Blocking Boards

For years I have blocked garments on a large cork bulletin board that I bought at Staples. It's worked pretty well, but there's always been this issue of getting the measurements just right. This issue was especially evident as I blocked my Take Two earlier this year in an attempt to stretch the traveling rib to the right size. Lew and Ty were in the shop, and watched as I pinned the bust and hip edges to the right size. When I was nearly done, Lew looked at it and noticed that it was a little skewed--it wasn't square on the board, and it wasn't in line with itself. So we proceeded to measure the center line to each edge of the board, then each edge of the sweater to its own center line, then the shoulders to the top of the board and...well, you get the picture. Pretty soon I was ready to just say the h3ll with it. I finally did get it right, and I love the garment, but what a pain!

So, when I received the flier on this product, I thought, alleluia - finally. The first thing I love is that this board is covered with light grey, durable 100% cotton twill with a 1" grid printed right on. How awesome is that! You can pin right through the twill into the board itself. The entire board is made of heat-resistant materials so you can steam or iron right on it. (Great for seamstresses and quilters too). The cover and lining materials tolerate damp items and dry out thoroughly, so it's perfect for cold blocking too.

When the board is fully opened it measures 51" by 33", so it's large enough to accommodate any sweater you'll ever knit. The backing is the same great protective felt you have on your dining room table pads, so you can place it right on your table and work at a comfortable height without worrying about damaging the furniture. Depending on the size of your table, it may hang over the edge, but not to worry - it's solid enough to support itself. When you've finished, you can fold the whole thing in half for easy storage. It even has handles to make carrying easier. The board's closed dimensions are 22"x33. It comes with a 2-year warranty on materials and workmanship.

They'll be arriving in the shop starting this week - you'll see them on line priced between $79 and $90 - plus shipping costs of $11 to $30. They're available at Crazy for Ewe (both Leonardtown and La Plata) for $79 because we're absorbing the shipping cost for you. Why? because I always say that good finishing makes the difference between, "Wow - where did you get that?" and "Oh, you made that yourself, didn't you"! Call the shop, or email me if you would like us to put one aside for you.