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All good advice....you will pick a bit out of each suggestion and come up with your own blocking method...don't think I would try blocking what Albert was thinking of but maybe there is an advantage there that I don't know about lol. One thing for certain is once you have blocked your work you will continue to do so, especially lace!!!!!!

Blocking is really easy and it's like magic. I block like Michael and there is nothing to it. You won't believe the transformation of your pieces after blocking.

I block items on interlocking blocking tiles (purchased from Knitpicks) and a million stainless steel T-pins. I Actually bought two sets of the blocking tiles to accommodate larger and/or longer projects. I soak the article to be blocked for 10 minutes in a no rinse soap, drain the tub, and transfer the item to a nylon mesh bag and use the washing machine set to the spin cycle to extract the retained water. From the washer to the blocking tiles where the item is stretched out gently to the size I want and pinned into place where it dries for a day or two. The tiles make blocking so much easier than pinning items to a bed, carpeting, or frame. It you have a shawl to block you will need dozens of T-pins, a tape measure, and patience. I have a set of blocking wires but I wouldn't recommend buying them. I like the tape measure and T-pins method.

You'll probably get all kinds of recommendations, but what I do is to soak the piece in a sink of cool water, GENTLY squeeze the water out but do not wring it out. Lay the item on a towel or two and roll it up, then press down (or stand) on the towel to let more water out of the piece.

Then, on a different towel, lay the piece out flat. If it's supposed to be a certain measurement, this is when you make sure it's at that size. Let it sit for a day or two until it dries.