Blocking cotton

[ILoveAFullFridge]

Can I re-block a crocheted cotton blanket that has been washed several times (and is therefore slightly felted)?

It has distorted - imagine grabbing the corners and pulling them away diagonally - and I want to try and regain its original rectangular shape. The blanket is crocheted squares, joined together by crochet, and with a crocheted border all around it.

How about if you unpicked the squares, wash and reshape while damp into squares, then once dry stitch them onto a backing cloth to hold them in shape? you could then recrochet the joinings?

Just an idea - would get around the distortion?

Not a hope!

A scalloped border is crocheted all round the blanket. Unpicking the squares would destroy the blanket.

Can you pull it into shape whilst damp?

I haven't tried - I'd rather it stay distorted than risk tearing it if the fibres won't stretch because of the slight felting.

I used to do this with my mother and sheets when I was little - pull it corner to corner, diagonally, to square it up. Ah, memories....

Anyway, I imagine the problem with blocking it now would be that you couldn't easily pin to out square due to the size. If your carpets aren't synthetic (you can tell I've made that mistake before!) I guess you could pin it out on the floor and iron it - isn't that all blocking is?

I can't imagine it would damage it even if it didn't solve the problem.

You should be able to wet block it square again, if it was square originally. Pin it while wet so it dries in shape. (cotton doesn't felt, though, so I'm a bit confused by that bit)

I shall have a go, then. Thanks.

Popcorn,True, cotton isn't supposed to felt, but it looks felted, the fibres have sort of matted together. It's definitely 100% cotton.

If you are going to wet block it, do you have those children's large interlocking play mats... cos they are just brilliant for blocking.

And yes, PopcornMouse is right, cotton does not felt, so just wash it on a wool wash and it should perk up no end, and then block it. :)

Oh, how clever! We do have those mats. They've got jigsaws in the middle, but should do for blocking small things. Do you put a towel over them, and pin through the towel, or do you put the item you're blocking directly onto the mat?

They'll be too small for blocking this blanket, especially as it needs fairly fierce blocking, but I've got a load of 5" squares that need blocking.

This lady, the yarn harlot is the queen of wet blocking, so read the link and that should help you... then google blocking and the yarn harlot for more tales :)

I'd put a towel over my foam squares, as the colour can rub off on anything pale x