In my experience aboard traditional craft and square-riggers, we lashed everything, usually with various sizes of seine twine! Modern boats, however, have modern loads and require modern line. The principles and techniques remain largely the same.
The Apprentice goes over Round Seizings, which can be used to attach blocks, etc., to padeyes and straps. The trick is to apply just the right amount of tension in all the turns to allow just the right amount of play: too little lets the block flop about too easily, while too much tension can sometimes leave the attched block stiffly standing out at an awkward (chafing) angle.
No matter what material you use, the best way to start the seizing is with a diminutive eyesplice, easily accomplished with three-strand seine twine, more difficult with other materials. In any event, it's a little slovenly to start off with a small bowline or (as i've seen reccomended) small cowhitch.
The frapping turns may take the form of a series of French Hitches. With three-strand seine-twine end the line with a neat little Wall-and-Crown. Fancy synthetic single-braid is probably best ended with a small "butaned" figure-eight.
I've seen it reccomended to make such lashings of seizing wire. This looks odd to my eye, and seems to be no advantage over a shackle. I've seen wire lashings covered over by twine seizings, but I worry about the chafe between the two materials, sandwiched as they become.
A proper lashing/seizing is a carefully-rendered and balanced work of art; resist the urge to "tie a lot" instead of tying a knot.
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