A couple of weeks ago, I
steamblocked my new
Allons-y market bag and it worked out wonderfully:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHj2c_c8zrL8s3PjlSUtkmOIa5O96bWjGaN_XgkximudVoEaT5E8UakP28UXZl0mu_za9xz3bCdC1noT0R-UlwYglNdmjwdK8s-kYqwPOcrLIp-4foDvBYY1RynNFJ5v9WFtwUiOe0wrC/s320/IMG_6951.JPG) |
before blocking |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULrinLJPgFyRItPFIVRA9Sb8e5X6ByGuKWQ1vTTWSW_R2QXeQxPDZaJdzLq-H_6oUMHdjLj0joM-xjOcw9yUmXYGvzVxaC4NcgR08nSorvrs6-u7CSTysUDn-zYkMEjYwUmaI5WzaCrCN/s320/allons-y5.jpg) |
after blocking |
So when I made a smaller market bag I decided to try wet blocking it:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9uVfHe6nOoSdIguIrd-eOix4f4heX7xIX08Sv0lzpbBj_p91dcSYBfyaJTlpUT39Yf2ttcwDikAiHYSTry3kNXteou2J4gIwjaiI2e_1nwoARdbwvCHTLw-oPxqyQ01x1Kqhnqt9WCvt/s320/IMG_7150.JPG) |
this is during blocking - that weird triangular thing is the flap of the pouch |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1zrWIDxuDIA7wxCa6B9HRE8FQdd6aSOxHDJbe4rbuRYnWDnCnvBjjOH685BPhAyLaVwBiTo4a1hVOTnvySZuSY9nRYdRX9oqaYs2Zy5zfGDQhwZQQrf8hU1B-JQIxdHQWnjmDBjuQWnp/s320/tlpwtm2.jpg) |
this is after wet blocking and steam blocking |
Ultimately, the wet blocking was a fail. First, it took 3 full days for my project to dry; that was inside a centrally air-conditioned house, pinned to a blocking mat. Second, when it finally dried, the fabric was coarse and not very pleasant to the touch. Knitting is a tactile art and in my opinion should be wonderful to touch. So I got my iron out and steam blocked it. Just like with the larger bag, the fibre relaxed beautifully, softened up and the stitch pattern opened up exactly how I wanted it.
The moral of my story? Steam blocking cotton results in a softer and more co-operative fabric than wet blocking. Also it takes about 35 1/2 less hours to steam block.
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