Blocking with Acrylic

So, apparently I've been missing out on this thing called "Blocking." As it turns out it is pretty important, and can dramatically affect your finished work. Also, many people will say that blocking acrylic yarn is impossible to do without ruining your finished project, not so (depending on the project).

So to begin, most blocking is done by pinning the knitted/crocheted fabric to the desired shape, then set with heat and or water. Many people use steam, as the combination of heat and water create a more lasting affect on the fabric. Blocking is often used when making clothes, even professionally manufactured socks are blocked so they will resemble the shape of a foot instead of a tube. 

This is where things get tricky with acrylics, they don't hold up so well under heat, and  will often lose any structure it may have had. However for some projects like scarves, and afghans, structure isn't really something you need.

Before being blocked, note the
uneven edges, and curled corners.

All pinned down and ready to block!

I steamed this piece pretty close, I wanted
to see what would happen if it got too hot. 

Ta-Da, no more curling edges!

See, nice and flat!

I ended up making several passes getting closer and closer to the yarn, and didn't notice any negative changes. If you use a light colored yarn make sure you don't touch the yarn with the face of the iron, because it can burn the yarn. Other than that feel free to get as close as you want!

Again, curling corner on the end of the scarf.

Pinned down with nice straight edges! 

Also, it folds and bends really easily,
I can see that too much heat might make sweaters frumpy,
but it looks great on a scarf!

Re-Finishing for a Contemporary Look

My mother-in-law gave my husband and I a side table about three years ago, it's a rattan table with a glass top and some caning at the bottom. It's been a little beat up (we both own small dogs that like to chew out their frustrations), but hey, free table, I'm not complaining. It doesn't really go with the decor theme in the living room/entryway. (Not that you could tell there is a theme as it's in the beginning transformation stages.) But, as the first piece of my contemporary living room, I decided it needed an overhaul. After reading several articles on Pinterest, where else, and a little self confidence boost I went out and bought some spray-paint and sandpaper as I had the other supplies on hand.

Supply List:
Spray-Paint - Your choice (I used Krylon Color-Max Glossy Black) Hint buy one more can than you think you'll need. If it hasn't been sprayed the stores usually take it back.
Sandpaper - I used medium grit - 120
Rag(s)
Pliers
Cardboard Box or Dropcloth

The first step for me was to get rid of the caning at the bottom. I didn't really like it, and it was partially destroyed so I didn't think it would be easy to sand or paint. I started using my Dremel, but realized that would take a very long time and that the wood that made up the caning was pretty weak, so I stepped on it. That pretty much did the trick, it just took a little finagling to get the last side out.

Unfortunately that left me with a bunch of staples hanging out - not ideal. That's where the pliers come in, I only had cutting pliers but they do the job. Just a little twist and out they come.

aaand... POP!

 Now for the sanding, it's important to give the paint something to adhere to, so you just need to make sure the surface is scratched up a bit. It gets pretty boring, so I suggest listening to some music or a movie or something. This will also help you smooth out any dings or scratches that have come from regular use.

See that shine, get rid of it!

 After sanding, make sure to wipe off the dust so the surface stays clean, otherwise the paint won't stick to your piece. When you've finished sanding all the shiny surfaces and rubbed them down, it's time to paint! I still have tons of boxes from moving into my apartment, so I used one of them to catch the over-spray. Spraying the surface is pretty simple, just hold the can about 6-8 inches away from the project.

If you're going to do this barefoot,
look out for stinging nettles!

 Wait an hour or more before flipping the piece then, Ta-Da! You're done! I really like how it turned out! My husband said it looks like a completely different table! I think it looks very modern and I'm excited to see what else I can paint!