Ideally you would use a garment steamer because you have more control, however a steam iron can work if you hover it an inch or so above the fabric. It’s important not to work too close to the fabric and not to apply direct heat to the fibres. On a flat surface, a mat is ideal. Pin the knitted items, placing the pins at an angle, with the top of the pin pointing away. Step 1: Lay your newly finished knitted piece onto a soft towel. Put the towel on a surface suggested above. Step 2: Place the blanket on the board. Ensure that you place the blanket according to the desired appearance, then place pins on the edges to hold it in place. Once the corners are pinned, assess whether the shawl is stretched enough. If not, pull it a bit further in each direction for a better look.

You will see here that there are dips in the fabric between the pins. Carry on using your fingers to manipulate that fabric and place the next pins half way between the previous pins. Soak your folded section pieces or finished item in a bowl of lukewarm water and a generous dollop of KnitIQ wool wash. Only once the shawl is TOTALLY dry, cut off the ends. You have spent a long time on this, so store it carefully. Fold it gently and place in a cotton bag (an old pillow case is fine) along with deterrents for your local pests. Alternatively, roll the shawl round postal tubes taped together. For a white shawl, you may wish to put a layer of acid-free tissue paper round the tubes first, and between the layers of the shawl.

An alternative for straight edges is the String Method. A long length of smooth scrap yarn threaded through a darning needle and the yarn is threaded along the edges. TIP: The first time you use them, wipe them to remove manufacturing residue.

Meanwhile, prepare the surface. Here I am using foam play mats from Lidl. Note that I am using them ‘upside down’ – the flat side up – as I don’t want the ‘print’ of the right side to transfer to my shawl. You may wish to cover the mat with a sheet, especially if your shawl is white. First, make sure you have at least two hours, and preferably three, free. Remove pets, children, partners and all other distractions; take the phone off the hook. This is hard work. Get together the things you will need – pins with large heads, wires if you have them, a tape measure. Place the vice of your choice out of reach but in sight to spur you on. This is ONLY for when you have finished – wine or a malt will make your straight lines wiggly and chocolate stains…. It improves your knitting by creating a smooth, flat look. Knitting projects get crumpled or wrinkled when we’re working on them! The rust-proof part is important, as the pins will be exposed to moisture during the drying process and rust stains would be permanently visible on your finished item.Roll your sweater in a towel and stomp on it, this remove excess water. You may need to use two or three towels in a row if you’re drying out a larger or bulkier sweater, as the knit will have soaked up a lot of water. Tip 2 – Don’t Use A Surface You Use In Everyday Life. Your knitting has to dry for a while. Put your knitting somewhere out of the way. The surface gets damp, don’t use a surface that will mark with moisture. Don't know which weight wires you'll need from one project to the next? Our mixed weight sets are what you need. They have the exact same wires as the lace and sweater sets. In fact, they have six of each weight wire. These sets come in tubes with dark purple printing. Leave your shawl to fully dry. If you remove pins too early and the shawl is not 100% dry, all your hard work won’t turn out well.

Once you have the pins in the centre of the sides, continue to evenly shape the fabric, then you can add the pins in the corners. This is the process of finishing your knitted garment to achieve the desired size and shape and to even stitches. Clare Devine is a writer and designer. Originally from South Africa she has nomadic tendencies and is currently knitting her way around the UK. She is passionate about all things fibre related (especially if it’s grey), knitting, travel and sunshine in equal measures. When pinning out finished garments (rather than flat pattern pieces), you may just want to focus on specific areas which may need more shaping.Before you start pinning or shaping, carefully consult your schematic for the suggested dimensions and shape of the finished item. This is crucial for garment pieces! This technique is a gentle method that doesn’t require you to soak your knit. You only need a steam iron, T-Pins, and mats. A table, open space of floor or bed works well. If you are going to use your bed remember you will need to sleep and knitting can take a while to dry, especially in the colder northern climes. Carefully lift the soaked item from the water and gently squeeze out the extra water. Gently does it! Tie the edge of the yarn - from the knot - around a piece of tailor’s chalk or dissolving tailors pen where the mark dissolves in a certain time period.