The easy way to
block Lace Shawls & Scarves
Please note: the following washing recommendations apply to Morehouse
Merino Lace Yarn. For shawls, scarves, and lace creations made from other
materials, check the yarn manufacturer's washing and care instructions.
|
Let's face it: lace knits before blocking look like dishrags .. Here is how
you turn this ugly duckling into a swan.
Wrap shawl or scarf in towel.
Now lay shawl or scarf flat on a large surface. Most shawls are about 80" long,
perfect for the length of a bed (don't worry about getting the bed wet; thin lace
yarn absorbs very litle water and after squeezing most water out of it, the shawl
or scarf is damp, not wet).
|
Fill a wash basin with warm water and add mild soap (dishwashing liquids work well —
since they are mild enough for hands, they are also gentle on woolens).
Now squeeze — don't wring — towel to remove as much
water as possible from knitting ..
Now stretch out the scarf or shawl to maximum width and length. This process takes
a little patience, since the knitting wants to return to its un-stretched condition.
Just keep stretching it until it remains in place (flannel sheets on the bed also help,
because they are less slippery than ordinary cotton sheets). We don't use pins to block
shawls. We find the process of pinning too tedious and we don't like the scalloped edge
it sometimes creates (especially if you are not using hundreds of pins). For triangular
shawls, use corner of bed for tip of shawl, and stretch tips along side and bottom edge
of bed. Sometimes it helps to keep shawl in place by stretching it slightly over edge
of bed. Let dry completely.
|
Let the scarf or shawl soak for a few minutes. Then rinse in same temperature
water as washing water. Hold shawl in your hands and squeeze out as much water as possible.
.. or you can put kitting in washing machine and run through a minute
of spinning (NO rinsing, just spin cycle).
The Scarf — now looking light, airy, and more like
a beautiful swan than an ugly duck!
|
|
SM
