Woolly people - does wet blocking or steam blocking work best on acrylic yarn?

[LewisFanIsBack]

[please say steam! please say steam! please say steam! please say steam![

I have just cast off a circular baby's lace shawl and need to block it to bring the intricacy out...

I assume wet blocking isn't going to work so well on acrylic?

and steam would be rather more convenient, time-wise!

will steam blocking work?

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

I steam block acrylic, but you have to be VERY CAREFUL because if you touch the iron to the yarn it will melt.

For a lace shawl I would pin it out using blocking pins and then hold a steam iron several inches above the shawl, moving continuously. It's better to start high and move a bit lower if necessary.

[Marcipex]

I steam acrylic, just don't get too close.

[WholeAgain]

Steam blocking definitely. Pin it out, grab your steamer and go!

[Ingles2]

Oh god don't use steam.. It makes acrylic all flat and lifeless.. Just pin it out, then spray with a plant mister and leave to dry

[LewisFanIsBack]

yes I was planning on staying very far away!

the plant mister sounds like a genius idea! I had visions of having a dripping wet lump of yarn to deal with!

[SoupDragon]

Steam it. Wet blocking is pretty much pointless on Acrylic. Hover the steam iron just above the pinned out item.

Ironing it doesn't melt it though. I've "killed" a couple of wraps recently because the original blocking didn't work and they are wonderfully soft and drapey. It has flattened the strands though - not a problem for these particular items but I would stick to steam for your baby one.

[SoupDragon]

I've never found that steam alone makes acrylic flat and lifeless.

[Helenluvsrob]

Wet blocking simply doesn't work with acrylic. You either steam block or leave it. My preference of the latter b

[SendTheNextOneIn]

I steam mine, by holding the iron a cm or two about the piece. Never had anything go flat and lifeless. I have seen it happen though when people have actually ironed the item.

[GetMeOut]

I'm a big fan of the misting option - I have a spray function on the iron which I use ( doesn't even need to be plugged in ) I pin onto to a towel onto the wool carpet ( the wool carpet is s good anchor ) leave over night and ban everybody from the room as they will walk over it/ through it / give themselves an injection