Shaping Your Knitwear, part 1: Stretching

Sometimes you have a knit or crochet item that is just a tad too small or too tight. It can be very disappointing when that happens, but you can usually stretch out your item just a bit. This doesn't work for items that are multiple sizes too small, but if you just need a little bit of wiggle room these tips can help.

First, there are a few things to consider when attempting to stretch your knit:

Fiber Type
Different fibers have different elasticity. Natural animal fibers like wool will offer the most stretch. Artificial fibers like acrylic (plastic) and metallic yarns will be significantly less giving. Even though cotton is a natural fiber, it has even less give than artificial yarns. You might be able to get a little stretch, but if you are looking for more it may not be possible.

Fabric/Stitch Type
By nature knit items will have more give than crochet. This is because the knit stitch is more like a weave, and the crochet stitch is more like knots. That being said, crochet items can certainly be stretched, especially if made out of a more pliable fiber. Just keep this in mind if you are looking for more than a little wiggle room.

The stitch type also impacts how much you will be able to stretch your item. Straight crochet or knt can be fairly stretchy, depending on the fiber. Ribbing, while used to gather fabric together, is designed with elasticity in mind. You will be able to stretch ribbing, but sacrifice it's gathering properties in exchange. Cables are created by twisting the fabric, so the give when stretching cables will be minimal. Fair Isle (color work) involves carrying all the colors across the work, which creates a rather tight stitch. Fair Isle pieces will have very little stretch.

Felted items will not stretch. They have been intentionally shrunk, and it is generally irreversible. If you now the item was originally knit (and not crochet), you may be able to get a little stretch. This would not be enough to go up a size, but could work for something that is just a tad too tight.


With those considerations out of the way, the rest is rather simple:

Stretching Process

1. Soak the item in warm water, with a mild detergent (e.g. baby shampoo or wool wash). Be careful not to use hot water or agitate, especially if your item is wool as you risk felting or shrinkage.
2. Rinse your item in warm water, again being careful to no use hot water or agitate.
3. Place the item between some towels and press to dry. You could also slowly roll up the towels to squeeze out excess water. Do not ring or twists.
4. Stretch out your item to desired size, or as far as fabric will let you go. Go slow and easy. Pay attention--you will feel when you are stretching too far, and if you continue to stretch you could break the yarn. If you have a form to stretch your item over, that is good idea and will help retain a good shape.
5. Allow to air dry completely. Put in a place with good air flow to prevent mold or mildew. Avoid using hot air like from a hair dryer, but a fan may speed up the drying process.
6. 
   

Please pay attention to your item when attempting to stretch it. As noted above, some fabrics and stitches just do not lend themselves to stretching. Go slow and easy. If you feel too much resistance, stop or you risk breaking the yarn which can lead to unraveling. Be careful not to use hot water, agitation, or hot air as these are often used to create the opposite results.

As always, if you have questions or tips, please leave them in the comments!

Stay tuned for my next product info update which will go over shrinking your items! Sometime int eh near future, I will also give a more detailed break down of blocking your items into shape.