Steam vs. Wet Blocking Superwash Yarn: What Every Swoncho Maker Needs to Know 🧺💨

💨 Why Steam Blocking Wins for Both Crochet & Knit Swonchos

Steam blocking isn’t just fast…it’s smart. It uses heat and moisture to gently relax your stitches, even out tension, and bring drape to life without the risks of soaking your project.

Here’s why it works so well:

• 🧶 Evens out stitches without over-stretching
• 💫 Preserves yoke structure (especially important for colorwork!)
• ✨ Enhances drape without dragging out the fabric
• ⏱️ Quick and low risk, especially for large garments

Whether you’re smoothing out your floats in the Prism Path or taming the bold mosaic in the Spectrum Stitch, steam gives you control.

💡 Designer Note: this is our preferred steamer! Check out all the blocking supplies we suggest here.

How to Steam Block Your Swoncho

Using a steamer or the steam function on your iron (hovering, not pressing!), gently pass steam over your piece while it’s laid flat on a surface. Let the fibers relax. Don’t over stretch. Just smooth things out with your hands and let it cool down before moving. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it doesn’t risk turning your swoncho into a blanket. 🙃

Understanding Superwash Yarn (Before You Block!)

Let’s take a little detour into yarn science, because knowing how your yarn behaves will save you a LOT of heartache.

Superwash merino is soft, smooth, and perfect for swonchos. But it’s treated to be machine-washable, which changes the way the fibers respond to water and heat.

What Makes Superwash Yarn Unique?

Superwash wool doesn’t felt the way untreated wool does. That’s great for care, but it also means the yarn is a little more slippery—and that slipperiness can lead to unintentional growth, especially when wet.

Soaking it? It might look like a sad, saggy mess straight out of the tub. Drying it? It could stretch into a completely different size if you’re not careful.

That’s why understanding how you block is just as important as that you block.

Why Steam Is Best for Superwash

Steam blocking is the gentlest way to tame superwash yarn. Since you’re not saturating the fibers, you avoid the weight that leads to drooping. Plus, the heat helps the yarn “remember” where you placed it without locking it into an overstretched state.

If you’re working colorwork, steam blocking also helps those floats on the back relax beautifully without flattening your stitches.

🧺 But What About Wet Blocking?

Look, I get it. Sometimes you just need a full wash. Especially after wearing your swoncho out and about. And yes, wet blocking can be done with superwash yarn. But it comes with serious caution, especially for crocheters.

🚨 Wet Blocking + Crochet = Proceed Carefully!

Crochet fabric is heavier, uses more yarn, and when wet? It’s HEAVY.

Add in superwash merino yarn like Swish DK, and here’s what happens:

• Your stitches may look thin and stringy when soaked … they have no plump anymore
• The swoncho can become gigantic and misshapen
• You risk turning your handmade wearable into a tent

If you do wet block:

• Roll in towels to remove as much water as possible … the goal is damp not wet!
• Work while damp, not soaked … this is very important
• Don’t overstretch … this can be tricky at the start of the blocking process but try to maintain gauge!
• Avoid machine washing even if it’s superwash! My rule of thumb is Handmade = Hand Wash!
• Test a swatch before putting anything in the dryer … you might be tempted to toss the swoncho in the dryer (to plump up the wool) after it has dried completely through blocking. If you do this, please test a swatch in the dryer first so you are not completely messing up your swoncho on accident.

Personal Opinion for this swoncho: Stick to steam unless you’re very confident or you absolutely MUST wash the swoncho right away. Your swoncho is worth the extra care!