[Sca-cooks] Viking smoothing board

[Laura C. Minnick]

At 04:25 AM 9/27/2006, you wrote:
>Since I know from personal experience- you don't need _heat_ to set a
>wrinkle in linen- mostly I use what my Mom referred to as finger-pressing-
>fold the edge over once or twice then run your fingers back and forth along
>it (like putting a sharp crease in paper), the fabric will stay in place
>long enough to get stitched down, even if working by hand. I can see the
>boards and blobs (or even a nice smooth river rock!) working well for
>someone with reduced finger strength, (arthritis?)or a lot of sewing to get
>through.
>Pyro -the ever inquisitive after labor saving techniques

Bridget Ann Henisch, in _Fast and Feast_ discussed the laundress' use of a 
'slick stone', which is essentially exactly as you just described- a slick, 
polished rock that is used to press linens. Nothing is new under the sun :-)

'Lainie
___________________________________________________________________________
"It is our choices Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our 
abilities."  -Albus Dumbledore