tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post5898627218842613372..comments2024-03-14T16:03:32.434-04:00Comments on Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing: Preshrinking Fabrics: Methods and Mishaps!Gertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314542159287533507noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-19348649448102028342013-11-06T15:35:11.682-05:002013-11-06T15:35:11.682-05:00Hi, I am about ready to pre-wash/shrink my first f...Hi, I am about ready to pre-wash/shrink my first fabrics.. ever.. and I dont own a serger or my own washer/dryer.. so it would be a very expensive trip to the laundromats. I have 2 contrasting fabrics for a dress, one is a bright pink with black polka dot with a white and flower print fabric for skirt of the dress. these are 100% cotton. I then have 2 other random fabrics for other projects, a black with day of the dead skulls (cotton) and a blue with black polka dot (jersey) ... then I have 2 fleece fabrics light pink and lilac which will wash well together but I am concerned about what will haven to the rest... and should I put them in together? help please! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05064806682742740888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-1144724006793153252013-03-09T01:27:40.165-05:002013-03-09T01:27:40.165-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11233602113771034965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-62490097885609640962012-03-18T13:04:34.291-04:002012-03-18T13:04:34.291-04:00A combination of knowing (thanks to working with e...A combination of knowing (thanks to working with environmental scientists) exactly how horrible perc (the nastiest of the dry cleaning chemicals is);<br /><br />bad experiences with clothing coming back smelly, with animal hairs (and I had no pets) and lint that wasn't there when I took them in and over pressed and shiny from the dry cleaners; and<br /><br />that of the 10 dry cleaners I called to steam my fabrics only 2 agreed and when I took the fabric to the closest one then refused,<br /><br />I refuse to dry clean anything. <br /><br />People cared for tailored wool suits with far less advanced materials before dry cleaning. So I am with everyone who posted that wool can be cared for without it. Pandleton Mills says some of their worsted can be machine washed. <br /><br />And the CO2 technology? Where? I am still waiting for this to become viable 8 years after it was announced to the public in my area.lorrwillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12671379391189827831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-46231838661289565202011-10-14T14:10:37.733-04:002011-10-14T14:10:37.733-04:00Thank you for this valuable tidbit of info: "...Thank you for this valuable tidbit of info: "•Be cautious of prints that may run, and wash them in cold water." I have searched and searched for what temperature of water to use and that hit the nail on the head. I have a first-time throw blanket project for a sewing group tomorrow, and the clerk at the fabric store advised me to pre-wash before sewing. It didn't dawn on me to ask what temp to wash at! Thank you for your blog, I think I shall devour each article!Kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06190837127248814628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-70071142071263284502011-04-05T22:10:00.974-04:002011-04-05T22:10:00.974-04:00Knitters say to wash wool or other similar textile...Knitters say to wash wool or other similar textiles (angora, alpaca etc) in COLD water with mild shampoo such as baby shampoo. You can also use conditioner on it as you would your hair. No heat. Silk is similar, it doesn't like heat, but you can hand wash in cold or luke warm and iron on low with a pillowcase on top of it (to protect if from the iron). I have noticed thought that some silks will take on a matte appearance (like a sandwashed silk) - so it depends on how you want it to look. Try washing a small piece and testing it. I personally avoid dry cleaning because of the chemicals.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-25322982166335515682010-12-19T17:29:28.400-05:002010-12-19T17:29:28.400-05:00I pre-wash all fabrics that I use. More durable in...I pre-wash all fabrics that I use. More durable in machine and delicate materials I only quickly soak in cool water without detergent. Not only because they might shrink, but because they usually have some finishing chemicals in them that might change the feel of the fabric. <br />I have done machine wash for wool crepe and some qualities take it pretty well. Behaviour in the wash depends of the softness of the yarn used on the fabric. The softer the yarn, more likely it is to felt. <br /><br />Crepe is actually weave that always shrinks abit in wash, no matter what material it is but it's possible to get it back into original measurements by ironing. You just have to remember that wool <b>never ever</b> should be washed warmer than 30 degrees Celcius.Rhiahttp://www.evildressmaker.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-40889595464280345842010-06-02T10:37:56.769-04:002010-06-02T10:37:56.769-04:00Pardon me if I repeat someone else's comment.
