I am planning on entering my crocheted doily in the county fair. The fair rules say that any item requiring blocking must be blocked but it doesn't say which items require it. Do I need to do this with my doily? This is the first one I have ever made so I have no clue if this is standard procedure.
What are your thoughts and HOW do I go about blocking? I am a newbie in every sense of the word!
Hi Julie, Assuming your doily is cotton, swish it around a little in tepid, not quite warm enough to be lukewarm, water with a little mild detergent or dish soap to clean the oils from your hands from it and rinse it through several changes of like temperature water without wringing, twisting or stretching it. Support it with both hands when moving in and out of the water when it is wet. Lay it on a clean towel and roll it up in the towel to absorb the excess moisture. Move it to the ironing board covered with a clean thin towel like a flour-sack towel. If your doily is larger than will fit on the ironing board you will have to use another surface that you can stick a pin into, like a bed mattress or a large flat cushion. Lay your doily out and start pinning at the design points, working to keep it round or oval and even in circumference. Let it dry for 24 hours. A fan helps but make sure it's not blowing directly on the doily itself. If you want a stiff doily use laundry starch to the instructed dilution in the last rinse water. The fabric store might sell a blocking board with guidelines printed on the fabric cover. I know Jo-Anne's carries them and if you do a lot of knitting or crocheting you might want to invest in one. Good luck, I hope you take a ribbon.
There is no faith which has never yet been broken except that of a truly faithful dog. ~Konrad Lorenz
Edited by - LindaMAlbert on Aug 05 2008 9:33:08 PM
i use scraps of foam instulation board covered with a light towel. that stuff holds up really good and if you can get some for free on a jobsite the price is right! lol i cant wait to see you win that blue ribbon! peace connie in alaska
Question about blocking
Posted - Aug 05 2008 : 11:19:07 AM
