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Blocking Acrylic

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PinDIY  Post time 2024-1-14 08:30 |Read mode
Edited by anniekins at 2024-1-13 19:38

Ive never blocked any of my knit or crochet pieces but I know it would make them much better. I dont have any blocking mats so I was wondering if I could use some cardboard or maybe even just put a towel over my carpet and hope its enough padding that my pins will stay in place? Many of the videos Ive watched also recommend using conditioner, fabric softener, or wool washes. Which ones would be best for acrylic? Any other tips are greatly welcomed

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Old/solved topic in Free talk  Post time 2024-2-10 22:10

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Post time 2024-1-14 10:44 | Show all posts
Im just getting into blocking too. You dont have to buy expensive blocking mats! You can use the interlocking foam floor pads used for childs pay areas or sometimes home gym flooring. They are cheaper than mats made specifically for blocking, they just dont have a grid printed on them.Ive heard of people using towels and cardboard too. If youre not stretching something too far (doing extreme blocking), it doesnt have to be very sturdy.

For acrylic, its care is much different than wool. You dont have to wash it in anything special and you dont have to worry about agitating it. Look into "steam blocking" for acrylic. It can be treated with heat once and then will hold its shape forever, because its basically plastic.

I hope this helps! I dont know that much yet but we can be learning together!
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Post time 2024-1-15 01:46 | Show all posts
I only use towels too, I also don’t pin them down, just gently pull it
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Post time 2024-1-15 02:34 | Show all posts

Thanks! Ive heard about the childs play mats before but I never know where to get them without getting an expensive pack of 12< so Im resorting to just using an easier method. Ive also really wanted to see if I could get a steamer since that seems easier but I keep putting it off so I think Ill have to get my pieces wet then point my blow dryer at in on the hottest setting.

Hope you have luck with your blocking!
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Post time 2024-1-15 02:36 | Show all posts
Restlesserin

                               
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2024-1-14 12:46

I only use towels too, I also don’t pin them down, just gently pull it

Im paranoid about not putting pins in for some reason but that certainly seems like a safer option that having something full of pins on the floor so if I cant figure it out Ill do the same. Thanks!
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Post time 2024-1-15 04:17 | Show all posts
It wasn’t necessary for me before ! But I have used clothing pins on the clothing line
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Post time 2024-1-15 08:19 | Show all posts
Edited by nannagirl at 2024-1-15 08:26

depending on the goal, you can also stretch it by hanging it up soaking wet, for example if you want to make something bigger or wider and you put it dripping wet on the clothing line, the water will weigh it down and stretch it, just watch where the weight of the water will go and arrange the areas to be blocked

also you can just stretch it out by hand when you take it out of the washing machine or wash it by hand and lay it down on a towel or blanket with a carpet underneath it and you can pin it in place, depending on the size with two people, I just bought a acrylic sweater which was a little tight on my husband, we immediately stretched it together when it came out of the wash and hang it down on the clothes line still wet, now its 1-2 sizes bigger, I also knitted a cape of acrylic yarn once and pinned it down on our living room carpet, worked fine
there is also the option of dryspinning it in the washer alone, first wash and then spin on a high circle, but this is very risky, I had some accidents with knitted things washed alone or with too few other items and spinned too high, looked like rags afterward or had terrible pilling, so this is just a idea if nothing else works


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I was wondering, when you block cotton, does the blockage remain when you rewash it?  Post time 2024-2-6 13:18
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Post time 2024-1-15 12:20 | Show all posts
nannagirl

                               
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2024-1-14 19:19

depending on the goal, you can also stretch it by hanging it up soaking wet, for example if you want ...

Im not bold enough for the washer option lol, thanks though. Its a relief to know that blocking it on the carpet is a viable option. Thanks for the advice : )
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Post time 2024-1-15 16:34 | Show all posts
i wouldnt knit acrylic wool,
in summer when you sweat this wool starts to soak and scratch your skin
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Post time 2024-1-23 03:12 | Show all posts
Thank you for asking about this. Lots of good tips here!
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