...Pardon me if I repeat someone else's comment.<br />I owned (and sheared, spun and cared for ) sheep for many years.<br />Wool is really an easy to care for fiber if you remember a few things:<br />Do not excessively agitate it in soapy water. Do not use super hot water. <br />That's it.<br />If you always remember this you can wash anything from fabric yardage to your finest and most expensive cashmere sweater.<br />Basically to wash your cashmere (or other wools, angoras, bunny hair etc) do this:<br />Fill a tub or basin (or other larger roomier than your item container) with luke warm water. Swish in your soap of choice (I use a nice smelling body wash) and then gently push your item into the water. You can move it around a bit, shifting it occasionally to get it all clean, bit but don't get crazy with it and stir it like a soup pot :-D<br />Allow your items to soak for at least an hour (occasionally I forget and mine sit overnight) then dump out your dirty water. Gently (key word) squeeze out the excess water. Then run fresh luke warm water into your container again. Put your item back in and let the rest of the shampoo soak out. If you got crazy with the soap...repeat. <br />Then, drain water, gently squeeze and lay item into a towel. Roll it up, push on it to help remove water from item ( I kind of pound just a bit on the rolled towel especially on large bulky sweaters) Then lay out to dry. Voila. Clean sweater, no nasty dry cleaner and no shrinking. Works on skirts too as long as that is how you pre treat your fabric and wash it the same way always after making the skirt.<br />Will this work with a suit? I am not sure, besides you would still have to steam the fabric because creases need to be set. The interfacing would be my concern on shrinking. However...many years ago people washed wool suits and re pressed them just fine without dry cleaners so I am assuming it can be done.M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03454486923911348523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-22118801534735387742010-02-06T10:24:01.151-05:002010-02-06T10:24:01.151-05:00I have found that lots of the trouble I have with ...I have found that lots of the trouble I have with washing clothes comes from the dryer. So I no longer use my dryer I air dry everything on a simple <a href="http://www.bestdryingrack.com" rel="nofollow">clothes drying rack</a>. It is a great option for keeping my clothes like new and like Gertie I often just hang up my things on the rack and let them air out if they are not soiled.Mary Q Contrariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05584539485118571553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-85821418876660620692010-01-12T10:48:41.838-05:002010-01-12T10:48:41.838-05:00What a great blog. I'm a new reader, a Vintage...What a great blog. I'm a new reader, a Vintage shop owner and a seamstress, altho I like your phrase sewist. I'd just like to add to the care of non-washables; I'd highly recommend investing in a good quality stand up steamer, they are a life saver! I've even seen them remove salt stains on silk satin dresses.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-43870448512948951462010-01-09T21:44:03.408-05:002010-01-09T21:44:03.408-05:00Eucalan and Soak are both very good products. I li...Eucalan and Soak are both very good products. I like the Soak scents better, but that's me. I use Soak on almost every delicate garment I have -- lingerie, rayon jerseys, silk, wool, etc. It's much gentler and cheaper than washing things in the machine, and I LOVE that I don't have to rinse it out.Dorothyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08323845229389045015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-61541215388175979702010-01-09T21:42:49.912-05:002010-01-09T21:42:49.912-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06476127831443312424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-19671958081898270522010-01-07T17:41:52.348-05:002010-01-07T17:41:52.348-05:00Oh but Brrrandi. If you only knew what kind of thi...Oh but Brrrandi. If you only knew what kind of things I was WILLING to put in my hair!, ;-)<br /><br />Kelly, who's recently gone from green to auburn and is now considering candy-apple red.kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08183686721305419157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-80917365790001623462010-01-07T15:52:08.211-05:002010-01-07T15:52:08.211-05:00I'm an avid knitter, and I can tell you that t...I'm an avid knitter, and I can tell you that the best approach for woolens washed at home is tepid water (like your own skin temperature, but never hot) and shampoo. Wool is hair and when subjected to harsh detergents, can end up felted, worn out early, faded, and old looking. The fibers are actually degraded like one's hair after too many chemical treatments. Rule of thumb: if you wouldn't put it on your own skin or hair, don't put it on your woolen garments.