Hi.I was wondering if acrylic yarn can be blocked ?I would think so .what do you guys think?do you guys ever block acrylic with good results?
To change the size/even up uneven edges, with a steamer yes, if you like the results steaming gives (try it on a swatch, you may not like it). Otherwise not that I know of.
To even up stitches, throwing it in a washing machine may help. But for really bad stitches I have to keep tugging at them.
I have to agree with mike
Blocking means that water is absorbed into the fibers, and then it is re-shaped. The stitches re-arrange themselves into the new shape as it dries, and then it will stay that way. The stitches also relax into the new shape without trying to pull themselves back into their original state. The stitches even out to make your work look very even and professional.
Actylic cannot absorb moisture. It is a plastic. It will hold water on the outside, and does nothing. It’s a complete waste of time.
You CAN re-shape acrylic with heat. You can either use steam or actual heat from an iron. But what you are doing is actually melting the plastic and then allow it to harden in a new shape. You need to be so very careful because melted plastic is not pleasant to touch! You can actually destroy all your knitting by applying heat to acrylic! Don’t do it.
It’s best to just leave it as it is. Acrylic won’t wear very well, and in a season or two, it will be tossed, so there is no point in wasting more time with it than you have already. The knitting is a waste of all your time and skills; there is no point to it.
You would do better to use a plant-based yarn such as cotton or linen or ramie or others. Bamboo is a synthetic, very much related to acrylic, and takes forever to dry! It’s not cost effective as well.
You would do very well to use an animal-based fiber, such as wool (so many varieties), angora, yak, silk… there are so many others available. Yes, the price will be a bit higher, but the enjoyment of using good quality materials makes up for it. Since the knitting will last for many, many years, the time invested is almost nothing. If I spend all my time (and skill) knitting something, I want it to be around much longer than I am!! And my knitting also looks so much nicer when finished. It wears very well, and will look good for many years. Good quality wool is worth the investment! There is some poor quality wool too, so be careful what you buy.
Acrylic is cheap, but you are not. Don’t make yourself look like you are.
@Vaughn_De_Leath please see my post under cold block or steam block. I think you should br a little more considerate with your postings because it is coming off a little harsh. I personally took offense to it.
Steamed acrylic is hardly melted. That’s the reason for using steam and not a heat gun. I have actually melted acrylic when I smoked, completely different results between steamed and melted.
My acrylic items have outlast wool items by far. Extremely far, decades vs not a single decade. The nature of natural fibers is they don’t last forever.
Cotton wash cloths have lasted but I haven’t met a cotton I’d want to wear.
Yes I am cheap. I’ll never understand people who go around the DIY internet world bragging about not being cheap.
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Sorry, don’t believe anything you have said. I know from experience – one
day you will learn.
@Vaughn_De_Leath While I have come to prefer wool as well, I would never have become the knitter I am had it not been for the affordability and accessibility of acrylic. I also agree with Mike that the durability is remarkable. Acrylic has its place, and it’s important to allow everyone their own preferences.
@knitgirl I’ve not had any luck blocking acrylic. It’s a good fiber for easy care and durability, but in my experience it does not act anything like wool in terms of being able to block it into a new shape. It doesn’t relax under the steam and then set in place, in the same way wool does.