I'm absolutely positively just guessing here:

• Let it soak for a good long time (I'd go at least an hour) then hang it out to dry.  Hope that the soaking has relaxed the fibers
• Iron it -- maybe do a web search on ironing silk clothing first
• Ask on Stunthanger.  Someone there will -- oh, wait.  Never mind

Good luck, merry Christmas, and don't throw your iron at me if you scorch your silk!

Pay strict attention to weave orientation shrinks 7% length wise and 1% chord wise...IMPORTANT

Any easy way to tell which is the 7% direction, and which is the 1%?
Presumably you want the 7% direction to be span-wise on a wing, or lengthwise on something like a fuse?

Thanks,

Pat MacKenzie

I've used the following technique for decades, from Osaka silk to present:

Clean off a space on a smooth countertop. It needs to be spotless.

Cut the silk to the size needed while dry.

Lay it on the countertop (OK, I now use my building glass top)  and then use a wet paper towel to get the water to soak through and smooth it out on the countertop, Pat up an excess water and remove the silk. It should be wet all the way through now, not dripping but fully wetted. This will have removed any creases. If you encounter them at this point, just work them out with the paper towel before you remove it from the countertop. You'll feel the silk "relax" as you do this.

I prepare the structure with at least two coats of Lite-Coat thinned 50/50, sanding with 400 after each coat. The structure will now be waterproof and sealed and the wet silk will "stick" to it just like it does to the countertop. Pull out any wrinkles and 50/50 Lite-Coat through the wet silk over the wood - not any open areas - and then let the silk air dry.  I'll then put a couple coats of SuperCoat on the open bays to taughten, and then Lite-Coat for everything from then on.  I'll say that I believe the trick to easy covering is to have the surface properly prepared. The Lite-Coat you brush through he silk instantly reacts with the dope on the surface and the covering lays down and sticks perfectly.

I use exactly the same method for silkspan.

I'm sure there's lots of other great methods, but the above works for me.

Chuck

I'm glad we all have our own way of doing things and Forum members are OK with this.

I use  silk from Dharma Trading Co. Exclusively.

Wash silk?

I've NEVER EVER washed any silk that I've applied on my models but I do cut my pieces and iron them using steam and ample heat to remove folds. I also draw an "ink line" near the CG to the tip, just for alignment.

Also keep in mind I no longer use dope to apply my silk, so I can pull it board tight and apply silk dry using CA. So even ironing isn't necessary either if silk is applied this way. Ask Dennis, he sees the light! 

See the GBR-3 Build where I go over this technique at CFC Graphics vendor's corner.

DRY! CA! Oh my gosh! And it works! Two minutes and my GBR-3 wing top was ready for dope on the open bays.

Here's a metal straight edge from rib to rib on an open bay, no dope yet. Here's a model covered with silk dry using CA.

Keep in mind, all the words and tips/suggestions are fine, but you still have to do it yourself.
 
Experiment as I did and you will see the light! See the light!! 
 
Especially on Christmas Day!

Nothing going until dinner tonight, so

I have tail feathers to my TEXACO 13 to sand. Progress photos today.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Just saw Pat asked a question about length and width

For most  lengths and widths to stay orientated you need to adjust the sizes you order so you know the length of the sample.. Never order one yard by 36" wide....you end up with a square and no way to feel or see how it came off the long 1000 yard bolt...one yard by 28 " or 42" is easy

But ordering 36" wide material always get 2 yards