya]

Sadly, I did the thing you said not to do :( At least it was only the edge of a cozy I made but I learned my lesson with acrylic yarn. I was able to salvage it by adding I-cord trim, but still.

[@EdieEckman]

Too bad! But you've learned a lesson you won't forget.

[@HowDoYouSpellDummb]

That was so thorough! Thank you!

[@EdieEckman]

Glad it was helpful!

[@CameoOG]

I pin mine on my electric throw blanket and it drys great.

[@EdieEckman]

I wouldn't recommend this. Water and electricity don't work well together.

[@jessicapaige8211]

Great tutorial! Thanks!! Question: I only have enough (acrylic) yarn for my project but need to steam block my gauge swatch . That means I need to unravel the swatch once I have measured my rows and stitch count and then proceed with my knitting pattern by reusing that same yarn from my swatch. But how do I get the blocked yarn back to it's original condition so that it will knit up exactly like the rest of my yarn in the skein?

[@EdieEckman]

That's a tough one, because it's SO easy to change the acrylic fibers. My guess is that your best bet is to wet block your swatch and let it air dry--no heat at all. Even better would be to get another ball of yarn. I buy an extra ball whenever I can; I can always use it for a hat or something small. Good luck!

[@lynnschwemle2807]

Thank you 👍

[@EdieEckman]

You are welcome.

[@susanwingblade1799]

This was very informative. I've been knitting for a couple of years and I usually use 100% wool and wet block it. However, I've found a sweater pattern that uses aran weight yarn. I would like to use acrylic/polymide yarn because I like the yarn. It looks like the original yarn in the sweater pattern, but that yarn is financially prohibitive. The yarn I want to use is Red Heat Hygge. Should I swatch and wet block it to get gauge? After watching this video I'm not sure what to do. Thanks so much for your help!!!!!

[@EdieEckman]

It's always safest to buy an extra ball or two and make a swatch, block it, and see what happens. That's a lot cheaper than making the sweater and ruining it with the wrong blocking method. I know that Hygge is soft and fluffy, and is probably sensitive to heat.

[@susanwingblade1799]

@@EdieEckman Thanks so much for your quick reply. I'll try it see what happens. Thanks again.

[@vincensiudenis4658]

Hello. I am just curious are there any situation where it will be advantageous to kill & melt the acrylic yarn?

[@EdieEckman]

Sure, if you want something really drapy, although I very much prefer to choose fiber and hook/needle combination that gives me the fabric I want from the beginning. Just be sure that you know what's going to happen. There's no going back!

[@salobrena6442]

is that ironed acrylic ever used in any kind of project? I thought it might be nice for a tank top or skirt.. what say ye?

[@EdieEckman]

Well, you could, but you would definitely want to do a nice big swatch or two, and practice the killing part to make sure you know exactly how much heat to apply to avoid disaster. And it feels really strange for me to suggest that you practice "killing". Please don't take that out of context. ;-)

[@salobrena6442]

@@EdieEckman thank You.. Just wet blocked my first ever knitting project. Made a simple classic T top for a child.. now attempting baby booties..Oy

[@gizem9707]

Thank you! This was very informative for a beginner knitter😍 I was wondering when I make projects that includes few pieces to be sewn together, do i block the pieces seperately then join them or block when i finish the project completely?😊

[@EdieEckman]

It's usually best to block before seaming. Good luck!

[@gizem9707]

@@EdieEckman thank you so much!😇

[@elishevareynolds1445]

What if you didn't have pins to pin your project in place... How should I block my tunisian crochet so that I can easily do cross stitching on it?

[@EdieEckman]

Pins are best, but I supposed you could weight down the corners with something heavy that won't be damaged by heat and moisture.

[@foxglovesandwildflowers]

Thank ypu this was very informative

[@EdieEckman]

Glad it was helpful!

[@arieldeshotel2016]

I have made poor decisions. I knitted a cowl out of 100% acrylic so that the recipient will be able to launder it without being knowledgeable of blocking. It is, however, a lace item and, even with my a seed stitch border to keep the edges from curling, the actual lace body of the cowl curls something fierce. I had considered killing it so it would remain flat indefinitely but I really don't like the look from that heat damage. Now I don't know what to do and am scared to actually do anything to the finished project Guess it's times to actually knit up swatches and see what it does.

[@EdieEckman]

Well, now you know something you didn't know before, so that's progress! Yes, knitting up swatches might be a good way to go at this point. And next time, you'll knit a swatch first, so you'll know ahead of time what to expect, and if you need to choose a different yarn or a different project. Good luck, and let me know how it goes.

[@saye3902]

This is perfect thank you so much

[@EdieEckman]

Glad you like it!

[@myleerose31866]

Do you have to block each time its washed?

[@EdieEckman]

Probably not, but you may want to, depending on what the project is.

[@EmmaKnitsATon]

Thanks for asking! I was searching the comments for an answer to this myself

[@christinedenise7844]

I had a heart attack watching this. I would have blocked my project incorrectly if I hadn't have watched this!

[@EdieEckman]

Well, I wouldn't want you to have a heart attack, but I'd also hate for you to ruin your project! Let me know how it goes!

[@TattooedAussieChick]

I liked the one you killed 😂😂 Is that wrong of me lol

[@EdieEckman]

Not in this instance. Sometimes killing is allowed.

[@KirieHimuro100]

Same.

[@glendabathgate4036]

Great help thanks

[@EdieEckman]

Glad I could help.

[@jpeood32]

anyone who knits with synthetics needs to see this before they ever start working with synthetics. It is a complete and through demonstration.

[@EdieEckman]

Thanks! Please spread the word through your friends and fellow crafters!

[@rasitawinner8203]

Useful but i would have liked a closer camera as it was done as well as when finished

[@EdieEckman]

If you'd like to see a steam blocking in progress, read www.edieeckman.com/2019/03/17/how-to-block-knitting-and-crochet/ and watch the video at the bottom.