I am trying to decide if I really need a blocking board. :?? Some of my knitting friends pin their blocking pieces on towels. I like the idea of the measured marks on blocking boards. Should help to keep knitting straight and on target for size. 
I had a spare cheapie cork bulletin board from Costco so I’ve commandeered it for blocking. It’s 2’ X 3’. I suppose I could take a permanent marker and make a grid on it. The cork isn’t affected by dampness and the frame is ?aluminum? and plastic, so I’m ok there too.
Some people pin items to their rugs, but a) my carpets are not that clean b) I don’t have that much floor space and c) I don’t really want a wet carpet.
I just put the bulletin board across my tub and if I need to shower, I put it up resting one side on the shower curtain rod and the other on the lip of the shower wall.
Carol
cork board - what a great idea! i was pondering over this one too - i really don’t want wet carpet =P
This might be a bit weird question, but what is a blocking board? :??
It’s a board to pin your knit garments to ,in order to block them. I have only used a towel. Sounds like a board is in order!
Well I’ve only done it once and I used (or am currently using) a towel. It works, but it seems like something more solid would be a lot more practical. I’m all for the self made stuff, its usually cheaper! Cork board would be fantastic.
I think it’s the expression “to block something you’ve knit” which gets me: I have no clue what this means 
I think it’s the expression “to block something you’ve knit” which gets me: I have no clue what this means :([/quote]
The process of blocking also shapes the garment, whether it’s a flat or shaped item. I blocked my purse and my Fuzzy Feet to form. The purse dried around a rectangular plastic box. The FF were stuffed with wadded up plastic bags to resemble a foot shape until dry on the outside and then I pulled out the bags and finished drying. Things like sweaters may need gentle reshaping and blocking to size, which is why some blockers use a gridded board. If you know how big you want your sweater to end up, you can see the size by the grid and pin the sweater appropriately. You wouldn’t want to hang the sweater to dry because the weight of it when wet would pull it out of shape.
HTH
Carol
“Blocking” means to wet or steam the knitted item and then laying it out to straighten the edges and manipulate it into the exact measurements you want, and then let dry completely. Yarn is softer when wet and when dry, it will stay in the shape you put it in. Much like your hair… if you wet your hair, then put it in curlers, when dry, it will still be curly. 
And by the way, I don’t use a blocking board either. I use a peice of cardboard with a towel over it.
I recently purchased a blocking board and have used it a few times so far. I got a large one that folds in half and store it in my laundry room. I thought it worked great and really liked the scale markings to help keep the piece the exact size you want. I bought my on-line from Sandie Kwik Knit (sandee@sandeeskwikknit.com). It was kind of expensive but I figured that I’ll be knitting for the rest of my life so it was a good investment.
thanks Carol and Silver: now it makes a lot more sense
Thanks for the link to Sandee Kwik Knit. I wish I could find the board locally and avoid the shipping charges. I guess I will have to visit a few more stores. Chicago has so many----this may take some time.
I know, I know----I could ask a shop to order one for me, but it is more fun to visit the stores.
An expensive blocking board can be made from a cardboard cutting board available at JoAnns, Hancock Fabrics, etc. Unfold it and cover it with Glad Press 'n Seal Wrap. This is the sticky wrap not the regular cling stuff. I have taped the edges of the wrap every foot or so to keep if from curling. The pins stick into it nicely.
The advantages of this board are that it is big enough for nearly all projects including shawls, it has squares on it, the Press 'n Seal wrap makes it waterproof, and it folds into a compact size. It is also cheap. I use mine on the guest bed.
here’s a good article from Knitty on the blocking process and some tips for making your own homemade board as well…
the Sandee Kwik Knit board looks cool - i like the gridlines too. Patternworks also sells a similar sized board for about $80.
So, a quick question for you blocking fanatics.
I am over 1/2-way through my first sweater, which I’m knitting with LB Cotton Ease. I have some holes where I did some M1 increases, and I’m wondering if blocking is going to help “erase” those holes.
Also, would you wet block CottonEase or spray it???
Thank you so much!
i’ve never worked with CottonEase… so i’m not sure about the M1’s. but one of my knitting ref books tells me that if the yarn label says you can handwash it, then it’s ok for wetblocking… not sure if that helps you out or not =P
Good advice, and it makes sense. I’ll give my swatch a try and see what happens! 