How to block large crochet projects and blankets

Blocking large crochet projects can be a royal pain. Even when you know how to block, saving enough floor space and finding enough mats can be a challenge. Luckily I've got a few tips for you to help you put those finishing touches in your larger pieces as well!

What is blocking?

First, a little about blocking: blocking is something you do at the end of your crochet projects, after you've woven your ends in. It involves making the fibres wet or damp and then pinning them on a board to let your project dry up in its final desired shape. This causes the stitches to look much neater, edges to look much more straight, and your work to feel much softer. In general you get a more finished look and sometimes you can even get closer to your desired dimensions. You can block all different types of yarn , so it doesn't really matter if you have acrylic yarn or more natural fibers. If you're interested in the theory behind it and all the general do's and don'ts, give it a read!👇

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How to block your crocheted or knitted items

Which blocking method do I use?

Generally speaking, there are three different methods of blocking:

1. Wet blocking
2. Spray blocking
3. Steam blocking

The different methods are all explained in the post I linked above. In short, I recommend method 2, Spray blocking is a great way to achieve the best results for projects such as large crochet blankets without using too much excess moisture. All you need is lukewarm water, a spray bottle, a blocking mat ( or 22 ), some fabric softener and some rust-proof pins. It's simply my preferred method.

Method 1 Wet blocking (dunking your project in a basin and soaking it before pinning) can be difficult as all the excess water weight makes a large project very heavy and bulky. That causes your crochet or knitwork to stretch out once you pick it up after soaking and makes it much more difficult to pin it in place neatly. This way of blocking is much more suited to small items as the drying process wont take such a long time.

Method 3 (Steam blocking) is not only an advanced method but is also cumbersome as you only steam small portions of your project each time. It takes ages on large blankets on an ironing board with a garment steamer or steam iron, and you need to be very careful that you don't use too much heat! Spray blocking is easier on the arms and yields the same results.

Blocking a large crochet blanket

In theory, the process of blocking is quite easy. Clear some floor space, pin your project to blocking boards or puzzle mats, and mist it with a spray bottle until damp. Let it air dry and unpin - that's it. Unfamiliar with the technique? Read my full tutorial for spray blocking.

With large projects, the issue usually isn't in the technique. Rather, it's having enough floor space, mats and pins to let it dry. Luckily, I've got a few tips to help you when space or materials are an issue!

Tip 1: Block in sections

Laying it flat is an essential step in spray blocking, but sometimes you just don't have the floor space to lay your larger items on a flat surface. When this is the case, you can block your project in parts. You can, for example, block the first half of your blanket and, when that's finished, the second half.

Pin up the first half, cover the unpinned half of your blanket with another blanket or cloth and spray the pinned section with water. Once it has airdried, repeat for the second section. It's not ideal, but it works wonders in a pinch and you can still get very straight edges!

Tip 2: Only use mats for the edges

You don't want to use your Yoga mat, and who wants to stack up on (expensive) blocking mats? When you can't borrow them from a friendly neighbourhood crafter, there are other ways to reduce the number of foam boards you need for this method of blocking.

My go-to trick is to only place mats under a project's edges. Let's say you block a 150 x 180cm (60 x 70in) blanket. Using the standard 30cm (12in) blocking mats, you'd need around 5 x 8 = 40 blocking mats to cover the complete surface area.

When you use mats for the edges only, you need just 22 mats. Those mats don't have to fit together either, so you can mix and match different sets. The pins and tension in your blanket will keep them in place, and you will end up with a nicely blocked crochet blanket.

This is a snapshot of my Sampler blanket. I mixed different sets of blocking mats and puzzle mats. You can put a tarp or cloth beneath your project to prevent the dampness from coming onto your floor. I didn't bother with it, as it evaporates pretty quickly anyway.

Tip 3: Pin efficiently

When you need to pin a big blanket, you want a better solution than individual T-pins because you'll need a gazillion. This is where both blocking wires and knit blockers come in handy. These tools are made to block large sections easily.

I've used three sets of knit blockers for the blanket above. It's not cheap, but it's a one-off purchase, and they come in handy with each project!

Tip 4: Rustproof pins

Sadly, there is no such thing as dry blocking. And sometimes, we use a little too much water or we accidentally use cold water and the project can take significantly longer to dry.

When this happens your pins can actually start to rust. If this happens to you, you better hope you have rust proof pins, otherwise you will be looking for the washing instructions on your yarn label as you try to wool wash the stains from your delicate yarn.

Tip 5: Get a good spray bottle

One of the hard parts about spray blocking a very large blanket like my Rainbow Sampler Blanket (1 or 2!), is again that they're so large. So once you find enough space to your large crochet blanket flat, a thousand blocking mats and a million rust free pins, you may feel a sense of relief. You're almost there.

But now the actually tricky parts will begin, how will you make sure that you distribute the water evenly across the entire surface of your blanket. You need to make sure you don't have too much excess moisture, but that you do make the entire blanket wet enough with lukewarm water for it to block right. This is were a good spray bottle comes in handy.

If you can find one, a good husband to do the spraying for you can also come in handy. But if you can't find a willing subject to do it for you, you might as well invest in a spray bottle that is not too big and not too small, and most of all easy to squeeze. Some bottles are very heavy to squeeze, that will definitely tire out your hands and lower arms when you're blocking a crochet blanket.

What not to do when blocking large projects

There are also a few things you want to avoid when blocking larger pieces, when it can be helped:

• Hang it from a clothesline. The waterweight combined with the project weight will result in sagging and stretching in the corners or around the clothesline. There's a reason every handmade item comes with instructions to dry flat!
• Soaking it through and through. A damp spray is enough. Soaking it completely will only take longer to dry and will add no other benefits.
• Pinning it on a mattress. Honestly, it will do if you really can't free up the floor space. But a mattress is quite often not firm enough to pin your project neatly. You also don't want to risk missing any pins, especially if you sleep in the same bed!
• Overstretching. Maybe this sounds like an open door, but you need make sure you apply even tension whilst blocking large crochet blankets or other crochet pieces. If you overstretch it you will most likely not end with the professional finish you were going for, and whilst blocking can get you closer to your desired dimensions. It is in no way a magic fix for a blanket that is way too short.
  
• Just start blocking. If you're unsure if the yarn fibers you are using in your crochet item react to blocking, you should start with a small swatch. That's the best way to make sure you don't ruin the entire blanket! You should also keep in mind the symmetry of the motifs in you crochet blanket, you don't want to end up with a crooked blanket.
  

I hope these tips give you the confidence to block your next large project. If you have more suggestions or questions, pop them in the comments! Happy crocheting, I mean, happy blocking!

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