If anyone is interested, Overstock.com has some knitting tools on sale. They have a blocking kitthat looks good for the price and has some good reviews. There are also swifts, and ball winders, along with other items. Saw it on Ravelry and thought I’d share it here.
Hi!
On page 4 of the sticky, Knit Tips & Tricks, I wrote about my set up for blocking. It’s been super and I get lots of use out of it. Here’s what I wrote…
“Hi - I’ve just got to share this with all of you. Today I went to a welding supply shop and bought a tube of stainless steel “tig rods” for just under $16. The tube holds about 25-30 1/16” rods, 3 feet long, which is more than enough for blocking my largest afghan. They came in a nice, heavy plastic tube with a loop at the top for hanging!
Also, I stopped at Lowe’s and spent another $16.88 for a big package of those snap-together floor mat tiles (the ones for kids with letters of the alphabet) that will make a perfect base for stretching the afghans on the rods and then pinning them down right into the mat tiles.
For under $32 I’m set to block almost anything. So maybe go hang out at your local welding supply shop, too!
Ruthie
PS - If you need flexible stainless steel wire for blocking curves, they also sell that. It’s a very large spool of wire, though, so you might want to divide the wire (and the cost) with other knitting friends."
Hope this is helpful!
Ruthie 
Thanks for the head’s up, Lynn! Very considerate of you!
I’m a real blocking enthusiast, and believer! Thanks again!