Blocking
Blocking is the final step of washing, dampening, and shaping your finished knitting to relax the fibers, even out stitches, and secure final dimensions.
Explanation
Blocking is an important finishing step that many forget. After you have finished knitting, you wet the garment (either by washing it or spraying it with water), shape it to the correct size and form, and let it dry flat. Blocking evens out irregular stitches, makes patterns pop, and gives the garment its final shape and size. This is especially important for lace, Fair Isle, and other patterns. Many yarn types change significantly upon blocking.