My search-fu is iffy at best.
If you have a fabric (for the doublet Sidekick and I are about to mangle) that is dry clean only...what do you to do it to prep it (pre-shrink?) etc before sewing?
I'm Googling for all I'm worth but I must be using strange terminology as I'm not really getting any good info.
Thank you fine sewers!
Lady Kett!
What I have done in the past with non-washable fabrics is actually cut a swatch large enough, serge the edges, then put it with stuff I wash using a Gentle Cycle wash and rinse. I then hang dry rather than put in the dryer.
If the fabric is mostly a Poly/Rayon, Gentle Cycle washes are possible. Then iron on a Wool/Silk setting.
If fabric is going to be used, trimmed, and embellished in any way, hand cleaning with a clean dish cloth and a gentle cleaner like L.O.C made by AMWAY or Woolite.
What Lady K said. I've just done this with three fabrics--one linen/rayon embroidered blend that said "hand wash/line dry;" one all cotton drapery fabric, and one olefin-blend upholstery fabric.
I cut swatches and ran them through ordinary laundry cycles. And you know what? In EVERY case, they washed up *beautifully!!* I used gentle wash/cool dry for the olefin fabric, because Google told me that it doesn't handle heat well (it melts), but it came out of the wash softer and more gorgeous than it went in. After the swatch tests, I washed the whole cuts of fabric.
Another option for fabrics you *know* you won't ever wash is to run them through your dryer on HIGH with a wet towel (soak a towel, then ring it out a little so it no longer drips) and steam the fabric in your dryer. I do this with wools and other non-washable garb (like my velveteen dress I didn't pre-wash the fabric for), and it works marvelously.
Thank you both!
We used the gentle cycle on the washing machine then let it air dry and iron. It looks none the worse for it's travels through the washing machine.
Whew! :)
Next up...the trials and tribulations of interfacing. Why must there be a gazillion types of the stuff??
You should also pre-shrink your interfacing (altho' I have not ever done this): run some hot or warm water into a bowl, swish the interfacing around, and then let it air dry.
I also forgot to mention that one important reason to pre-wash your fabrics is so they won't bleed on your other garb! I have so many pieces of purchased garb that have transferred dye onto chemises and shirts, because nobody bothered to pre-wash the fabrics.
Quote from: Lady Kett on July 11, 2010, 09:44:00 PM
Next up...the trials and tribulations of interfacing. Why must there be a gazillion types of the stuff??
Because there are a gazillion different uses! ;D The type to avoid at all costs is the basic fusible non-woven Pellon/Vilene stuff. It is evil. An invention of the devil designed to ruin beginners projects and put them off sewing! Looks deadly in use. There are good fusibles, but that ain't one! Try to find a fusible woven cotton interfacing instead, or use some muslin/calico for a sew-in option.
What sort of weight is your fabric?
Kate,
It's an upholstery weight sort of material, for a doublet. The ladies at the fabric store suggested "heavy weight" needles and thread if that helps at all. We'll be headed back to the fabric store tonight to ponder interfacing.
Any suggestions on iron on vs sew on (in?)? Do I want the stuff on the bolt buried in the fabric section or the pre-packaged stuff? Obviously I haven't heard of "non-woven Pellon/Vilene" yet but I'd almost be willing to bet that's the cheap pre-packaged stuff. :)
Continued thanks!
Personally I'd forget anything sold as 'interfacing' that looks like white felted fibers. That's the Vilene/Pellon stuff. NOT cheap - just nasty! Looks like this: http://www.kelanifabric.com.au/?PCID=10817 It comes in many weights from cobweb fine to stiff enough for pelmets. I use the pelmet weight sew-in stuff for hat bases. It has it's uses, but good quality dressmaking isn't one! There are better fusibles and sew-ins for that.
If the fabric frays a lot, clean finish your edges after cutting out and marking up. And see if you can find some hair canvas to use. It's the sort tailors put in men's jackets. Looks like this: http://www.venacavadesign.co.uk/Products/Wool_Canvas.html
if you can't get that, look for some skirt weight cotton calico (muslin over your way, I think) or a light cotton canvas, and wash it first, then starch it to give it back the crispness.
What Kate said ;D
I use tent weight cotton canvas for the front of my bodices and a lighter weight cotton for other interfacing. The iron on stuff is hot and nasty.
Quote from: gem on July 11, 2010, 03:58:00 PM
I do this with wools and other non-washable garb (like my velveteen dress I didn't pre-wash the fabric for), and it works marvelously.
