My New Blocking Board....or How My Mom FINALLY Gets Her Scarf!

I finally bought my much needed "blocking board". I'd been cruising the hardware stores looking for Tyvek or something similar, but never found anything that I thought was both reasonably priced and the right size. I found the perfect item at Lowe's! It's a 1/2" thick styrofoam board that's 4'x8'. The "official" purpose of the board is to provide insulation. However, I think it's PERFECT as a blocking board - it's big enough to block any stole or shawl that I plan to make.

It's plastic coated on one side and foil on the other. At a cost of $8.00 for the entire sheet, it's a steal! The "official" blocking boards I've seen have run about $80.00......a significant difference in cost! Therefore, according to my calculations, I now have $72.00 that can be readily converted into yarn!

On another note, my mom will be sooooo happy! I finished knitting this for her about 1 1/2 years ago.....gave it to her, and then told her it needed to be blocked and took it back. I felt guilty, but I explained to her that since it was lace, it really needed to be washed and blocked in order to see the detail. The scarf was made with ivory colored cashmere yarn I purchased from Hunt Valley Cashmere at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival a few years ago. The lace pattern is English Garden from Barbara Walker's Treasury of Knitting Patterns.

I'll be hand delivering this scarf to my mom next week....just after Mother's Day. Phew! Another UFO finally finished! (At the same time, I'll be delivering a Noro scarf to my dad......it too had needed to be washed and blocked.)