Spruce up your knits!

Now is the perfect time to take out all of your woolens (sweaters, hats, scarves), wash them and put them away for the summer.  I know in the NW, we wear these items all year long, but still, spring is a great time to clean them.  I mean, at some point we have to wash them, right?

The best wash I have found to soak my woolens in or for blocking is Eucalan.  It comes in different scents or unscented. 

 Ewenice and Mr. Penguin wanted to be in the picture

So, for those who are unsure how to block or wash their woolens.  You would soak them in tepid water with 1 tsp of Eucalan wash.  Let them soak for atleast 15 minutes (for blocking I soak mine overnight).  Take them out, wrap them in a towel to squeeze most of the moisture out and then lie the item flat on a towel, ironing board, bed, floor OR you can use a Blocking Board.

I love blocking boards, because there is a grid on the board so you can see the measurements.  Such as, if you need to block a 12"x12" square, the numbers are right on the board for you to see.  You can stick needles in the board to hold the knitted piece in place (plus you can iron on it!).  It folds up so you can keep it out of the way. 

Both the blocking board and the Eucalan come in two sizes.