Can velveteen be washed? If I remember correctly from making my Queen of Hearts gown, it can't be ironed because it gets crushed. How do I avoid this?
We take everything we buy, surge the edges and then wash it normally and then dry it in the drier on high prior to starting. We then iron it out flat. After that, we just make the garb as normal. As has been mentioned already, if its not prewashed it will bleed when it gets wet. I can also shrink when it gets wet depending on the fabric so washing and drying is the best way to ensure its all good. Been doing this for years and it works really well. You just need to be careful when buying especially upolstery fabric that its not rubber backed or backed in anyway. Easiest way to check on that is look at the back by the selvage. If the selvage is a different color than the rest of the fabric and its not supposed to be, its usually backed and you shouldn't use it. Hope this helps.
Quote from: Lady Rebecca on July 12, 2010, 09:52:34 AM
Quote from: gem on July 11, 2010, 03:58:00 PM
I do this with wools and other non-washable garb (like my velveteen dress I didn't pre-wash the fabric for), and it works marvelously.
Can velveteen be washed? If I remember correctly from making my Queen of Hearts gown, it can't be ironed because it gets crushed. How do I avoid this?
Yes, it can be washed! Wash on cold, then dry on high heat to preshrink before cutting.
It can also be ironed. Either use a velvet board for ironing, or you can have one layer of velveteen face up on the ironing board, then place the stuff to be ironed face down on top of the base piece of velveteen. Use the steam settings on your iron, too. I iron velveteen all the time. :)
Yes, what Lady Rosalind said! I just didn't. :D It was my first piece of garb and I hadn't yet gotten obsessive about pre-washing.
Thank you, thank you all. Fascinating info.
So...interfacing can be almost any material used to "stiffen" up something so it holds its shape better and doesn't flop around? At least that's how I'm reading between the lines. And it comes in pre-identified versions (be careful what we buy, per Kate) and can be sew-in or iron-on.
Would cotton duck work ok or is it too stiff? It's quite "canvas-y" and stiff...and we have some, so maybe if it would work I could avoid another trip to the store. Not that I mind the fabric store, the employees are starting to recognize us. Of course I think by now, we could have bought a few doublets LOL. But now we have "stuff" we will need for future endeavors so it's not wasted, by any stretch of the imagination.
If you use sew-in interfacing, do you match the pattern pieces exactly or are you trying to make it a smidgeon smaller than the pattern piece? I assume the stitching gets hidden amongst the "proper" stitches while making the piece.
I do think the pretty fashion fabric needs sewed to avoid fraying, though I think the other fabric will be fine. I've been inspecting all sorts of garments and their seams lately, LOL. :)
We've had such fun the past few days. I wash material. Hubby irons it. I pin patterns, he cuts them. I mark the material. He will probably do the sewing while I watch on, hehe.
Thank you again all of you for your continued assistance. If there are sewing sites where I might be able to peruse seeking some additional info, please feel free to point me there, too.
The weight and 'hand' of your interfacing depends on the job you want it to do. Generally speaking, it should not be heavier than the fashion fabric (though there are exceptions!).
if you want to give more body to a whole garment, interline it FIRST. Cut the interlining (your cotton canvas, if you like) the same size and shape as the fashion fabric and baste them together in the seam allowances. Thereafter, treat the two as one piece of fabric. You will need to add the interfacing according to the pattern instructions. You can use the same cotton canvas as both interlining and interfacing. They do related but different jobs. :)
We all seem to take "Dryclean Only" as a loose guideline! (Snicker!)
Drycleaning just leaves the applied finish on the fabric - like a stiffener or a shiny chintz, cleaning them with volatile chemical solutions. (I have used commercial drycleaning sheets in the dryer to good effect on theater costumes that would otherwise fall to pieces...)
Generally, pre-washing will take that finish off the fabric, soften and shrink it so it won't shrink much more... I can tell you firsthand, the incredible shrinking power of wool is not something you want to find out two days before the Madrigals!
Interfacing gives body to what would be otherwise floppy areas, like collars, cuffs, plackets, buttonholes or lacings. I would use a fabric-type, not a non-woven type, as has been said, of about the same weight and hand as the fashion fabric, and sew them to the facings, then trimmed to the fold. I have also used a tailor's method of tacking the interfacing all over to the not-seen side of the facing, for even more stability and stiffness...