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-5851267385602661222010-01-07T09:48:46.240-05:002010-01-07T09:48:46.240-05:00I soak all my wools in cold water with a bit of eu...I soak all my wools in cold water with a bit of eucalan or shampoo, then spin the water out, and air dry. The softer, more delicate wools I dry flat between clean towels, the rest I hang to dry. If I want to thicken the fabric up a bit, I use the dryer with frequent checking till it has the hand I want. I always steam press the wools before cutting. <br /><br />I machine wash all lightweight silk twill and charmeuse, and air dry them (I used to machine dry them, but now I only do that if I want that "slightly scuffed and sandwashed" look). <br /><br />I laundered a fine silk tweed once but have learned that it's a real no-no, the colours ran and it turned muddy. <br /><br />I've also had a silk tweed get a few terrible water spots during steam pressing, and as a result have gone off silk tweeds completely. Why bother sewing something that's so likely to suffer permanent damage at the drop of a hat when you could instead use all these gorgeous and indestructible wool blends out there?Digshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-75366873504555753372010-01-07T08:50:15.117-05:002010-01-07T08:50:15.117-05:00"Laundry. Once you start...you can't stop..."Laundry. Once you start...you can't stop. It just feels so GOOD. And your first time is free."! I love it!<br />Now if I could just figure out how to use my Norwegian washer and dryer, this would all be so easy!Anna Depewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07055563789966415506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-59412507075499043902010-01-07T04:04:18.959-05:002010-01-07T04:04:18.959-05:00I am scared to use wool.... I want to make a wool ...I am scared to use wool.... I want to make a wool skirt so bad though.... I am afraid it will shrink to nothing though... I mostly use cotton and havent had a problem... thank god. except when I was lazy threw everthing in the wash and they bled...Brookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04798218808241696303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-12608964392207928782010-01-06T23:55:41.627-05:002010-01-06T23:55:41.627-05:00Kathi G. is referencing Pamela Erny's blog sit...Kathi G. is referencing Pamela Erny's blog site which is awesome; I've used this method for my wool.<br /><br />But. I do wash and dry wool sometimes in the REGULAR cycle and the dryer to boot: I did so for the wool flannel in <a href="http://kelly.hogaboom.org/?p=5295" rel="nofollow">kids' winter coats</a> this year. Sometimes pre-treating changes the hand of the garment slightly, but that's fine with me.<br /><br />I sew for a family of four; too many dry-clean only items that got washed anyway - and ruined, because they weren't pre-treated for this kind of thing. So I tend to avoid any kind of dry-clean only scenario.<br /><br />I also washed and dried my silks; a light dupioni for a dress lining I'm making myself, and the silk twills used in the lining in the coats above. Everything turned out fine.kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08183686721305419157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-64579247616789924462010-01-06T23:09:47.741-05:002010-01-06T23:09:47.741-05:00Hilary asked:
Is there a set proportion or inches ...Hilary asked:<br />Is there a set proportion or inches per yard extra that people buy of wool crepe to allow for shrinkage?<br /><br />Gertie if you don't mind, I have an answer...ummm, since I buy fabric in general lots - 5 yards for a suit, 3 yards for a dress, 1.5 yards for a skirt, I've got built in extra for shrinkage, design changes, etc. <br /><br />I'm not a proponent of purchasing the amount of fabric listed on the pattern envelope because you never know when inspiration will strike and you will want do something different...but that's me! :)Carolyn (Diary of a Sewing Fanatic)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02204627216540667980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-23501283403455283202010-01-06T22:31:46.745-05:002010-01-06T22:31:46.745-05:00This was a really good post. Great tips from every...This was a really good post. Great tips from everyone. I have one for washing yardage. I found this tip in a quilting magazine and have used it every since: when washing yardage, accordion fold the fabric along the selvage. use safety pins to pin the folds together. wash and dry fabric. This method prevent your fabric from getting tangle and twisted and reduces some of the wrinkles.KARIMAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15016716965565229162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-25691214012520665672010-01-06T19:02:01.509-05:002010-01-06T19:02:01.509-05:00Thank you very much for this post!
