Crochet Shawl Blocking Tips & Tutorial
Crochet Shawls are fun to create and I love watching them take shape and grow with every stitch. But if you have made a crochet shawl then you know they can often take a shape of their own and at times not the one we want. These Crochet Shawl blocking tips will show you how a few simple and easy steps can get you the shawl of your dreams with perfectly straight edges.
As you are crocheting your shawl, you may notice the edges start to create a bit of a “wave” where you increase to add stitches. This happens because you are in fact adding a stitch but can easily be fixed with a few blocking tricks so have no fear and crochet on! Once you have completed your shawl, this will all block into shape. So stitch on with confidence and follow these steps once you are done with your project.
You will need:
Knitters Blocking Pins: I used the Knitters Pride pins and actually have a few sets in both Rainbow and plain.
Blocking Mats: I have several sets of blocking mats. By far my favorites are the colorful Knitter’s Pride set and these grid line mats that also come with a handy case for storage and a bonus set of pins which are incredibly useful for blocking things with lace and picot edging.
Blocking Solution: I personally use Eucalan religiously and am madly in love with the Wrapture scent. But there are also others you can use that are quite good.
Bucket: I used a bucket I got at the dollar store and also have a really cool collapsible bucket in my blocking station.
Now that you have your supplies let’s get blocking!
As I mention in my Tips For Better Blocking post, there are many many ways to block your creations. For straightening the edge of your crochet shawl, wet blocking is the best. You want to use a drop of your Eucalan (or solution of choice) and tepid water and make sure that your shawl is fully submersed. Give your shawl a good squeeze to get rid of the excess water - do NOT wring it out though! Then roll it in a towel to pick up the even MORE excess moisture and then lay it flat on your mats.
TIP: do NOT pull at it or prod it. Just gently lay it flat and let it take shape.
First: Using your blocking pins, pin the spine straight down the middle. This is where it is super helpful to have the grid line mats so that you can pin along one of the lines to be sure it is straight. Be careful not to “stretch” or pull the shawl but just help it take it’s shape.
Once the center spine is done then you will have a solid foundation for the final shape of your shawl.
Starting from the center pin of the top of the spine and working your way out to the corners; follow along the grid lines on your mats again to create the straight edge. Being careful NOT to stretch or pull the shawl itself, place a pin on each side of the center spine. And continue to the end of each side.
Let your shawl sit until fully dry and VOILA! straight edges and a beautifully blocked shawl.