Crochet/kitted blanket blocking advice

[LancreWowhawk]

I'm making a large crochet blanket - a double bed sized Sophie's Universe.

It's currently roughly 1m square, and will eventually be around 1.7m square, depending on how close I am to the gauge.

I'm at the stage where the pattern suggests that I block it for the first time. I'll then need to block it again at regular intervals. I know I could ignore this, but I can see it would be beneficial, and frankly this is a big undertaking for me - I want the finished thing to be as good as I can make it, so I do want to do it.

Here's my problem - I can't work out how. I understand the theory of blocking, but it is/will be such a big thing that it will take a lot of space. The layout of our house is a bit weird in that there are no rooms that 1) have enough floor space, or a bed that isn't in regular use and that 2) I can realistically keep the cat out of for what could be multiple days while it dries.

Has anyone else overcome a similar issue? What did you do? Will it work if I cover the blanket being blocked with towels over the top as well as underneath?

Covering it will keep the cat off and shouldn't affect the blocking at all.

Does it really need blocking? Is it uneven or not lying flat? I have never heard of blocking a blanket honestly and would not bother. If you think it needs blocking you could steam iron it. What is it made of? If it is acrylic fiber, acrylic won't take blocking. If wool, use a low iron temperature with steam, go over it lightly, and then leave to dry loosely over the ironing board.

It's cotton acrylic - Sheepjes stone-washed XL to be precise.

I could decide not to bother, but it isn't sitting square and that will distort the pattern.

This is probably the only blanket I'll ever make, and I'm making it as an heirloom piece for my daughter, so I want it to be perfect.

I think the only way to block acrylic is by using steam so I'm not sure how successful a standard blocking would be on a cotton/acrylic mix.

acrylic won't take blocking.

It does but you have to pin it out and then use a steam iron (without the iron touching the item!) to steam it.

In that case, I would machine wash and dry it then go over with a light pressing with cool iron. Lucky daughter! ;)

I wouldn't iron it! Steam, yes. Iron, absolutely not.

Think I'd wash it at the end and lay it out in the garden on a dry day, you can weight it a bit to lay it flat/square?