How to Block a Sweater When Knitting With Alpaca Yarn
Hand knitters choose alpaca yarn because it is three times warmer than wool. The alpaca fibers have a soft halo that make the yarn a good choice for many hand-knit sweater patterns. One of the final steps in finishing any sweater is to block the pieces. Blocking uses water, steam or heat to shape the pieces to their correct dimensions, and it evens out the stitches. There are several methods to block sweaters, but because alpaca fiber is fragile when wet, the best method is to shape the pieces before wetting them.
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Things You'll Need
- Completed sweater pieces
- Schematic included with the pattern instructions
- Rust-proof pins
- Clean spray bottle filled with water
- Flat surface that you can push pins into and get wet
- Tape measure
Instructions
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1
Weave in all the ends. Blocking helps to meld all those ends into the finished piece.
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2
Pin each piece on a flat surface, shaping it to the dimensions given in the pattern schematic. Use the tape measure, and start with the widest measurement, followed by the longest. For example, to pin a sleeve, start with the underarm width, and then the sleeve length. Then pin and shape the rest of the piece accordingly. Use a lot of pins. Repeat with each pattern piece.
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3
Spray the pieces with the water bottle filled with water. Wet each piece evenly; make sure that there are no dry spots.
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4
Allow the sweater pieces to dry completely and remove the pins.
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Tips & Warnings
The pattern schematic is a graphic representation of all the sweater pieces that shows the finished dimensions of every size.
To make any flat surface waterproof, cover it with plastic garbage bags.
If your sweater is knit in the round, follow the same steps, except with the finished sweater.
It is a good idea to wash and block the swatch you made at the beginning of the project to verify the gauge, or the number of stitches and rows per inch given in the pattern.
