How to Block Embroidery
After you've spent time embroidering a stunning piece of embroidery, it's disappointing to see it pucker up and wrinkle. Even using the best embroidery hoop can leave you with a puckered piece of embroidery--it's often unavoidable. Blocking the fabric when you're finished will stretch the fabric and pull the dents and wrinkles out out it, leaving you with a smooth piece of material. Blocking entails wetting the fabric, then gently stretching it out smooth. When it dries, the bumps are gone and you're left with a flat piece of embroidery.
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Things You'll Need
- Ironing board, felt board or carpeting
- Thumb tacks or straight pins
- Ruler
- Spray bottle
Instructions
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Tack the embroidery that you want to block to an ironing board, a felt board or, if it's a large piece, to carpeting in an area that no one will walk on using thumbtacks or straight pins. Place thumbtacks in the upper corners and every half inch along the top of the piece. Tack the top of the fabric so that it lies in a straight line to retain its original shape, using a ruler to ensure that the fabric is in a straight line.
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Fill a spray bottle with water and spray the piece until it's damp.
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Pull gently on the bottom of the piece of material to stretch it slightly. It should be taut so that it will lie flat. Allow the material to thoroughly dry out, which may take a few days.
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Check on the piece of embroidery to see if it's properly blocked. If there are any dimples or waves in the fabric, repeat the procedure. It may take a few tries to get all the wrinkles out.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid pulling up on one corner of the fabric as you're tacking it down to keep the shape of the fabric intact.
