Comments on Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing: Storing Velvet

Oh F*ck! I've had velvet stored in a crate for...

2012-01-13T06:56:03.875-05:00

Oh F*ck! I've had velvet stored in a crate for at least a year or two now (not found a project for it). I suspect it's crushed to death...like Wiley Coyote

I'm so enjoying this website, which I've j...

2011-12-28T16:22:33.322-05:00

I'm so enjoying this website, which I've just found, (researching buttonholes).
Years ago I made a dress from red cotton velvet, using some of the tips mentioned on here. It was sort of slinky and seductive and I wish I still had it!
Looking forward to further projects.

OoOoh please sew something with that velvet, and t...

2011-12-14T17:59:03.924-05:00

OoOoh please sew something with that velvet, and then come back and share all your tips and secrets! I have yardage of several different colors of velvet that I bought on a whim but now am too afraid to sew with. Forge ahead for us, Gertie!

Owwwwwwh,I had a velvet navy blue dress I made for...

2011-12-13T13:14:03.957-05:00

Owwwwwwh,I had a velvet navy blue dress I made for my daughter dry cleaned... and when we got it back!!! They had crushed the velvet! In a couple of places.... and then tried to say that it was ruined anyway (I had forgotten to put dress shields in to protect from persperation stains) and so tried to say it wasn't any good anyway! I had planned on re-using the fabric to make a skirt! Not now.... they had crushed it at the waist and then again near the hem! Needless to say... I don't go to them any more with what tiny bit of dry cleaning I do have done. Fair warning though people... save your velvet dresses.... use dress shields.

What about the Decades of Style 1929 Cloud Cape? ...

2011-12-10T10:25:13.636-05:00

What about the Decades of Style 1929 Cloud Cape? http://www.decadesofstyle.com/vintage-patterns-1920s/2701-1927-cloud-cape

I would love to make a dress with this amy butler ...

2011-12-09T11:02:21.862-05:00

I would love to make a dress with this amy butler peacock fabric:
http://www.hartsfabric.com/amy-butler-rayon-peacock-feathers62253.html
Yeah, I know it's not the right season, but it's so pretty!

annesedney AT gmail DOT com

I'd make a lace dress out of the Missoni zig z...

2011-12-09T08:08:01.912-05:00

I'd make a lace dress out of the Missoni zig zag floral lace in grape. Of course I'd also have to order some plain purple knit. I'm not sure what pattern. I've got several here to try so I'd probably try one or two in less fancy fabrics. I'm pretty sure my email is linked if not I know my blog is and I get emailed about comments and read them right away.

Would love a chance to get that iris colored Shetl...

2011-12-09T07:55:02.920-05:00

Would love a chance to get that iris colored Shetland Wool. I would enjoy a coat made out of that.
sdseigle@gmail.com

On the event of my engagement, (the first one mind...

2011-12-08T13:42:28.434-05:00

On the event of my engagement, (the first one mind you) my mother had made me a wine red velvet tunic, rayon velvet of course. I wore it over a pale pink blouse and a skirt of color I can't recall. We were seated in the restaurant and the ring came and all was good. When I stood up the chair had left rather ugly marks on my delicate behind. (My behind WAS TOO delicate back then!!) The tunic was unsaveable even after a steam and it lasted as long as the marriage. The end of my tale for now! :)

Gertie, Last christmas I made a beautiful green ve...

2011-12-08T12:09:57.249-05:00

Gertie, Last christmas I made a beautiful green velvet dress. I Did research on how to treat velvet and I thought I had everthing covered. I wore the dress,and felt very pleased with myself until I got home and to my dismay discovered my lined dress had permanent persperation marks. I didn't even think of shields. I thought the lining would be enough for some crazy reason. You probablly would never do this however I just thought I'd share my misadventure.

Funny you should come up with a post like this tod...

2011-12-08T11:15:39.257-05:00

Funny you should come up with a post like this today. Up until 2 hours ago I though velvet always looked a bit "curtainey". But then there was this woman passig me in the cafeteria waring a stunning black velvet cowl dress a bit like this one: http://wondermomo.blogspot.com/2011/01/rutzou-denmark-cowl-neck-velvet-dress.html and now I want one!

