Washing and Blocking

#1

[color=blue]I had posted this on the General Board, but i guess it really belongs here… [/color]

Hmm… I’m in a bit of a pickle.

I’ve read here that some people here like to wash their gifts before sending them on to the recipient. I have to say i agree with that philosophy, unless it’s for a baby and i figure the fussy mothers can wash it to their specification (since all new mothers are fussy! )

But that leaves me with a problem… How do you wash a gift for an adult reciepient? Do you use special soap? or will Woolite do?

So here’s the deal… I have just finished an illusion knitting scarf and i’m currently finishing up an Entrelac Danica scarf.

The illusion knitting scarf curls quite a bit so it definitely needs to be blocked. The Danica needs to be straightened out a bit, but i’m afraid that blocking it will mess up the Entrelac woven pattern.

Any ideas on what the best way might be to wash and block these two items? They’re both pressies so i want them looking their gorgeousy best!

thanks,
-hh

P.S. They’re both made out of Alpaca/Silk - one is KP Andean Treasure and Andean Silk, the other is just Andean Silk.

#2

Whenever I block something, and I haven’t blocked entrelac, I wash it in the sink with a tiny bit of wool wash. I roll it in towels and step on the roll to get the moisture out. For a scarf, I’d just lay it flat. If it want’s to curl, anyway, then you should probably pin it.

#3

I do the same thing that Ingrid does. With a scarf that has a 3D effect, such as Backyard Leaves I repositioned the leaves during blocking so that they didn’t block in a flat way, I would think that you could do the same thing with your Danica, just give it a bit of a push from the back (non-public) side & shape it in the way that you want it when it’s damp & it should hold it’s shape upon drying :wink: