Lookie! Lookie! I ended my work day on a high note today. I completed my Juno Regina Wrap 30 minutes before punching out for the day. I still need to weave in the two ends and block her, but hey, she's done!I know this picture doesn't show Juno in all her glory with her wings spread out. Right now, the length is roughly 65 inches. Holy Guacamole! The 42 inches for the middle part seemed to take me forever. But strangely, it wasn't a dull knit. I still had to count the stitches as I went between all my markers. I think having to pay close attention to what I was doing is what made it a little more of a *pleasurable* knitting experience. Once I finished the middle section on Saturday, the last pointed section flew on my needles with no problem. I was even able to bring it as my travel knitting this week.
Here are the stats:
Started: January 23, 2008
Finished: April 16, 2008
Yarn: Knit Picks Gossamer (2 skeins)
Colorway: Leprechaun
Needles: Knit Picks Options Size 3
Now I have a question for all you lace knitters. How should I go about blocking this baby? Do I dunk it in water and then pin the heck out of it and let it dry? Do I pin the heck out of it and steam block it. How do I handle blocking the whole thing at once considering the finished length? Being this is my first lace project, I have no idea what is the best thing to do. Help!
Leave me a comment with some advice for my current predicament and you'll be entered in My First Contest. Even if you never knitted with lace, I'm sure you could come up with some sort of creative solution and if not you'll still get entered just for commenting. This contest does not discriminate - all advice (whether sound or not; even funny) will be accepted as an entry.
What's the prize you ask? Well, it is something created by me. Those who know me, know I knit, sew, scrapbook, etc., so it will be something you won't want to miss out on. Some yarny goodness will be included in this prize package! So come on now. Bring on your comments! I'm ready.
Want to double your odds of winning? Link my contest post (predicament) on your blog and I'll enter your name twice into the yarn pot. Make sure you mention you are linking in your comment to ensure you get the credit.
Deadline? Since I won't be blocking Juno this weekend, I will be accepting comment entries through next Thursday, April 24th. I will be announcing the winner on Friday, April 25th.
Congrats on your first lace. You'll want to soak it for a bit and then roll in a towel to get some of the water out. Before I had a nice blocking surface, I put a towel on part of the carpet that I wouldn't need to walk on and pinned it out. Make sure it's all the way dry. If not, the lace will pull back in. I've also seen people block on beds. Good luck! :-)
ReplyDeleteI would definately say to soak it in water as opposed to steaming it. I would also say to use blocking wires, since there is a long portion of it that has to be straight. If you can't get those, I am sure that you can get some really thin (and cheap)floral wire in one of the craft stores like Michael's or AC Moore. And, if you need to run to the craft store, I would be happy to drive you. I may need to buy more beads anyway. Just keep me away from the yarn!!
ReplyDeleteSoak it for sure. And, yes, lay it out on towels or even just clean carpeting. A lot of people use those puzzle-piece playing floor thing for kids, but I usually just use towels. You can get wire from the hardware store, or you could just use pins. I have blocking wires NOW and yes, they're helpful, but I blocked a number of things quite happily without them. But what you DO need is a lot of pin. Those handy T-shaped pins (preferably rust-proof).
ReplyDeleteVery nice, Deborah! I want to hear all about the yarn, please, given my recent issues.
ReplyDeleteAs to blocking, you can do it without wires. You could thread some string (I use kitchen twine) through the straight edges and possibly down the middle, pin the string out taught to use as your guides, then pin out your shawl along the guides the way you want it to look when it's dry. I use a futon for blocking - I put a fitted sheet on it with an old blanket under just in case of bleeding, and pin my project out on it. Works great, no purchase required.
Nora
Congrats! That's ahuge accomplpishment: your first big lace project. I have heard that you should soak the lace for a little bit and then pin the heck out of it.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your first lace! Addictive it is :) As a regular lacer myself, I'd suggest dunking it, actually giving it a good soak and then pinning it out until its dry.