King has a tip in his book for ironing velvet. Go ...

2011-12-08T08:59:01.120-05:00

King has a tip in his book for ironing velvet. Go to a furniture upholsterer and buy a remnant of upholstry velvet, the kind your grandmother or others of her generation had on their chairs. Put that on the ironing board pile up and put the velvet you want to iron pile down and iron with a ligth hand. Velvet boards are not big enough if you want to iron long seams or yardage.
Tania

I got a great tip in my sewingclass on how to iron...

2011-12-08T08:14:05.895-05:00

I got a great tip in my sewingclass on how to iron velvet without ruining the nap. Take another piece of velvet and use to iron against.. that is nap against nap.. tried it and it worked like a charm... :)

I am not so familiar with the velvet dress. I thin...

2011-12-08T07:37:59.330-05:00

I am not so familiar with the velvet dress. I think we can give them an extra care in storing than our ordinary clothes.

Ditto the others who said velvet board for ironing...

2011-12-08T01:15:47.382-05:00

Ditto the others who said velvet board for ironing. And if you have to store your velvet in a bin, a hang in a steamy bathroom will revive it.

Manhattan wardrone supply has a velvet board. It&...

2011-12-08T00:15:30.804-05:00

Manhattan wardrone supply has a velvet board. It's a nail board than you can iron your velvets. IT;s 75 bucks, but it's worth it.

Hi Gertie, try this pattern for your peplum jacket...

2011-12-07T22:25:08.660-05:00

Hi Gertie, try this pattern for your peplum jacket: http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v8317-products-9692.php?page_id=949

You need to go to decadesofstyle.com and order her...

2011-12-07T22:15:26.039-05:00

You need to go to decadesofstyle.com and order her 1950's stole---it would be fabulous in rayon/silk velvet; it has one sleeve and the other side is over the shoulder wrap---it would be FABULLOUS in velvet.
Renita

There's a great velvet dress (I think it's...

2011-12-07T17:30:37.503-05:00

There's a great velvet dress (I think it's a dress, at least; you can only see the top) on liebmarlene today. Greeeeaat sleeves. Good to know about this, though. I wouldn't have thought about it either ;)

I have to admit I am totally terrified of velvet! ...

2011-12-07T17:22:12.335-05:00

I have to admit I am totally terrified of velvet! it seems so finicky! However I DO love the way it looks and feels. If you have any other useful tips please share - I'd love to have enough confidence to sew with velvet in the future.
Also - I have to say - a red velvet holiday dress... swoon...

Ooh! We're thinking on the same lines :) I jus...

2011-12-07T17:15:54.651-05:00

Ooh! We're thinking on the same lines :) I just bought red velvet for a holiday dress.
Great tips. I hate crushed velvet, even if its intentionally done that way.

There did used to be a sort of thing to iron velve...

2011-12-07T16:32:30.183-05:00

There did used to be a sort of thing to iron velvet on....not a ham, not a press cloth, but a sort of spikey thing so you could iron it and not flatten it. My grandmother had one and it worked like a charm!

Yes, those metal x-shaped things are hideous to be...

2011-12-07T15:57:52.922-05:00

Yes, those metal x-shaped things are hideous to be near. I put up with them for eight years, too!

I love velvet. So much so, that last month I used silk velvet for the trim on my son's 1860's era frock coat (he's into civil war reenacting). Looks great, but it was a real "bugger" to work with! Much "wailing" and gnashing of teeth!

Accordion pleating your velvet may result in some ...

2011-12-07T15:52:56.142-05:00

Accordion pleating your velvet may result in some creases if it hangs for too long. Even though the X-frame rolls are vicious, they do a decent job of keeping out the creases since the velvet is rarely folded back upon itself.

I hand dyed thousands of yards of silk rayon velve...

2011-12-07T15:31:44.727-05:00

I hand dyed thousands of yards of silk rayon velvet. Wash it and toss in dryer. It is amazingly resilient.