Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-10
IRONING TABLE LINEN.
There is IN Art In Giving 1t Luster
and Brilliance.
From the Kansas City Star

From the Kansas City Star.
There is more in ironing table linen than
has been dreamed of in many housewives
philosophy. There is no reason why table
linen Of even a coarse quality should not
have a glisten and shine that is the pecu-
liar property of all properly ironed linen.
We see cheap table cloths starched to
give them body" but If the starch was
avoided and the linen properly Numbered
and used with silence cloth beneath 1t, it
would look far better. We cannot deceive
folks into thinking a coarse table cloth
is of the finest damask texture but we can
have q common cloth look as well if prop
erly ironed one far more costly tmprop-
erly Numbered.
Linens by good rights should be dried
only enough to make ii possible to iron 1t
well. 1t is well nigh impossible to iron out
wrinkles that have once dried in; even with
good sprnkling this is a difficult task to
do, as any one may know who has tried ii.
After the linen is washed and rinsed until
quite clean, then let it hang in the sun IL
possible until just dry enough to iron nice
ly. Have the iron hot; a luke-warm IRON
will not do. Fold the cloth lengthwise, if
at all, for the first pressing; press hard and
iron smoothly until the linen is quite dry;
unless it Is perfectly dry it will not have
that lustre and brilliance that all well
ironed linen has, Fold the cloth length
wise until it is narrow enough to suit the
taste, and sthen crosswlse folding is allow
able.
The only points to be observed are these:
Iron the linen before 1t is dry and iron 1t
until it is perfectly dry. This will insure
perfect work
Avoid starch in linen as you would upon
silk or such fabrics. 1t is entirely out of
place.
Table linen should be ironed in the same
way stable cloths, and all fancy foldings
avoided. Sometimes in hotels fancy fold
ings are used. but for the home table let
the napkins be folded in plain squares and
be ironed perfectly that their gloss will
be an attractive feature of the table deco
rations.
If ironing embroidered pieces, these too
should be ironed before they are allowed
to dry. 1t is best to fold such pieces as
doilies. center pieces, etc, in towels right
from the rinsing water; have the towel dry
and roll tightly, do not let lie too long or
the colors of even the wash" embroidery
, silks may run. Have the irons hot ard
press smoothly and quickly, using a strong
pressure. When about dried turn the piece
| to It's wrong side. and with the embroidery
face down iron II upon surface that is
| soft enough to allow it to rise to its own
| level" Then turn again, and if the luster
| of the linen has been dimmed little bv this
process press again on the right side, avoid
! ing the embroidered portion. The pressing
| upon the wrong side must be resort I'd to
I to bring out the beauty of the EN- 9roidery
| and make it show well. In point of fact,
| embroidered pieces look much better after
once launderingJif this is well done, than
| they do at first
| Hot irons and clean, with a good ironit g
| board or table, covered with q folded
! blanket tackled firmly in place linen not
| too dry, and a good, strong pressure, are
| the main things needed in ironing table
| hnen and there is no reason why the home
| far as these points go, as when it is set fol
| company"