Blocking issues

In every project I make, the blocking changes the sizing so significantly (it GROWS!!) that it makes me feel like I wasted time trying to get the sizing right in the knitting process (calculations, alterations, etc.). I don’t know what I’m doing wrong! The first time it happened, I figured it could have happened during the lifting out of the tub–perhaps I wasn’t careful enough in supporting all edges from draping down. But I’ve since switched to carefully lifting it out on a container lid so that it has zero chance of getting tugged down by gravity/weight of the water. After blocking, I’m always a little disappointed because they don’t fit as well as they did pre-blocking. It’s getting to where I really dread the finishing phases.

Any tips or things I could be doing wrong? Lately I’ve been using 100% wool, or for example, my most recent was an alpaca/wool/kidsilk mix. Haven’t used superwash.

Thanks in advance!

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I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that alpaca yarn is notorious for “growing” - ironically I read that after making alpaca blend leg warmers for a friend (I didn’t block them, though). We parted ways a couple of years ago, so I don’t know if they still fit her these days, or not! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Superwash yarn is known for growing after a wash. I haven’t had a problem with it myself but I’ve read this on blogs from different sources. It may be worth washing your swatch if it’s superwash yarn just to account for this looseness.
What yarn have you just used that didn’t maintain shape or gauge?

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This is helpful. It could definitely be the alpaca that contributed lately! My projects having this issue have been fairly loose gauge—perhaps I’m not shaping them exactly to the right dimensions when blocking, too. I didn’t have this issue when I used to do tight gauge socks. I’m very new to garments but in the ones I’ve done, it’s been fun to play with sizing as I go for a great fit with math, different shaping, etc…but then it’s like all that work comes undone. Probably mainly my lack of experience with blocking sweaters!

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In some cases, particularly sweaters knit in pieces, it’s easy to pin out the pieces to the given dimensions. When the garment is knit with minimal seams, washing, removing most water and laying flat to the correct measurements seems to work just fine.
Following the ball band instructions for washing and drying is a good guide, too.

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I have been browsing lots of different yarns recently and whilst I am quite a novice in such things I noticed sock yarn often has a man-made fibre in the blend and this may be the difference between your well sized socks and larger than expected garments, that is if you have changed yarn blend and no longer have the man-made fibre in the blend - I noticed you used alpaca/wool/kidsilk.
I also notice on an information page something about not letting the yarn soak - this surprised me as I thought blocking often involved a soak so the water could oenetrate right through the fibre. I’ve blocked that way a few times but I also just wash as the ball band says with other things or I have also steamed with the iron (steam only, not pressing).
I found with one yarn a bamboo cotton mix, my swatch washed and blocked on gauge but the top I made stretched and I think this was due to the weight of the entire garment, as you said. I felt a bit disappointed with the fit because as you said it was a good fit prior to washing but bigger after, where as my swatch didn’t grow with washing.

Cotton yarns don’t seem to stretch, maybe a cotton or cotton/merino blend or cotton/cashmere blend may give the more stable fitted result you are after??

Just thoughts, as I say, I am not very knowledgeable in these things, just learning and exploring.

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I would have thought that the alpaca blend especially with wool in the mix wouldn’t have the stretch problems of high alpaca content. Nevertheless, that’s what you’re seeing. What yarn are you using?

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Creations, thanks for your thoughtful response! I really appreciate you reminding me of that regarding the fiber contents–yes, the sock yarns all contain some nylon or similar for durability. I do wonder if it would have been different just with a spray bottle or with steam. I wonder when the sweater eventually needs an actual wash, though, if the problem would crop up then.

I’d be curious to see whether cotton or a cotton blend is better in this way, too–but I tend to not like the feeling of knitting with cotton at all!

salmonmac, that’s interesting. Again, not totally sure if it’s the alpaca, or my unskilled shaping, or something else. The yarn I was referring to for that project was one strand each of Drops Flora and Drops Kid Silk, held together.

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I tend to really dislike cotton yarns, too, especially for anything other than wash cloths.

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I know what you mean, cotton has no flexibility or bounce when knitting, it can be a but hard on the hands. However, having used a couple of cottons (perhaps you have too and I don’t claim to have more experience or knowledge of this), I do know not all cottons are equal.
Washcloth cotton is very stiff, cheap, and hard. Pretty ugly too I wouldn’t use for a top.
Wendy’s cotton kept shape and gauge perfectly and looks and feels softer - but the top I made would have been nicer smaller and also with more drape and the cotton did not give drape.
Kingcole cotton soft is softer nd holds shape and has great stitch definition, I used this for a nordic cardigan in multicolour and it holds shape really well, it didn’t change on washing. Again though not so much drape.
Drops muskat looks beautiful, so shiny and the stitches look lovely, washes well. I do agree it is harder on the hands when knitting though. I have fitted tops which kept shape (but I need a heat wave to wear one).

But I have not used a cotton blend and I wonder if the blend could offer a softer feels, nicer drape of wool or cashmere but with the stability of the cotton.

Some of the patterns I’ve looked at use 2 yarns, a wool and a thinner second yarn in another fibre and I read that the wool washes and keeps shape better because of the second yarn being knit in. Not something I’ve tried, just read about. Kind of like blending the yarns as you knit rather than pre-blended into one yarn.

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Thanks for that helpful rundown of cottons. I had no idea there were differences but that definitely makes sense that there would be variations with cotton just as there are for wool or linens, etc… The only cotton I’ve used was inherited so I’m not sure exactly what it is, but I am sure it was very cheap! I had some trouble with a wrist injury and aching fingers a while back, and since then I’ve tried to be really careful with fiber type and I’ve successfully adjusted my form and healed well. But perhaps this summer I’d be ready to try a top in one of the cottons you mentioned!

