To Block or not to block?

So, you’ve finished off your project and you took care of all those loose ends. Great! Now comes divisive question among crafters. Should you block your work? The answer may depend on who you talk to.

In case you’re not aware, blocking is the act of taking a knitted or crocheted piece and pinning it into shape so that the yarn stretches. It can hide a lot of defects in your work, especially changes in tension or shrinking in certain patterns. It also helps counter the natural rolling or twisting that may occur and can be more pleasing to the yee. Some crafters say that you should block everything, every time. Others say blocking on things like wearables isn’t necessary since the piece will naturally fall into the correct shape. As with most things in crafting, everyone does it a little differently.

Personally, I block anything smaller than a blanket that I’m not going to be wearing. Things like sweaters can certainly benefit from blocking, especially if you’re working with cables or lots of colors, but I find it finicky and just like to wear it around for a few hours to stretch the stitching out. Things like scarves, which are common early projects for both knitting and crochet, can curl quite a bit if not blocked. While I don’t dislike rolled edges, others find it irritating.

If you choose to block, make sure you’re using an appropriate technique. Depending on your fibers, some techniques can felt your material or cause things to shrink, which is generally the opposite of what you want to have happen. Apply heat carefully, especially when using steam techniques. Acrylic fibers can melt, and wool may shrink if you’re not careful.

We’ve got a subsection under our resources for more details on blocking, but remember that as long as you’re happy with your results, there is no wrong way to craft. Whether you’re crafting something fun for yourself or a gift for someone else, what matters is that you put your heart into it!