Blocking a triangular shawl

Do you block your crocheted or knitted shawls? Do you have any tips for me?

I’ve finally finished the asymmetrical triangular shawl that I’d actually intended to make as a Christmas gift 😅

It turned out to be about 1.75 x 1.2 x 1.5 meters. So I just spread out three towels on the living room floor, crawled around them with pins... and realized that’s not going to work.
The drying rack isn’t long enough either…

I have to say, this will probably remain my first and only project of this kind (not that it wasn’t fun—I just don’t wear things like that myself), so I’m not exactly thrilled about buying an expensive set of blocking mats and T-pins for a one-time use. Is there a more makeshift way to do this? And where do you start—with the longest side?

I’ll admit that I rarely block triangular shawls.
So far, it hasn’t been necessary for me.

Otherwise, maybe block it on a mattress, if possible.

Blocked shawls definitely look better in photos. But I don’t block them.

I block doilies on pillows I no longer use that are big enough.

I once stretched out a scarf with a lace pattern—on my grandson’s play mats. But unfortunately, it didn’t have the desired effect in the end. I’m sure I did something wrong.

I don’t stretch any of my shawls. But I have to say, I usually wear my shawls wrapped around my neck several times, so you wouldn’t see it anyway.

A shawl’s pattern only really comes into its own once it has been blocked while damp. That makes a huge difference. Before that, all the stitches look so crumpled up.

If the shawl is already very large when unblocked, it’ll be much bigger once it’s blocked. Those 1.75 meters will probably turn into 2 meters. The stitches just open up.

Since this is meant to be a one-time project, you don’t need to buy mats, pins, etc. Either you have an oversized mattress or a double bed measuring 2 x 2 meters. Or maybe you have some Styrofoam sheets. Anything you can stick pins into will work. Did you want the shawl to be this big, or did it just turn out that way because of the pattern? Because when worn, it’ll be “oversized” too.

Best regards, Ina

I’m curious to see how this turns out. I hadn’t even thought about how big it should be—I just figured that crocheting more tightly with a larger hook might make up for it a bit and use up pretty much all the yarn.

I just took a look at the pattern, and the shawl measures 122 cm x 144 cm x 130 cm.
Our bed is 1.60 x 2 m, but of course it would be a bummer if it were still wet in the evening.

Someone suggested using cardboard yesterday; my exercise mat could probably take a few pokes, too.
So I’ll see how far I can get with the exercise mat and cardboard laid side by side, some pins, and a bit of spray.

Thanks in advance to everyone!

You could also lay two large towels on top of each other. If you don’t necessarily have a lace pattern that requires elaborate blocking, that’ll work too.
I block all my knitted items as well. The stitch definition looks much nicer, the pattern really comes into its own, and the edges turn out straight.