You mention that you don’t have a lot of experience or knowledge–but I have learned a lot from just these few posts, so thank you!

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A large swatch washed and dried as the finished item will be cared for can show if the gauge changes. If exact gauge matters a lot then waiting and handling the swatch over a period of days or weeks might be called for. I did a swatch with superwash wool and because it wasn’t all that big I weighted it with binder clips on the bottom edge and left it to hang after I’d laid it flat to dry. I saw no stretch but I was knitting at a pretty tight gauge. Gauge makes a difference and I think that is why socks don’t get too long and wide if knit at 8 or more st/in. I pop my socks in a mesh bag and run them through the wash then hang them on a drying rack. No stretch issues. I knit tops in cotton blends and toss them in the dryer to start drying then lay them out flat or sometimes just hang them and let them dry. I then hang them up in my closet and they stay there, sometimes over fall and winter and well into spring, until I wear them again

Suzanne Bryan has done a number of videos on swatches, I’ll share a link and you can choose which. if any, interest you. She also did a series on superwash wool.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=suzanne+bryan+swatch

I’m sure other knitters with lots of experience and knowledge had done swatch videos that go beyond knitting a 4" square (that’s too small to bother with!) I just happen to be aware of Suzanne’s.

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I love to knit with cotton, Yonkey monkey bamboo cotton blend is so soft, made 2 tops with it. Good quality and much cheaper. I recommend it. Look at Amazon

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I’m glad to be able to help in any way.
You must take care of your hands, I know I had very sore hands with wash cloth cotton, not so badmwith muskat though but even so, it may be too stiff for your hands or your liking in garments.
It’s just something to think about.

@ZKOhio I have also used a bamboo cotton mix, it is SO soft and great drape, for me it stretched too much on washing for the style of top i made which was quite fitted. I would use it again for a looser fit sweater though or just make a top in a size smaller to allow for the stretch.

Yeah my niece like looser fit, hehe even size bigger

I think that even an alpaca blend could grow a bit, especially if I read right that you may be knitting at a loose-ish gauge.

Even a smooth 100% non-superwash wool can grow quite a bit when you multiply the change over a whole garment.

The advice to knit a large swatch is good. Another tactic I sometimes use is to wash and block my knitting part way through.

So once I’ve knitted a “goodly amount” I’ll put the stitches on waste yarn and block it. This could be up to the armpits if knitting in the round, or one main piece such as a front or back if knitting flat pieces.

Also, are you by chance doing garter stitch? It seems to gain a lot in length once the full weight of a garment is in effect.

So, in summary:

  • Avoid alpaca (for now)
  • Knit with the aim of getting the recommended gauge and desired look for the yarn after blocking, not while knitting
  • Use a toothier wool
  • Knit a large swatch
  • Avoid garter stitch

Also - and this is at your own risk - you can sometimes get a knitted item that’s grown or stretched to spring back a bit by judicious application of warm air from a hairdryer. Make sure it is on the warm/low setting, not hot, and keep the hairdryer well back from the fabric, and keep it moving, not focused in one spot. The wool should only get a little warm, never hot. Think warm breeze rather than hot blast! Try on a swatch first.

I have had lots of things grow on me too. You’ll get there!

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The main thing is to do a LARGE swatch–6" at least. Then measure it, soak it, block it and measure it again. If it’s for a sweater, hang it up to dry with some sort of weights to mimic the weight of the rest of the yarn…binder clips or clothespins work well. I know, I know–swatching seems like a waste of time when you’re eager to get started, but they really pay off in the end.

I had another thought too.
Do we treat our swatches too carefully?
As previous poster mentioned, adding weight when drying could give an idea of what happens when the weight of the rest of the sweater comes into play. And the thing I spotted recently was a change in gauge when I treated a swatch as though it was going to be worn rather than going to sit still and flat.
I made a simple 2 x 2 rib swatch, measured before washing in 3 ways, no stretch, gentle stretch and fuller stretch (by fuller I don’t mean maximum but quite full). Then I washed and dried the swatch and measured again and compared the gauge, it was a little tighter and the fabric was nicer than before washing. If I had gone ahead right away with working out my numbers for cast on etc based on this measurement I think my final outcome could have ended up growing because my third set of measurements was after pretending I’d stretched the item putting it on and taking it off - I stretched the dry fabric several times and rubbed it about roughly in my hands to mimic a bit of wear. This 3rd measurement was not as tight, it still looked like a nice tight rib but the gauge had changed through the process of stretching and relaxing. I decided to use the final set of measurements as my guide for sizing. I will keep my notes for the prewash size because that’s how it will look and measure up before washing and whilst knitting.
In the past I’ve been rather delicate in handling my swatches, but that’s not how we treat the fabric later is it? We naturally stretch the fabric to get in garment on and off.
Just a thought.

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Thanks everyone for the amazing tips. I had never considered washing and blocking partway through at critical fit junctures–love that and will definitely try on my next garment. I’ll also plan to try weighing them or stretching them more according to how the final garment will pull at the stitches.

One thing I love about knitting is how much attention and care we can give to every step of the process. Most knitters are so eager to move on from swatching and get to the fun of creating the piece–but all of your comments remind me that there’s a real opportunity to hone certain skills if you take more time on the swatch process. This all reminds me of the skill of darning socks and mending–I typically hate any sewing but I’ve been having a lot of fun in the last couple of weeks with darning my partner’s old holey socks, learning these techniques, and trying to perfect them for the ways his feet wear (I’ve never seen someone put holes in socks so fast…but that’s another topic :rofl:). Wouldn’t have thought that anything involving sewing–just like swatching–could be so interesting. Knitting gives us so much!

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