Blocking and Being a Busy Elf

I just pricked my hand 25-ish times with sewing pins (I mean, blocked the baby blanket)! Here are some pics of the ordeal...

Here are the steps to blocking an item made with synthetic yarn (in case you were wondering/care). Avoid heat/ironing or your work will melt!

You will need:
1. A hard surface (ironing boards work well if the item is small)
2. A spray bottle that has not been exposed to chemicals (buy a new one if necessary. The "no chemicals" part is important!)
3. A thick towel to lay between the hard surface and the fabric described below
4. A gingham/square piece of thin cotton fabric. It is pretty cheap at any fabric store. You can also use a tablecloth as long as it isn't that weird plastic-y material

5. Water to put in the spray bottle

Here is the setup of my blocking apparatus. Make sure it is flat and the towel and fabric are pinned together at the edges. In general, the more pins, the merrier.

The pinning begins...
All done! My work, once wet, will stretch to conform to this shape (hopefully!).
Mist thoroughly with room temperature water.

I am doing well on my sweater. I started with a new pattern, which I am making up as I go along. That way it will fit me swimmingly (hopefully). In my eyes, it is not worth custom making something if it isn't going to come out how I intend. So I ditched the pineapple motif and decided to go for the arcade look. My mom says it looks like a skirt. She's kind of right, but as I go along and make up the rest (literally! Wish me luck!), it should look more like a top. I tried it on, and it seems okay thus far.

I am working from the hips upward, in case that was unclear.

Crochet love!

- Bow Girl