GingerK

Another good way to make sure that your quilt is square, is to measure the diagonal length--from top left to bottom right, and from top right to bottom left. The measurements should be the same if the quilt is blocked properly. This is something my woodworking DH taught me.

Hinterland

The quilt doesn't have to be soaking wet to block. Steam would work, and so would spraying it with water - I have a spray bottle I use just for this. I've never had a problem with fabrics bleeding after I sprayed.

I haven't used foam core, but I did buy some interlocking foam tiles to put on the floor under the quilt. It's easy to get the pins in, and softer on the knees.

Janet

NJ Quilter

I've never blocked a quilt but I have blocked many a piece of needlepoint and cross stitch in my day. I would recommend just as you say - pinning well and steaming it into submission. I have a needlepoint-specific blocking frame but my cross stitch I do just as above and works just fine. You may want to use something heavy duty for squaring up your outside (or even inside, I suppose,) corners.

sandpat

I've used the heavier metal T pins...don't know what type metal they are and then I also used the flower head quilt pins...Dritz/Clover...didn't matter who made them..I just use a lot of them!