Blocking crochet items, like making a gauge sample first, is one of those chores I try to avoid. This piece seemed to start all right.

 
But somewhere along the way it acquired waves. Sometimes  even I have to give in. The plaid afghan just would not lie flat as made.

So I bit the bullet so to speak and laid it out.

Then used the "steam with an iron but don't touch" method. That is an official method, right? It looks much better now.

And I'm still making a few mini hats for the preemies, in various sizes.  New pattern from Nan at Preemie Hat Project. And also a few with a pattern from the Get Well Gang that I have used before, I just mini sized it! The original was adult size and I already reduced it to child size for my hats to donate to the children's hospital.

Now I need to go finish off the two I started, see bottom right of above photo.