You need a water source. That can be a sink or bucket if you’re choosing a Soak block, you can use a Spray bottle or you can use Steam. Each works. Steam and Spray are much faster, but not as fully accurate as a soak in some cases. If I’m using a fairly solid stitch pattern, I will typically steam or spray block. Steaming is my favorite in these instances because it is so much faster. However, I frequently forget to buy distilled water for my steamer, so spray blocking happens a lot around here.
Rust proof pins. I prefer Tpins because I like the stability of the T shaped ‘head’. The large strawberry pin cushion is no longer available however check out the cute hedgehog cushion.
Blocking combs are very nice to have. Not a necessity, but they certainly are nice to keep lines straight and insert multiple pins at once. A real time-saver.
Blocking board. Again, not a necessity, but the pre-grid boards {shown} are an absolute luxury to have around. You can easily pin straight lines and corners. The grid also makes it so that you can be certain you have evenly pinned any details within the stitching.
If you don’t have blocking boards, you can use an ironing board, a towel covered pillow, towel covered couch cushion, mattress…. Just be wary. Some yarns bleed! Please don’t accidentally ruin your couch by blocking a bright purple swatch on it.
If you decide steaming is going to be your blocking method, you don’t have to spend a ton of money. This hand-held gadget cost me about $35. It lives in the utility room and is used by everyone in the house because it’s so much easier than ironing (Which is why its always out of water! We are a house of many) .
You can find all of the exact items I use and enjoy for blocking HERE {amazon affiliate link}