Firefly Mom asked: "...could you put a hand towel over it and iron it (like you would an iron-on transfer) to smooth it out?"
And here's my long, convoluted answer *grin* -
Dh's aunt bought us an Arnold Grummer paper making set complete with a very handy how-to video. I'm a video/demo gal. I don't think we could have successfully made paper if we hadn't reviewed the video prior to each attempt.
Anyway, yes! you sure can use an iron! In fact, if you go to the Arnold Grummer link and click on the video demo, and then on the "drying" demo option, you'll see that he irons it at the end. I don't do that just because 1) I don't like to iron, and 2) I have heard that the iron is one of the most energy intensive appliances in the house (I love reasons to not iron...haha!).
After drying out the paper with the sponge and block as much as he could, he irons the paper directly, no towel or anything. You have to kind of test the heat setting...not so hot that it scorches the paper, but not so cool that it takes forever to dry it. He says that every iron is different, so you really have to get a feel of your own.
I have to add, also, that in our video tape where he shows how to dry with an iron, his sheet of paper wasn't completely flat either. It still tend to curl as it became drier and drier.
He is such a darling old man, that Arnold! :)
"To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act." ~ Anatole France (1844 - 1924)
