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From: luv2sew10
Date: 04-18-2004, 01:50 PM (1 of 21)
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Hello, I just bought vintage fabric at a yale sale from the 50's and 60's. It's heavy curtain fabric. Can this fabric be put in the washer and dryer without ruining the fabric? Thanks Debbie |
User: luv2sew10
Member since: 03-27-2001 Total posts: 5 
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From: MaryW
Date: 04-19-2004, 07:02 PM (2 of 21)
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That is hard to say. Why not cut a little piece and throw it in with a load.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: luv2sew10
Date: 04-19-2004, 09:20 PM (3 of 21)
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That's a good idea. Have to try it tomorrow. Thank you |
User: luv2sew10
Member since: 03-27-2001 Total posts: 5
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From: SchätzliDesigns
Date: 04-20-2004, 01:02 PM (4 of 21)
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I have several pieces of antique and vintage material that I have collected since I was 16, and I am now 53. I worked several years with a tailoring company, and we used several vintage and antique material pieces, and did have to clean many before cutting them up. My advice is to be very careful, try a sample piece, and see what happens. A small swatch will probably not show you completely, so take a piece approximately 12" X 12" and do the piece in the cold gentle cycle with other materials. I usually put a couple of small pillows in when I check mine. Then, 'do not' put it through a normal dry cycle. Use the fluff and air cycle, and that will also show you if it will shrink or not. Many of the vintage materials were never made to wash up. During the 40s, 50s and 60s, drapes and curtains were made to hang until they faded with time. Good luck! -Debi Hoggan of Schätzli Designs ***See Our New Picture Trail web site!***
http://www.picturetrail.com/schatzli_designs http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/hogganclan/ *CELLAR OF TREASURES* Where friends & family R treasures 2! http://cellaroftreasures.imlds.com/ |
User: SchätzliDesigns
Member since: 04-20-2004 Total posts: 5 
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From: MariLynnTX
Date: 04-24-2004, 09:04 PM (5 of 21)
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I made a costume from vintage fabric and used a museum cc of a vintage pattern, circa 1900-1905. The fabric was also from about 1900, white raw silk, only 29 inches wide. And those patterns do not have seam allowances--you have to add those as you cut! Also, the fabric is not washable, unless you do it before cutting, and handwash it after it is made. They washed those dresses as seldom as possible, and spot-washed spots. Also those museum patterns were drawn by people who mostly never sew and showed no grain lines for laying out the pattern pieces! And no notches to show where the pieces were to be sewed together! I had to have the woman who wanted the dress (for out historic days Old Bastrop Opera House style shows) come for frequent fittings while I was sewing it. The original was probably stitched on an old-fashioned treadle machine, not hand-stitched. I seldom do hand-stitching unless I am beading something. I restored a lot of clothing,too, when I was doing custom sewing, as well as making costumes and bridal clothing. Some of the 20's dresses had a lot of beading. I made a copy of an 1890's wedding dress from an authentic pattern and it had sleeves that were a yard wide gathered into a small armhole, and boning in the bodice. I used the metallic boning rather than the old-fashioned whalebone, though! It is so lightweight and comfortable, in comparison. I thought of it as fun back then. Now I am retired...mostly... MariLynntx
Life is a song...we give it harmony or dissonance.
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User: MariLynnTX
Member since: 08-13-2001 Total posts: 256 |
From: coloradoanni
Date: 05-04-2004, 12:33 AM (6 of 21)
Is most organdy vintage? I saw NONE in my local fabric store --is there some reasonably priced organdy, and some interesting colors? I would like to make a couple of simple baby dresses (Also a doll dress or two) out of organdy.
ScRaPs!*sTuDio
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User: coloradoanni
Member since: 04-24-2004 Total posts: 50 
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From: coloradoanni
Date: 05-04-2004, 12:44 AM (7 of 21)
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(I haven't used this link yet myself.) I have this cool ad in my March issue of Quilter's Magazine for vintage fabric. The ad says "Everything but the Kitchen Sink" with a nostalgic photo of mother & daughter from mid-50's icing a cake together.... then ad says: "1930s calico, conversational, geometric and panel print designs for thirties fabric lovers. For a shop near you, visit www.rjrfabrics.com " CuTe AD --don't know why they used a 50s pic* to advertise 30s fabrics*!* HaHa~~
ScRaPs!*sTuDio
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User: coloradoanni
Member since: 04-24-2004 Total posts: 50
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From: MaryW
Date: 05-04-2004, 07:19 AM (8 of 21)
Hi Debi, welcome to Sew Whats New. 
