I have almost finished the Autumn League Sweater by Two of Wands.
I used the suggested yarn, a 100% cotton fiber.
I didn’t do a swatch before starting (I know! I know! Shame on me! But this is only my second sweater / fifth knitted item, so be gentle 
)
And it’s too big! I haven’t blocked it yet - what is the safest way to shrink a cotton sweater like this?
Should I block it normally and then wash it in the machine and put it in the dryer on high heat for several minutes?
Hi.
Do you have enough yarn left over to make a good sized swatch? If so, I suggest making a T-shaped swatch to experiment with first to get an idea of how much it’s going to shrink in each direction. It’s been my experience that cotton tends to shrink more in length than width. No clue why… 
I don’t know if blocking first makes a difference but it definitely won’t hurt and you’ll know it’s all shaped correctly before being shrunk.
I agree. Cotton seems to easily & almost unavoidably shrink in length. But not around. Think of Tee shirts you are trying to keep nice - I have to dry them on a hanger, having stretched them out lengthways as far as possible. You might have to steek it & take in the sides. Good luck.
