That’s what my husband always says when I am blocking wool.
Back on March 1, 2003, I started on a shawl in Plum Harrisville Shetland Style. I finished it in February of 2004, and I have been sitting on it for 2 years! Well, I finally got it out while I was on vacation last week, and actually blocked the damn thing.
First, since I knew the sides would be longer than any of my blocking wires, I ran a cotton yarn through each of the points of the edge.

Here’s a closeup of points strung for blocking.

I made a bin of warm water, added some Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Castile soap, and set it to soak for an hour, to remove the wax or spinning oil or whatever it is in the Harrisville Shetland Style. I knitted it off the cone, rather than skeins(which I think come already washed.) I poured off the water, and filled the bin again with the same temperature water I just drained off. I don’t want a big felted thing after all this time!
I did something I have wanted to try for a while, but hadn’t done yet. I have a front loader, and even on the hand wash or wool setting, it sends a blast of hot water at the end of the cycle which always scared me off using it on my woolens. There’s a cycle called “Drain and Spin” so I decided to try that. I put my shawl in, started the cycle and locked it in. Eeee! It was supposed to be an 11 minute cycle, but I chickened out after the first pause. It sort of wings around, stops, and starts up again. So after the first wind down I took it out, and it was almost dry! Why have I been such a chicken?!


Here’s the arty shot.


Here it is, blocked out to six feet!!! on a side. I have four 2’x 4′ Styrofoam insulation blocks, with one 2′ x 2′ piece in the middle keeping them all connected. I started with the corners and then pulled the centers out, and kept going around until I reached the edge of the foam boards. I probably could have stretched it even more if I had more room.


Here’s some closeups of the lace patterns.

Strike a pose!


I doubt I could wear it without folding it.
I can’t believe I didn’t just block this thing 2 years ago. As I was stretching it out, I thought of all the times I’ve moved it from box to drawer to shelf, moving it out of the way of other things, when I could have been wearing it! All the things that have happened in my life since I started this shawl … What a dork. I love it, and I think I’ll make another shawl with some yarn I bought while on vacation. But that’s a post for another day.