You can block crochet without a blocking board by pinning the piece to a folded towel laid over a mattress, carpet, or any surface soft enough to take pins. This setup works fine for smaller pieces, and many crocheters use it for years before buying a dedicated board.
Setting up a towel-based blocking surface
Fold a thick towel a few layers deep over a bed or carpeted floor, smooth it flat, and use rustproof pins to secure the piece at your target measurements. Double check the towel is thick enough that pins don’t poke through into the mattress underneath.
Limitations of this method
Without a printed grid, getting exact measurements is harder, so keep a tape measure handy and check corners and edges as you pin rather than eyeballing it. This method also ties up a bed or floor space for a full drying cycle, which a dedicated board or mat avoids.
Frequently asked questions
Can I block crochet on a carpet?
Yes, carpet holds pins well on its own without needing a towel underneath, though a towel keeps the piece clean while it dries.
Is a towel setup as accurate as a gridded board?
Not quite, since there’s no printed grid to check against. Use a tape measure to check your pinning as you go rather than relying on eyeballing it.
Ready to upgrade to a dedicated board?
See our full buying guide to crochet blocking boards.