Steam blocking - need advice!

**madhen** · 03-12-2006, 10:52 PM

Okay, what is the trick? I have tried steam
blocking several scarves with different methods, and I
always end up with a scarf that still curls up
afterward! I have tried:

1) placing the scarf on a flat surface (ironing board)
under a wet towel, then running an iron over the wet
towel; scarf was warm to the touch afterward; left
scarf on ironing board several days.

2) wetting scarf thorougly, then placing under dry
towel and repeating above process.

3) wetting scarf, then laying it out flat for several
days under a towel on top of which I stacked books.

Every time, when I retrieve the scarf, it curls right
back up again. This seems to be the case regardless of the type of yarn, from worsted to silk boucle to ladder yarns. What am I doing wrong?

**SewCrafty** · 03-13-2006, 09:00 AM

Use some straight pins to pin down all the edges. Let it dry completely before taking it off.

I would use the damp towel on top of the scarf for this method. Good luck and let us know if this works.

**YankeeMom** · 03-13-2006, 10:05 AM

Is the scarf knitted? If so, are you using the stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl the next row, etc)? If so, you might want to put a garter stitch border on the edges (knit the first and last 3 or 4 stitches of every row, then continue in the stockinette stitch for the middle portion). That will keep it from curling as a result of the stockinette stitch.

Another idea, are you a very tight knitter/crocheter? Maybe you need to losen up your gauge a little?

**madhen** · 03-13-2006, 10:11 AM

Thank you. I'll try pinning it down, although I have my doubts. I let it dry completely, and it dries flat, but when I pick it up again, the curl comes back. So I'm not sure pinning it will change anything (as it doesn't curl back up while drying).

I have tried knitting in a border with garter stitch on both sides, with no change in the results.

**pita1213** · 03-13-2006, 05:04 PM

could be the tension when you're knitting. that's my problem, i knit too tightly and things curl up.

**madhen** · 03-13-2006, 05:32 PM

I tried looser stitches, and I also tried larger gauge needles with thinner (i.e, DK or sportweight) yarn, with no perceptible changes. I did have someone tell me that man-made fabrics will simply NOT uncurl, no matter what you do, and most of the yarn I used was either a wool/acrylic blend or polyster blend. But one was 100% silk, and it curled just as badly (and refuses to straighten just as stubbornly) as the others. I'm even having the same problem with garter stitch projects.

I was also told that the 3-4 stitch border may not be wide enough for stockinette stitch, so I guess I'll try one with a 5-6 stitch done in seed stitch (yet another suggestion), just to see what happens.

Really irritates me, as I have come up with some really nice combinations of yarns and also some really pretty scarves, but they all look like crud because they curl in on themselves!