BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Knitting Blocking

Do you block a sweater before you assemble it, after you assemble it or not at all???

I'm curious.

See a related article for the pros and cons of all methods.

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I did my first baby sweater this summer and blocked it after assembly. It turned out great. But before I start any larger projects, especially with natural fibers, I need to find out if blocking before assembly would work best. Thanks for any tips and techniques!

I think blocking before makes the assembly much easier. You can make the seams uniform and unroll the edges which makes seaming smoother.

With natural fibers follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding blocking. If you aren't sure whether they can take water, heat or steam, practice with your swatch.

Thanks for that advice Marge! I'm a beginner at knitting and can use all the tips and techniques I can get my hands on. I've looked through all my books and the information on blocking is a bit vague and scarce. Maybe you could do a new topic specifically on blocking techniques and tips. That would surely help all of us "newbies" to the "needles."
Thanks again.

I'm one of those knitters who will go to any lengths to avoid sewing up. So I alter flat knitting patterns so they can be knit in the round and then, when I'm done knitting, I simply wash the sweater and block it on a wooley horse.

I've added a Blocking article to the list of what I should write about. In the meantime though the previous Bella knitting editor wrote this article.

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I used a wooly board for the first time last month and I'm a believer.

Thanks for the link to the blocking article. It certainly provided a lot more detail for me.
So here's my next "newbie" question.
What is a wooly board (horse)? And how do you use one?
Thanks again for all the info.

Here is a sweater I have on a wooly board

It stretches the finished sweater and sleeves simultaneously without pinning. Works very nicely, but is a bit tricky to use, but once you get the hang of it worh it.

It's a bit early for me this morning, and I want to make certain I have this correct. For a sweater -
You block your pieces, then join them. Then put them on the wooly board. Do you wash or wet the item again and let it dry on the wooly board, or just leave it on the board to hang for a while? Thanks for your help

Oh, I'm sorry, my mistake. When you use a wooly board, or at least when I did. I assembled my vest, then put it on the wooly board, stretched to the size I wanted. It hangs on the board taunt. It smooths out the stitches and made it look "finished".

When I don't use a wooly board, I block my pieces then assemble them.

I hope that is clearer (it is early here too!)

Thanks so much for the clarification! I'm going to ask my Mother-in-law about using one. She's an expert and I can't wait until our visit with her next month. We actually added an extra day to our trip so she can give me some knitting instruction. I think she may be more excited than I am. She really doesn't have anyone in the family to pass these skills onto, as her Mother and Grandmother did. I'm so fortunate to be the lucky one to receive them. I'm just hoping I don't return home with more questions than answers for y'all to help me sort out

Questions are always always always welcome. It is how these forums work.

Have a great visit, but ask questions whenever you need to.