Thread: Blocking Acrylic?

Just for another perspective.... I seldom block anything. Mostly I don't care for the stretched look it gives, and on some things it flattens them out. For the wooly things, I soak in the washer, spin out the water and lay flat to dry, no stretching, no pinning. They look fine. For acrylics, a wash and dry works. Lace done with acrylic I just use a larger needle size and that opens up the stitch pattern in lieu of blocking it.

Ok, so before I get a thousand people telling me you can't, I've just gone through about a dozen blogs saying you can.However, they all say I need to use steam and that soaking and laying to dry will not work. Is there absolutely anything that I can do to avoid steaming as I do not have a steam setting on my iron and love the thing to death just the way its steam-less self is? Would anyone recommend soaking and ironing with a towel...

Originally Posted by ArtLady1981 If it's perfect BEFORE blocking...it is 'perfect-er' AFTER blocking! Hehe I LOVE this... and it may have just convinced me to block the cowl I just finished... after I wear it to my knitting group tomorrow of course ;o)

Well, you can block it. I believe you will have to do it every time though unlike wool that holds blocking longer. I just toss in the washer and dryer, but I hope it works for you!

Steam blocking acrylic is permanent unlike blocking wool. Steam melts the acrylic into place and it stays in the new position which is why it "kills" it, no more bounce. Real hair takes a lot of training to stay in place. My wool items need reblocked every time I wash them, just like my hair did when I had hair. meowmeowmeow, If you're just trying to soften and even out the stitches washing and drying should work. If you...

I block EVERYTHING I knit, with the exception of blankets! Blocking improves the appearance of anything! If it's perfect BEFORE blocking...it is 'perfect-er' AFTER blocking!