Is there a set...Thank you very much for this post!<br /><br />Is there a set proportion or inches per yard extra that people buy of wool crepe to allow for shrinkage?<br /><br />Thanks!Hillaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01324854929065302634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-13400492074796663522010-01-06T17:38:02.770-05:002010-01-06T17:38:02.770-05:00Interesting to hear about how to pre-treat wool. I...Interesting to hear about how to pre-treat wool. In my great innocence, I never even knew about such things! Now I know. I've also always hand-washed my silks with Woolite, and had never heard of Eucalan. Rather alarmed to hear that Woolite is considered harsh. There don't seem to be any stores that sell Eucalan in London though, so will have to try ordering it online. <br /><br />And what about rayon shrinkage? I used a prewashed vintage rayon crepe (to get rid of that lovely 'vintage' smell) which went on to lose two sizes the next time I washed it (with cold water, like I'd read). I tried to iron it back into shape, but it has quite a complicated neckline which is really hard to iron, and it's only partly worked (i.e. it's still a good size too small and too short). Not all rayons seem to do that, but any tips for those that do?Nathaliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11570545194570856281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-17662872365159483182010-01-06T17:35:32.066-05:002010-01-06T17:35:32.066-05:00I wash and dry everything, but then, I stay away f...I wash and dry everything, but then, I stay away from wool because it makes my skin itch really badly.<br /><br />I'm a fan of hand washing with liquid castile soap. No scary chemicals and it leaves cashmere feeling even more soft and luxurious.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-2484129954467794432010-01-06T17:15:39.939-05:002010-01-06T17:15:39.939-05:00Great Post! I do need to point out however that f...Great Post! I do need to point out however that fabrics can and do shrink with drycleaning. It is rare but it does happen. Just something to remember. It is best to always pretreat your fabric using the manner in which you intend to care for the garment. You don't want to hand wash a fabric and then decide to dry clean the garment - it could have disasterous results. <br /><br />Another great option for washing silks and other delicate fabrics is to use dish washing soap. It's designed to cut grease and works wonders on stains. I prefer one that is fragrance free and free of dyes. Whatever you choose to use, check the ingredient list for enzymes which break down protein based fibers. Ever wonder how companies like Gap and J Crew get those pants so soft? Yep, they use enzymes to break the fibers down during wash cycles. Check the label for enzymes.<br /><br />Cheers and happy sewing!Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07229302325634368943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-86383221866805901542010-01-06T15:44:39.937-05:002010-01-06T15:44:39.937-05:00I solve the pre-shrinking issue by following a few...I solve the pre-shrinking issue by following a few rules. I only buy cheap fabric (so if it shrinks I'm not out a lot of money). I only do a cold water wash to eliminate shrinkage from hot water. And I line dry just about everything I make to avoid shrinking in the drier. Wimpy, I know and not correct housemaking strategy. But it's definately prevented a lot of disaster. I love Sewjourner's tip to launder just a big swatch as a test run- why didn't I think of that!!Twill Jillnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-32368300916630965602010-01-06T15:00:30.536-05:002010-01-06T15:00:30.536-05:00Since I'm too cheap to wash all my fabric, I c...Since I'm too cheap to wash all my fabric, I cut 6X6 squares and throw them my regular wash and dryer. If they come out unchanged, no problem. If they shrink, then I'll wash the whole piece.<br /><br />for wool, I roll my fabric in a damp towel and leave it overnight. Then the next day I'll hang the fabric over the shower rod to dry.<br /><br />~SewjournerSewjournerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01623512019377468547noreply@blogger.com