The BEST way to Block Acrylic Yarn

Not sure how to block your acrylic knitting projects? We're experimenting and discovering which method works the best!

With six swatches we'll test these methods:
1. The yarn label recommendation (machine wash & dry)
2. Wet blocking
3. Spray blocking
4. Steam blocking
5. Wet blocking & stretching the wet swatch

🧶 SWATCHING YARN:
Knit Picks Brava Sport

Set-in Sleeve Cardigan Pattern from Amy Herzog's Ultimate Sweater Book

📌 CHAPTER LINKS:
00:00 Testing blocking methods
1:28 Swatching & Blocking
2:50 Unpinning Swatches
4:36 Comparing Swatches for Seaming
6:00 Comparing Swatches for Even Fabric
9:43 Which Methods Work Best?
10:30 Cardigan Blocking & Seaming Results & Mistakes

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[StaceyFlowers]

Thank you for doing this video. The detail helps a tone! I’m making a sweater and I planned to modify the sweater by ten rows to make it a little more cropped because so many projects looked long after blocking. Your video helped me see that because I’m using acrylic my sweater will not stretch as much when blocked so I don’t need to eliminate that many rows. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

[GodsOath_com]

I read a blog that says acrylic needs steam blocking because it's made of essentially plastic, so the fibers have to be heated enough, but not too much. They can be melted. But wet blocking doesn't work on acrylic.

[KatEyze]

I've always steamed my pieces. Before handsteamers my mom taught me to use a steamed iron and wet cheesecloth over top of whatever we were knitting/crocheting.

[millie]

I crochet but this is so incredibly useful and you tested it so well and considered all the uses and differences. Amazing!!

[glazedtalons]

The steamed swatch is the winner for me. I hardly ever use acrylic yarn, but recently I crocheted a scarf with some Red Heart yarn and wondered how well it would block. Glad you showed this.

[AlrickWagner]

I took a wet cloth once and placed it over my jersey and went over it with an iron. That ended up flattering the stitches (and it was acrylic wool so I really don't recommend steaming). So I just stick to normal wet blocking. It takes a few days and I hate it cos I don't have patients but it's worth it😊❤

[carolynwatling]

Thank you for this! I'm about to start a sweater in 100% acrylic so I'm really glad I found your video :)

[MaraschinoPenguin]

Hey, I see you had the same idea as me for adding little note tags. They’re so helpful!

[pennyb]

Good video. I’m soaking my acrylic beanie now.

[cazdodsworth]

My knitting yarn I useing is acrylic and cotton mixed

[ciaramoore]

Thanks this was a most interesting experiment! I knitted quite a few scarfs and blankets on my lk150 knitting machine and they curl like crazy. So im going to give the steam blocking a go, but I am a bit nervous 😬 lol... on the other hand though they cant be left as they are, so i don't really have anything to lose! 🤞

[masuganut]

TONIA, you have hit 7, 000 subscribers! (Well more than that now)
But I wanted to say Congratulations and that it is totally deserved!!
I’m so happy you’re getting more and more recognition ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[jpat_]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing the results of this experiment. I was curious how it would go.

[MorningDove]

I have steamed flat to sew together pieces. Then…toss in washer and drier afterwards is the best results for final finish. Try it and let us know your opinion. See if machine washing after steaming and seaming, it restores the plumpness.

[cazdodsworth]

Hi lovely lady I knitting myself triangle shawl in garter stitches.

[masuganut]

Thank you for doing the guess work for us. I personally don’t feel I could be trusted to steam block something without screwing it up.
I’ve never blocked an acrylic item. But I find it is so much nicer and more even once I’m done and give it a wash. I crocheted a sweater once and that RELAXED quite a bit after so that’s something to keep in mind . It was way bigger than intended, still comfy though.

[ishadrums]

this is so helpful thank you so much!!!!

[TiffanyM]

Thanks for the thorough advice! I rarely ever block, but I'm knitting an acrylic scarf that visibly needs blocking, so I'll be revisiting this when it is finished. One thing that still bewilders me about blocking...will I have to do it every time I wash?? (P.S. your logo is the cutest thing!)

[moniquepezzutto]

Pardon je ne parle pas anglais. J'ai bien suivi vos informations. Je fais avec la vapeur mais sur l'envers je tricot. Merci beaucoup.

[lesego]

I wonder what would happen if you wet blocked it in hotter water? If the heat of the steam helps flatten it out but the wet block gives better stich definition, what would happen if you combined the best of both?