Answers.
Thanks for the compliments!! I wish I could say that I'm brilliant enough to come up with using something as useful as the mats, but I'm not. I don't remember where I read it first.
How did the blocking mats work? They worked great. It was very easy to arrange the fabric and pin. They stayed put too. None of the pins popped up while the fibers dried. Yay!
It took a bit longer to dry than I thought. So much that I had to put the blocks near the fireplace to speed drying. I'm used to drying on the top of the dryer, a sweater rack or if I have to stretch and pin, then on a rug. Air doesn't move too easily between the fabric and the mats.
Did the smell of the rubber transfer? The sweater did have a noticeable non-sheepy smell to it. I'm not so sure how to fix that. Maybe putting a towel down before pinning? I don't know.
It's not so horrible that I wouldn't use them again.
Where did I get them? I bought them a few months ago for $10.00 at the Christmas Tree Shops. There's 4 good sized connectable blocks in each package. I had been looking that the kid ones at Target and ToysRUs, but for various reasons I didn't pick them up. Too many blocks, not cheap enough, not wanting to put pins in my kid's toys...the list goes on.
The sweater is being worn (by me) as I'm writing this post. Photos tomorrow when it's not so gray outside. The sweater is a great design. I can't wait to show you guys!
(And, I'm not half way through the semester. The algebra professor gives 4 exams so that we don't get overwhelmed. Nice, hunh?)
How did the blocking mats work? They worked great. It was very easy to arrange the fabric and pin. They stayed put too. None of the pins popped up while the fibers dried. Yay!
It took a bit longer to dry than I thought. So much that I had to put the blocks near the fireplace to speed drying. I'm used to drying on the top of the dryer, a sweater rack or if I have to stretch and pin, then on a rug. Air doesn't move too easily between the fabric and the mats.
Did the smell of the rubber transfer? The sweater did have a noticeable non-sheepy smell to it. I'm not so sure how to fix that. Maybe putting a towel down before pinning? I don't know.
It's not so horrible that I wouldn't use them again.
Where did I get them? I bought them a few months ago for $10.00 at the Christmas Tree Shops. There's 4 good sized connectable blocks in each package. I had been looking that the kid ones at Target and ToysRUs, but for various reasons I didn't pick them up. Too many blocks, not cheap enough, not wanting to put pins in my kid's toys...the list goes on.
The sweater is being worn (by me) as I'm writing this post. Photos tomorrow when it's not so gray outside. The sweater is a great design. I can't wait to show you guys!
(And, I'm not half way through the semester. The algebra professor gives 4 exams so that we don't get overwhelmed. Nice, hunh?)
posted by Sunflowerfairy at 5:26 PM
2 Comments:
I use them in my classroom. I think they will lose the rubber smell as they air out. I'd already forgotten about them- how am I going to remember???
I purchased a set of 12 at our Big Lots for $15 a few years ago.
Thanks for the report on the mats. I may have to get some. I'm blocking a shawl on a bed right now and the pins don't want to stay in. I'm looking forward to seeing your sweater!
Post a Comment
<< Home