In stitches...
October 31, 2013 2:40 PM Subscribe
So, I learned how to do basic crochet last year, and of course launched into a couple of blanket projects...(I also made a few scarves for xmas last year, which were pretty well received).
Anyway, now that I am finally getting close to finishing the blankets, I'm wondering a few things.
I feel like I need to wash the blanket before giving it...and I'm concerned that the lil' knots where I attached the different yarns will come undone. I tied the best lil knots I could- square knots, pulled tight.
I could not figure out the zigzag kind of pattern, so I did my blankets in a straight line kind of pattern - think a really big scarf...is this gonna present a problem when they are washed? I wonder if they will stretch out of shape once washed.
For the blankets, I have been using worsted yarn.
As rudimentary as my skills are, I do enjoy this activity in the cold months, and would like to not have a big ole blanket fall to pieces in the washing machine after months of work. Any help or suggestions will be most appreciated!
I feel like I need to wash the blanket before giving it...and I'm concerned that the lil' knots where I attached the different yarns will come undone. I tied the best lil knots I could- square knots, pulled tight.
I could not figure out the zigzag kind of pattern, so I did my blankets in a straight line kind of pattern - think a really big scarf...is this gonna present a problem when they are washed? I wonder if they will stretch out of shape once washed.
For the blankets, I have been using worsted yarn.
As rudimentary as my skills are, I do enjoy this activity in the cold months, and would like to not have a big ole blanket fall to pieces in the washing machine after months of work. Any help or suggestions will be most appreciated!
Best answer: Ideally, you don't want to tie knots in crocheted items, as the knots show and may come undone. Leave a long tail wherever you need to finish off, and weave in the ends. Video instructions here. This quarter's issue of Interweave Crochet (Fall 2013) has some nice instructions for different methods of changing yarns.
Since you don't want to waste the work you've already done, one option is using fabric glue on the knot (Fray Check is a brand name for it).
And much as I hate to say it, hand-washing's usually best for crocheted items (particularly when you're not sure of how stable the knots will be). I use a large Rubbermaid-style tub with a bit of no-rinse wool wash (because having to rinse out detergent like Woolite sucks). Follow instructions on the bottle for use, then squeeze out excess water as much as you can, and then a) if you've got a washing machine, just run it on the spin cycle only or b) if you don't, wrap in towels and squeeze. Then just lay it flat to dry (a folding drying rack's great, but if not, spread it out on the kitchen table or floor or whatever) and you're good to go. (This procedure is wet-blocking, and it does wonders for making your crochet look more awesome!)
In future, if you're worried about how your projects/yarn will look after they're washed, do a quick swatch with the yarn and stitch pattern, and give it a test wash following yarn label instructions.
Good luck! My earliest crochet projects have knots, too -- it takes a while to pick up all the tricks!
posted by asperity at 2:56 PM on October 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Since you don't want to waste the work you've already done, one option is using fabric glue on the knot (Fray Check is a brand name for it).
And much as I hate to say it, hand-washing's usually best for crocheted items (particularly when you're not sure of how stable the knots will be). I use a large Rubbermaid-style tub with a bit of no-rinse wool wash (because having to rinse out detergent like Woolite sucks). Follow instructions on the bottle for use, then squeeze out excess water as much as you can, and then a) if you've got a washing machine, just run it on the spin cycle only or b) if you don't, wrap in towels and squeeze. Then just lay it flat to dry (a folding drying rack's great, but if not, spread it out on the kitchen table or floor or whatever) and you're good to go. (This procedure is wet-blocking, and it does wonders for making your crochet look more awesome!)
In future, if you're worried about how your projects/yarn will look after they're washed, do a quick swatch with the yarn and stitch pattern, and give it a test wash following yarn label instructions.
Good luck! My earliest crochet projects have knots, too -- it takes a while to pick up all the tricks!
posted by asperity at 2:56 PM on October 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Your knots will probably be fine, but for future reference, look into weaving in the ends. A good beginner crochet book will show you how.
Whether your blanket will stretch out of shape depends mostly on what fiber your yarn's made from. Acrylic? No problem, won't change shape. Wool? Tends to change shape when it hits water, but you can keep it from stretching out of shape by laying it flat to dry. (Shaping a thing while it dries is called blocking and it's almost always a good thing to do to your finished object.)
posted by clavicle at 2:56 PM on October 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
Whether your blanket will stretch out of shape depends mostly on what fiber your yarn's made from. Acrylic? No problem, won't change shape. Wool? Tends to change shape when it hits water, but you can keep it from stretching out of shape by laying it flat to dry. (Shaping a thing while it dries is called blocking and it's almost always a good thing to do to your finished object.)
posted by clavicle at 2:56 PM on October 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: They are acrylic..not my first choice, but seemed like a good way to learn!
Also, in case it has bearing: one of the blankets is multicolored yarn, and the knots are just wherever the skein ran out. The other is one I designed with several colors, switching in varying places, so it has more knots.
posted by PlantGoddess at 2:58 PM on October 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also, in case it has bearing: one of the blankets is multicolored yarn, and the knots are just wherever the skein ran out. The other is one I designed with several colors, switching in varying places, so it has more knots.
posted by PlantGoddess at 2:58 PM on October 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
I am a knitter, not a crocheter, but dealing with yarn ends is similar in both! There are lots of ways to deal with yarn ends, but knots are not what you want to do in the future. There are a lot of great resources on the interwebs about this: techknitting has some good info (go to the topic index and search for "ends"). Also, the only subreddit I frequent is r/knitting -- there is a comparable good subreddit for crocheters -- , and then there is ravelry.com, great for patterns and questions.
