At our next meeting we'll be talking about blocking techniques. Several of our members use this tool for blocking so we asked if they would give a product review.How did you find out about this tool and where did you purchase it?
Maxine: I first read about steam blocking acrylic in this blog article - the before and after pictures are pretty impressive - so I looked for a steamer and found this model at Target.
Thersa: I found out about it at a CTC meeting and purchased mine online - from amazon.
How often do you use it and what do you use if for?
Thersa: I don't use it that often - but when I do, it works great - especially when I have a project that won't lie flat. I wish I had taken it with me on my last business trip - I could have used it for a pair of pants that I had to press!
Maxine: I really became a believer in this steamer when I used it for the Purple Majestic Vest. True to my nature, I finished this project on the way to work one morning (as rider in my car pool) and it was very puckered and sad-looking. I'd packed the steamer but I was not very hopeful that it would help. Wonder of wonders, it make a huge difference in the look of the garment - smoothed out all the puckers and uneven edges. So now it's my go-to blocking tool for everything I can - motifs to completed projects.
What are the strong points of this tool?
Maxine: I think the brush attachment is one of the strong points (and I leave mine on the tool at all times). If you put the brush on the piece you're blocking, you're just the right distance for the steamer to be concentrated but you don't damage the fabric. A friend of mine has a different hand steamer without a brush and she says hers doesn't really do the job.
Thersa: It's simple to use, it's inexpensive, it works really well. For what I do, there's was no sense in getting an expensive floor-model steamers that cost four of five times the cost of this tool.
Are there any are flaws or weaknesses in the tool that others should be aware of?
Thersa: You might have to refill the water container several times for a larger project. I always use distilled water just so there isn't a chance for build-up - I just keep a container of distilled water nearby so that I'm prepared.
Maxine: Same here. - not really a complaint because the container is the exact right size for the tool.
Would you recommend this tool to other crocheters?
Maxine: Oh my goodness yes - it's one of the most important tools I own.
Thersa: Yes!
Thanks for the tips!
