The plan
Ok we're fixing the hat. Or at least we're trying! But before we do, let's gather some information. The hat that doesn't fit measures just a hair under 25 inches (measuring on the outside of the hat, right where the brim turns up to make the top part of the hat). The hat that does fit measures just a hair under 26 inches at the same spot. So that means I only really need about an extra three quarters of an inch. The head form measures a hair under 27 inches at the widest bit, which is a bit wider [...]
Big head
I, being of an indoor disposition and northern european extraction, am oft afflicted by the sun. I, also, being of a certain age am wholly committed to sun protection (dr. jart every sun day mineral sunscreen, highly recommend). So it makes sense that I possess a sun hat. But I also possess a shockingly large head (24.75 inches, yes really, yes I measured more than once, no it's not all hair). And a lot of hair. So the hat has a tendency to creep upward, for it is just a hair too small. Now, I also am custodian of a [...]
A little extra
Ok so yes. The way I block these is a little extra. I have lasts (that wooden, foot-shaped thing there that shoe companies used to shape their shoes around) in there doing most of the work. And then I have a flexible plastic cutting board in there too to help hold the top open and out and under a bit of tension. If I didn't have lasts (which again, I realize most of you will not, I have this stuff because taking pretty pictures of my knits is literally my job, and so I have specialized tools to do that [...]
Halfway
Ok so think of this as a halfway point between crumpled heap and properly blocked. This is just shoved onto a foot form (they're called lasts, they're what they used to make shoes around, they're damn handy for blocking slippers), but not actually off the needles or subjected to the indignities of an hour or so in a bowl of water. This is just because I couldn't bear to leave the other pic as your last sight of the slipper for a while, crumpled as it was, so I needed to give it a slightly more structured view. Just in [...]
Where now?
So, I do have a really good suggestion for how to block these guys...but it involves shoving a balloon where the sun doesn't shine and looking absolutely ridiculous for a moment. Tell me that looking ridiculous is actually good for you. At the very least, there is video proof that it is, at least in this case, not fatal.
Show off
Here's the full progression from blocked and shiny, back to one blocked one not for contrast, then back to fresh off the needles. Now...do I normally block socks like this every time I pull them out of the washing machine? No I very much do not. I do this (with the sock blockers and the carefully making sure the leg and foot are lined up straight and the gentle tugging to keep the top of the cuff straight) happens the first time and for photos or for gifting. After a regular wash, I just smooth them out flat (or flatish, [...]
Crossover
I mean...it seemed like a sensible plan at the time. Because we all know blocking things is about sensible plans. Not at all some sort of Martha Stewart / MacGyver crossover act that would really benefit from a dramatic soundtrack and some creative special effects work. Now fess up, what's the weirdest thing you've ever pressed into service for blocking (or knitting in general if that's easier...but I wanna hear about stunt blocking)?
Autonomy
Do you have to block your socks? Nope. Nope you are an adult with autonomy and I am absolutely not the boss of you. Does blocking your socks make a difference? Eh...I say yes. But I also acknowledge that it's pretty much just an aesthetic difference, and once they're on a foot, the difference is negligible. But for something like giving them as a present (or in my case, taking pictures of them), I think the effort to reward ratio is such that a quick block is more than worth it. (These are Xanthophyll, one of my very early patterns [...]
Boss of your knitting
Do you have to block your socks? No, of course not. You are the boss of your knitting, and a grown up, and I have absolutely no power to compel you to do anything at all. I do, however, want to show you what blocking your socks does and talk about when I do it and when you might want to do it. The first picture shows a pair of socks fresh of the needles, never once touched by water. You can see that they're lovely, but a bit crumpled. This is totally normal. The second shows one of them slid [...]
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