ReplyDeleteI just saw a recent interesting way to block lace. Since this isn't silk (which you should smooth from it's center, dry, & pin to measure w/ millions of t-pins THEN spritz til wet...cause silk is fragile when wet), you can soak in a non-rinse soak, roll in towel, squish to dry a bit (I stand/sit on it, whatever.)Then you thread twine or button thread (heavy duty) all around. Lastly you make a wooden frame & nail tiny finish nails evenly all around to pull the thread onto to stretch lace to measurements desired. This ends up looking like string art (remember the days????)& you'd leave it on the stretcher frame to air dry. Now run along to Home Depot for your supplies. Dad would be so proud.
ReplyDeleteI linked your contest. :)
ReplyDeleteI prefer to soak rather than steam block. Soak for at least 20 minutes - it helps the fibers to relax.
ReplyDeleteAfter a good bath, wrap it in a towel and then roll it up to press out excess water. If you do this early in the morning, it should be dry by the time you want to use your bed!
The recommendation for wires is great. you will want the edges to be straight and that is the easiest way. You mentioned you sew. Do you have a cutting board with a grid? You can use that to block. The pins will go through the cutting board and into the bed or the carpet. The grid makes it easier to square it up.
I bought floral pins from AC Moore to use for blocking. They are long enough and a little stronger than the blocking t-pins that came with my blocking wires.
Good luck! I can't wait to see the finished product.
I am SO not a lace knitter, so the only advice I can offer is this: do whatever the lace knitters tell you to do. :)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see the final result!
I'm not a lace knitter yet (Definitely a wantabe) But I think soaking would be the safer way to go. I would be afraid of accidently felting it with the steam! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteNot a lace person, so I'm no help. It's looks beautiful and reminds me of summer. For some reason asparagus keeps springing to mind.
ReplyDeleteJuno turned out beautiful...You could try Ruler blocking for something to be straight. Use a quilting ruler,choose a size closet to your finished width.After you have dampened the scarf lay th rulerover the scarf and pin the edges just to the outsideor ruler.as you pin downboth sides of the length of the scarf, you create a channelthru which to slide the ruler as you pin.This makes sure the scarf is pinned in a straight line. Can't wait to see it after blocking. Have fun!!! Luv Ya!!!!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read everyone else's suggestions but here is mine. Starting early in the morning, Soak the lace for about 30 minutes. Take it out, squeeze most of the water out, then roll in a towel and squeeze. Then you can block it out on your bed. The yarn won't be sopping wet so you don't have to worry about towels and such. You can use T-pins to block out the shape. With a piece with few points I find that just laying out the shape is enough with a few pins here and there. The lace should be dry by the time you are ready to go to bed.
ReplyDeleteI steamed my first lace. It was really nice because I was able to work in small batches, and because I could see the stitches flattening out and relaxing. I would suggest if you are going to steam it that you do it with a real steamer and not an iron set on steam -- heehee. And be warned, in either event (steam or dunk), you will pin, then pin again, perhaps even pin one more time. It's the nature of the process. Happy blocking!!
ReplyDeleteHey sweetie!! I posted a link to the contest on my blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a lace knitter (yet) - the biggest lace project I've made has been socks - so I don't have much advice. I don't think it would hurt to soak it.
ReplyDeleteBased on some other projects I've done, though, here is a related piece of advice: find a place to pin it out where people won't get annoyed having to walk around it.
I'm sure it's already been said, but definitely do the soak method, roll in a towel and then use a combination of string, wires and/or pins depending on what you have on hand. Definitely search the Yarn Harlot archives for her description. It's pretty darn good. We have an extra bed that I usually pin things to and point a fan at, mostly because I am impatient. :) Good luck with it!
ReplyDeleteYep- I got the same advice as everyone else! wet and pin and let dry. Or you could try my method- do nothing and just use it all wrinkled, heh heh.
ReplyDeleteIf it is all natural yarn then you want to carefull soak and block. If it isn't you can do anything you want. I have only knit one lace scarf and I can tell you from that experience, DO NOT press with an iron. Steam lightly.
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