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Once the crochet item is completed, it may well need to be pressed. Before pressing the work, refer to the ball band of the yarn being used to find out exactly how this should be done. This is particularly important when working with the fancy textured and sparkly yarns featured in this book. Follow the instructions on the ball band very carefully to avoid damaging the yarn.

Regardless of the pressing instructions on the ball band, extra care must be taken if the item is decorated with beads or sequins. Even a warm iron will melt sequins and fragile glass beads could easily shatter if they come into contact with an iron.

If the beads that have been used are small and the yarn can be pressed, press the item very carefully from the wrong side of the work, protecting the beads by covering the pressing surface with layers of soft cloth that will cushion the beads—a couple of soft towels covered with an old sheet are ideal. It is also advisable to use a pressing cloth to avoid the risk of the iron damaging a stray bead that may have crept through to the wrong side of the work.

If the item has sequins attached to it, do NOT press it! If it does need to be “pressed”, it can be blocked out to size. To block out the item, cover a large firm surface, such as an old table, with several towels under an old sheet or tablecloth. Pin the item out to shape on this surface, making sure all the sequins “sit” in their correct positions and making sure the item is the size detailed within the pattern. Cover the pinned-out work with another cloth and mist this cloth with water—it should be damp, not wet! Leave everything to dry naturally away from direct heat. Once totally dry, remove the cloth and the pins and the item is complete.