Blocking

There are lots of ways to block your work, and lots of tools you can use (blocking matts, t-pins, blocking wires). But don't let that overwhelm you - it doesn't have to be complicated. Blocking can be as simple as submerging your work in cool water and laying flat to dry! Here's how Alison blocked her Branches Cowl, using only water, a towel, and her own fingers.

Some people prefer more precision. Here's how one test knitter used pins & blocking matts to block her cowl to size.

The important thing to remember is that blocking allows the fibers to relax. How agressively you block, how precise you are, that depends on what you're trying to accomplish. If you need a little more length in a sweater, you'll likely stretch it more vertically than horizontally. If your colorwork has too much tension, you'll block more aggressively there. The nice thing about blocking is you can play around with it. If you need to re-block something, that's ok!