Steam Blocking Acrylic Yarn
My favorite way to block any project is with steam. It’s a fast, easy, and clean way to get your project to the correct size, make it lay flat, or just make it softer. The tutorial below will show you the basic steps for blocking acrylic yarn with steam. It also shows you what happens if you “kill” your acrylic. You can scroll to the bottom to see a video tutorial on this as well.
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I’m going to show two different uses for steam blocking in this tutorial:
1) how steam can make your project magically lay flat
2) how steam can help you achieve the correct size for your project.
Using Steam to Flatten Your Project
First I will show you how steam can flatten out a curling project. Sometimes when crocheting, for whatever reason your project will curl on itself. Sometimes it’s because of the stitch you are using, or it can result from a tight gauge or many other reasons. Whatever may be causing the curl, steam can be used to help relax the stitches.
To steam block you will need a few things.
1) a steam iron or garment steamer
2) a steam/waterproof surface – you can use a blocking board, an ironing board, or a simple towel
3) rust-proof pins
Important Note: The pictures below show me using my hands with the steam iron to make the swatch lay flat. This is done to show how the steam makes the piece lay flat (see the video for how this works out). You should pin down the pieces before putting steam on them so you do not burn yourself.
First, place your project on your steam/waterproof surface and pin it in place.
Next, get your steam iron or garment steamer and start steaming your project. Hold the iron about 1/2 an inch to an inch away from your project and make sure you don’t touch the iron directly on your project or you will “kill” it (which I will explain further below).
Keep steaming the project until it is lying flat. You will notice it will feel warm and slightly damp to the touch. It will also soften up considerably. So if you have a scratchy acrylic, steam blocking can make it much softer.
“Killing” Your Yarn
If you happen to touch the iron to the swatch, this is what will result. A flat, slightly melted shiny fabric. It is what is commonly called “killed acrylic” and sometimes it is desired because of the look it produces. If you want to kill your acrylic be careful not to hold the iron on the fabric too long so it doesn’t completely melt into goo. Keep in mind that acrylic is akin to plastic, meaning it can melt when exposed to excessive heat.
Using Steam to Size Your Project
The other use for steam blocking is getting your project to the correct size. This can be used in conjunction with getting your project to lay flat.
For example, you are making a garment and need it to measure a certain size to fit, or you are making an afghan and need all the blocks to measure exactly 12 inches on each side. Using steam and pins you can make these things happen.
You will need the same tools as before and also a measuring tape. To show you how much you can stretch a project with steam, I’m starting with a 5-inch block.
Once your project seems warm and damp all over (which means the steam got into all your stitches) allow the project to cool and dry completely before unpinning. You need it to cool and dry for it to hold its shape, so don’t get antsy and unpin right away.
If you find that your project is losing its shape as you remove the pins, it’s possible you didn’t apply enough steam. Don’t hesitate to re-pin and apply additional steam as needed. It may require a few attempts to determine the right amount of steam required to maintain the shape of your projects. Once you find the correct balance, it becomes as natural as riding a bike.
As you can see above, I gained a whole 3/4 inch extra width on my swatch. Plus the steam made it very soft.
Not using acrylic yarn, or need to find a different way to block? I have other blocking methods available, which you can find here.
If you have any extra pointers about steam blocking I’d love to hear from you, or if you have a method you like better let me know below. I’d love to hear your feedback!
24 Comments
Barbara Ferron
Coca cola is supposed to soften stiff fabric like denim, I wonder if it would soften stiff acrylic yarn. The procedure is to wash the fabric in the washer with a can of Coke added. I bought some Coke but I haven’t tried it yet. The yarn I can buy nowadays is so rough, back in the 60’s and 70’s acrylic
yarn was much softer.
RJ Smith
Great article on steam blocking acrylics ~ thank you! I’m going to save it for when others say you can’t block acrylic, because you CAN. The only thing I would add is, if your iron has a “shot of steam” feature, DO NOT use it; it is too much hot steam in a concentrated area, and you will kill the yarn under it (I refuse to discuss how I know this – :/)
Bev
I tried to put iron on denim on the bottom of crocheted slippers. I burned a hole in the slipper so it’s ruined. Do you have suggestions for cleaning the iron? It’s got a big gooey mess of melted yarn on it. :-(.
Deja Jetmir
This is what I use and it works really well:
http://amzn.to/2jbCJ0D
Hopefully it will help you out. 🙂
Nancy
What kind of pins do you use? I’ve used some with white balls on the top and they leave rusty marks on my projects.
Deja Jetmir
I usually use specific blocking pins from sites like knitpicks.com. However, you can also purchase regular sewing pins from Joanns or Michaels. Just be sure they say “rustproof” on the package. 🙂
Celia
Hi Deta, great post! I wanted to know whether it’s possible to block after the item has already been washed?
Deja Jetmir
You bet. Some stuff you have to block after every washing (like lace items). So you can definitely block after. 🙂
shari
I have a hand held steamer with nozzle, could this be used to block squares?
Deja Jetmir
Hi there, as long as you can hold it horizontally you can use it. I have a handheld, but can only hold it vertically. Makes it very hard to block. 🙂
Barbara Ferron
I saw this blocking method on pinterest http://www.lookatwhatimade.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/DIY-Blocking-Station-Crochet-Squares-800×800.jpg?041c78
Julie Martindale
Do you block the pieces that are the correct size so they are soft as well?
Deja Jetmir
Yes, you can block them all. 🙂
Julie Martindale
Thank you!
cliffhangercarol
It works brilliantly! Thanks so much.
Barbara Ferron
I have a large bulky afghan that has a lot of curl in it. I want to use it to cover my ragged sofa. When stretched flat the afghan covers the entire sofa, but when it curls it is too small. I want to use my steam cleaner to stretch, as well as shape, the afghan to fit the sofa.
Deja Jetmir
that could work if you can pin it straight to the sofa and steam it there, it should mold pretty well to the sofa. Just make sure not to touch the blanket directly if it is made of acrylic. 🙂
Nikki
How long would you recommend holding the iron over the piece?
crocheteverafter
It depends on how good your steam is. If it is strong you will probably only need to let it sit for about 5 or 10 seconds. An iron with less steam will take longer. Just keep checking it and stop when you like how it looks. 🙂
The Cogaroo
Thank you very much! I will try that out as soon as possible. And thank you for the tip about trying it with a test piece first – I wouldn’t have thought of that until it was too late. 😉
The Cogaroo
Can you do this with a regular iron, and just hold it above the finished item? Or does it have to have steam capabilities? (This might be a silly question, but I’ve never blocked stuff before.)
crocheteverafter
Not a silly question at all. 🙂 You can do it with a regular iron, but you will need to create “faux” steam. So get a damp towel and put it over your project and then press the iron the towel. The damp towel will then create the steam to block the project. Remember though, always do a test swatch with the yarn you are using to make sure you like the results before doing your whole project. 🙂
Juliet Murphy
could i put a teatowel over my project and just iron it?
Deja Jetmir
I’m paranoid of melting the acrylic, so I would use a test swatch to try it out on first. 🙂 It theory it should be fine since the iron isn’t touching it, but you can never be too careful. 🙂