quick Backyard Leaves/blocking question

hey, yet another new member here(and maybe it's getting old, but thanks, Tipper ;D)...I'm almost finished with my first scarf from Scarf Style, Backyard Leaves(there is a pic of the first half in my blog, fyi) and I'm planning on blocking it, but currently I'm away at school and don't have all of the blocking resources I could use, so I'm waiting until I get home to block it, which will be later in March. still, I'd like to wear it/show it off a little bit now, even if in its puffy glory. the instructions say to block the item before sewing together, but I'm wondering if it's really that horrible to sew it together and block later(aside from the fact that it would be a lot longer). I'm a new knitter so I'm not so sure, so I thought it would be a good idea to ask. help me out and you'll have some leafy pics to look at in the near future ;) thanks