In your case, how short did you clip the ends after the knots? If you left a tail, I would pull the knots apart and join them together with a sewing needle. If they're short, you could also run some thread through with a sewing needle to secure all the ends.
posted by DoubleLune at 3:05 PM on October 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
In your case, how short did you clip the ends after the knots? If you left a tail, I would pull the knots apart and join them together with a sewing needle. If they're short, you could also run some thread through with a sewing needle to secure all the ends.
posted by DoubleLune at 3:05 PM on October 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks for the advice so far! Who knew that knots would be bad? Sigh. I will be looking into getting some fabric glue, since I clipped the ends off fairly short...
Thanks also for the links...
Please keep the suggestions coming!
posted by PlantGoddess at 3:20 PM on October 31, 2013
Thanks also for the links...
Please keep the suggestions coming!
posted by PlantGoddess at 3:20 PM on October 31, 2013
Best answer: So TECHKnitting is an amazing blog for exactly your type of questions, but for knitting. I couldn't find exactly the equivalent for crochet, but I was able to find this blog entry with really nice and easy-to-follow pictures on how to join in new yarn in crochet. Basically, what you want to do is create a few stitches which use both yarns, then drop the old one off. It feels weird at first (like, BUT WON'T THIS JUST ALL FALL APART?) but it really, truly works because the yarns are all twisted into those few stitches together. Then once your project is done (or periodically as you're working, if it's a really big project) you can go in and weave the ends through the other stitches so they aren't just hanging there.
I don't think you'll have major issues with the straight shape of your blankets vs. the zig-zag/chevron pattern you mention. The zigzags are pretty much an aesthetic thing to break up the monotony of single-color stripes, but I'm pretty sure they don't serve any structural purpose beyond that.
Finally, if you're not on Ravelry yet I definitely suggest you join - it's a fantastic resource (it's where I first heard of the TECHKnitting blog) and I love being able to see photos of real things other people have made. So many patterns look super cute and awesome in the magazine pictures and then just turn out... weird when you really make them. Ravelry helps me find patterns that I can trust actually turn out right and look the way I want.
posted by augustimagination at 4:05 PM on October 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
I don't think you'll have major issues with the straight shape of your blankets vs. the zig-zag/chevron pattern you mention. The zigzags are pretty much an aesthetic thing to break up the monotony of single-color stripes, but I'm pretty sure they don't serve any structural purpose beyond that.
Finally, if you're not on Ravelry yet I definitely suggest you join - it's a fantastic resource (it's where I first heard of the TECHKnitting blog) and I love being able to see photos of real things other people have made. So many patterns look super cute and awesome in the magazine pictures and then just turn out... weird when you really make them. Ravelry helps me find patterns that I can trust actually turn out right and look the way I want.
posted by augustimagination at 4:05 PM on October 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I knot my work ALL the time, and not a one of my knots has ever come out (as in not ever). If you made good knots, I wouldn't worry about it. I used to do what you did and just make a good square knot. Now I do this, and it's way more secure.
posted by patheral at 5:21 PM on October 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by patheral at 5:21 PM on October 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
I knot my plain crocheted (just hdc) blankets (and weave in ends) made from cheapo acrylic red heart and send it through a normal wash and dry. No unravelling thus far (years of this practice).
posted by melissasaurus at 5:53 PM on October 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by melissasaurus at 5:53 PM on October 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Work up a swatch -- the bigger is better but at least 6"x6". The swatch should have a few colour changes on it just like the ones in the big projects, and have a few knots.
Run the swatch through the wash and see how it holds up.
Learn to weave ends for next time :)
posted by sparklemotion at 5:55 PM on October 31, 2013
Run the swatch through the wash and see how it holds up.
Learn to weave ends for next time :)
posted by sparklemotion at 5:55 PM on October 31, 2013
Since they are acrylic, I would wash on the delicate cycle in your washing machine (cool) and tumble dry on low/delicate. When you transfer from washer to dryer, do a check to see how the knots are doing (gently, wet blankets are heavy). I'm pretty sure they'll be ok - I've had yarn break before, and did a square knot, and it was fine. Washing and drying them will make them fluff up beautifully and nice and soft.
Also seconding Ravelry!
posted by RogueTech at 7:02 PM on October 31, 2013
Also seconding Ravelry!
posted by RogueTech at 7:02 PM on October 31, 2013
I weave in as I go - I'm working on a zig-zag striped blanket at the moment, and when I change colour at the end of the row, I kind of weave the ends to the top row of the work, and crochet my next row of stitches over the ends, so they are sort of enclosed by the next stitches. I don't know if this is the 'right' thing to do - hence me struggling to explain it - but it seems strong and sturdy so far.
posted by mippy at 4:39 AM on November 1, 2013
posted by mippy at 4:39 AM on November 1, 2013
I thought of two more things.
Detergent: I've used gentle detergents and I've used standard stuff like Tide. Acrylic doesn't seem to care much.
Also: since you're newish to crochet, you may not know: do NOT iron the blankets or scarves. Acrylic will melt and you will be very sad! (Plus, it smells horrible and will wreck the iron). The items will look nice straight from the dryer.
posted by RogueTech at 6:12 AM on November 1, 2013
Detergent: I've used gentle detergents and I've used standard stuff like Tide. Acrylic doesn't seem to care much.
Also: since you're newish to crochet, you may not know: do NOT iron the blankets or scarves. Acrylic will melt and you will be very sad! (Plus, it smells horrible and will wreck the iron). The items will look nice straight from the dryer.
posted by RogueTech at 6:12 AM on November 1, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks again everyone...so much good advice and suggestions, I could have marked you all as best answer!
posted by PlantGoddess at 6:59 AM on November 1, 2013
posted by PlantGoddess at 6:59 AM on November 1, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by telegraph at 2:51 PM on October 31, 2013