For many fabrics, pressing is a breeze and you never give it a thought. However, some fabrics, such as tightly woven worsteds, require extra care when pressing. The following rules will help ensure that you get the great results you want from pressing.

• You're pressing (down, hold, up) not ironing (back and forth), right?

• Allow the fabric to dry and cool after each pressing. Wool is easily damaged when it's warm and damp.

• It's not necessary to put all your weight into pressing—your ironing board may collapse. The weight of the iron is usually sufficient.

• Don't press over pins. At best, they'll leave an impression—at worst, the plastic heads will melt.

• Don't pull on edges. Although wool is resilient, stretched edges generally stay that way.

• Press in the direction that the seam was stitched.

• Press each seam as you sew it. Dab a small amount of water into the seam and press it open from the wrong side of the fabric. Use a seam stick, press cloth, or strips of paper between the fabric and the seam allowance to avoid the impression of the seam allowance on the right side.

• Always use a press cloth when you press the right side of the fabric.

• If you do notice a shine, steam the area and gently brush it with a scrap of the fabric.

• Wait until the garment is finished before you press the outside of the garment and then use a press cloth.

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