Pressing may be done in much the same way as sponging, care being taken to lift and place the iron rather than to drag it along. The iron will often leave a shiny mark if placed directly on the material; therefore, if it is necessary to press a garment on the right side when it is being made, a cloth should always be placed between the garment and the iron.

A sample of the material should always be tested for the changing of color, when it is to be pressed.

A hot iron should never be used on silk, because it takes the life out of the silk; a warm iron is better. It is often a good practice in pressing seams of silk garments, to invert the iron and draw the seams over the iron. Velvets are very difficult to press and are more satisfactory if steamed (page 402).

When it is necessary to shrink out fullness at the top of a sleeve or around the waist, an oval cushion is essential (Fig. 61). A gathering thread must be run in the full part of the garment to hold the fullness in place. The cloth must then be dampened, pressed, and dampened again until the fullness has disappeared.