A bit about blocking

I thought I would share the process I learned about blocking. Many of you may already know how to block but some (like myself) may not be so familiar. 

This is a picture of the shawl before it was blocked

You will need:

Sun or a dry warm place

Pins

A foam board (you can get a blocking board or you can use the kid foam play mats)

A towel 

Your project 

And patience

First soak your finished project in warm water, I added a little wool wash to mine. Do not touch your project while in the warm water, I know its tempting but natural fibers can felt. 

Next ring out your project but keep it damp. Lay a towel onto the foam board or blocking board. 

Next, lay your project on top and stretch it out. Some patterns require you to block a certain way so please read your pattern first. When blocking a shawl like the one I have in the picture, start with the center spine and then the bottom spine. 

Then pin along the top of the shawl making sure its tight and even on both sides of the center. Next, work your way down the sides of the shawl. You will notice there are points of your shawl that push out to make points more then others if you are doing a pattern like mine. You can also look at the finished picture of the pattern and you will see where you want to stretch and pin. Place the pins on a angle away from your work. 

The last step was the hardest for me. After its all pinned, let it dry. 

This is the shawl finished. It is a free pattern on Ravelry!

 Ginkgo Shoulderette Shawl by Maggie Magali