Lay your knitting down on the surface with the right-side facing up. Begin carefully stretching the fabric to fit the size and shape you need. Set your iron to the lowest temperature that allows steam. Once it has heated, hover it slightly above the surface of the protective cloth and steam the entire garment in an “up and down” motion. You can also use a steamer for this process if you have one. Throughout the instructions, I have given some guidance about the best method for different fibres but I wanted to take a moment to clarify this. This method is recommended for synthetic fibers, wool and animal fibers, and some novelty yarns. It’s not recommended for fabrics knitted with cotton or delicate yarns that may lose their shape when wet.

Lightly spray the fabric with clean, lukewarm water from a spray bottle. Aim to dampen and relax the yarn fibers without completely saturating them. If you are working with a larger or more complex shape, this process can take a while as you may need to adjust pins as you shape your work. Especially if you’re working with lace patterns.

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I aim to reassure you too, that it’s not as intimidating as it can seem. And in addition to my normal disclaimer, as I so often find in crochet, there is rarely only one correct approach. Water – you can soak your project in a clean bowl, basin, sink or bath, and you may also find a simple spray bottle useful An easy way to start is to place your first pin at the top of the garment in the center. Stretch the work to your desired length, then place your second pin in the bottom center. Next, add two more pins on each side and pin to your chosen width. If you’ve read any of my posts on gauge, you will know that I am a fan of always making a swatch for any crochet item which needs to fit.

The precise approach to pinning will depend on the shape and style of the garment you’re working with, but I wanted to include this image to give you an idea. Keep collections to yourself or inspire other shoppers! Keep in mind that anyone can view public collections—they may also appear in recommendations and other places. I have used glitter glue mixed with water (I’m not sure what sort of glue gorilla glue is so not sure if it works) to stiffen small items such as decorations – I talk about it briefly in my little Christmas trees post https://doradoes.co.uk/portfolio/little-christmas-trees/

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