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: luv2sew10
Date: 05-04-2004, 09:01 AM (9 of 21)
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Hi, I washed the fabric on the gentle cycle in the washer and low heat in the dryer. The fabric came out nice, except it shrunk a little. Guess I will have to hang outside to dry. I bought 37 bolts of vintage fabric at a yard sale. Some are 2 yards to 20 plus yards on each bolt. The best thing is I only paid 5 dollars for it all. I will be making alot of curtains and pillows to match. Best yard sale I ever went to. Thank you all for all the help. Debbie |
User: luv2sew10
Member since: 03-27-2001 Total posts: 5
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From: SchätzliDesigns
Date: 05-04-2004, 10:35 AM (10 of 21)
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Thank you for the welcome Congratulations on a great yard sale! Buying all that yardage for 5 dollars is awesome. What will you be making? As for the curtain material, be very, very careful. During those years curtains were made to hang until they fell apart. If you have any sort of rubberized backing on them, do not wash or dry them in a washer or dryer. Hand wash and dry only. As mentioned before, those materials were not always made on a bias or even on a straight line. I have some gorgeous vintage material that my sister had purchased from a store going out of business. The first thing she did was wash it on the gentle cycle and dried in in the dryer. That material looked like someone had put a pair of sisssors to it, and cut in several places. What a loss. Good luck! -Debi Hoggan ***See Our New Picture Trail web site!***
http://www.picturetrail.com/schatzli_designs http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/hogganclan/ *CELLAR OF TREASURES* Where friends & family R treasures 2! http://cellaroftreasures.imlds.com/ |
User: SchätzliDesigns
Member since: 04-20-2004 Total posts: 5
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From: MariLynnTX
Date: 05-04-2004, 11:21 AM (11 of 21)
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I know how frustrating it is to look for organdy...I have tried. And for different colors it is even worse. A number of years ago I found white, pink, sky blue, and yellow organdy at Hancock Fabrics. I should have bought twice as much as I did. I use it a lot for my freemotion embroidered angels and other Christmas ornaments. About 3 years ago I found some red and green organdy and some more white at Hancock Fabrics and bought some of that, at more than twice what I had paid the first time. I bought some white organdy at Wal-Mart last year at what seemed a reasonable price, considering fabric prices nowadays, but they didn't have any colors. I'm going to ask about it next time I am in there. Here in Bastrop, a small town maybe 5000 now, we have Wal-Mart and that is about it for fabrics! I have to go into Austin for fabrics, mostly. I am going to look at that link on fabrics. MariLynntx
Life is a song...we give it harmony or dissonance.
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User: MariLynnTX
Member since: 08-13-2001 Total posts: 256 |
From: MaryW
Date: 05-04-2004, 11:32 AM (12 of 21)
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Doesn't Martha Pullen carry organdy?
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: MariLynnTX
Date: 05-04-2004, 11:37 AM (13 of 21)
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I went to that link rjrfabrics.com and they apparently have no organdy and they have no stores within 25 miles of Austin. They seem to have some pretty fabrics, but I didn't go into it much, as I have a lot of e-mail this a.m. and need to answer some of it. If I find out anything about organdy I will let y'all know. MariLynntx
Life is a song...we give it harmony or dissonance.
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User: MariLynnTX
Member since: 08-13-2001 Total posts: 256 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 05-04-2004, 11:53 AM (14 of 21)
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Try this, they have a huge mail order business, and everything in the fabric line .. I visited them Saturday, with a gift certificate in my hand... HEAVEN !!! www.maryjos.com They have everything, seriously.. Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: coloradoanni
Date: 05-04-2004, 12:06 PM (15 of 21)
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Originally posted by MariLynnTX I went to that link rjrfabrics.com and they apparently have no organdy and they have no stores within 25 miles of Austin. They seem to have some pretty fabrics, but I didn't go into it much, as I have a lot of e-mail this a.m. and need to answer some of it. If I find out anything about organdy I will let y'all know. MariLynntx === Thank, Marilynn...the link was more for the "old" prints than for organdy. In fact, I wasn't even thinking that magazine ad had any organdy. Ebay has some vintage organdy, but I would only spend a small amount on it, since you can't really tell the condition online--think I would rather buy "new" for making baby dress* --I'm pretty tough on fabric myself.(!) I think the vintage would be okay for doll dresses which wouldn't be washed or cleaned much / also for yo-yo's and crafts, like you mentioned. > Anyone like Yo-yos?? I think they are really pretty- I like the cotton ones in old fabric too. 
ScRaPs!*sTuDio
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User: coloradoanni
Member since: 04-24-2004 Total posts: 50
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From: MariLynnTX
Date: 05-04-2004, 12:31 PM (16 of 21)
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They have lawn and organdy listed. Apparently you have to call or e-mail to find out about colors, prices, etc. Thanks for the link. MariLynntx
Life is a song...we give it harmony or dissonance.
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User: MariLynnTX
Member since: 08-13-2001 Total posts: 256 |
From: coloradoanni
Date: 05-04-2004, 12:46 PM (17 of 21)
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Originally posted by MariLynnTX They have lawn and organdy listed. Apparently you have to call or e-mail to find out about colors, prices, etc. Thanks for the link. MariLynntx === What is "lawn"? I better get going on all of these SiTeS!~!!*
ScRaPs!*sTuDio
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User: coloradoanni
Member since: 04-24-2004 Total posts: 50
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From: MariLynnTX
Date: 05-04-2004, 01:19 PM (18 of 21)
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I don't think I would use organdy for a baby dress...it is too crisp, even after washing, as new fabric, and might be scratchy. I remember having organdy dresses (with lace-trimmed slips underneath!) when I was a child...and mother still had a vision of me, looking ladylike and prim with long curls and a big hair-bow which I was always losing (and mother would get very angry), and buttoned Roman sandals (I lost the buttons off those, too). Unfortunately, my curls were always windblown, my hair-bow untied or lost, and the hem ripped loose in my dress. The seams of my puffed sleeves, although French-seamed, were very prickly and scratchy. Anyhow, I was a tomboy, not a little lady! Usually batiste or voile are used for baby dresses. That is what I would use for christening dresses when I was custom sewing and heirloom sewing. MariLynntx
Life is a song...we give it harmony or dissonance.
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User: MariLynnTX
Member since: 08-13-2001 Total posts: 256 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 05-05-2004, 11:38 AM (19 of 21)
When I was a little girl my DGM made all my dresses. I remember she would whisper to me that they would feel soft and cool when I wore them.. She used voile, lawn and dimity for summer dresses for me.. My Mom would ask for the crisper finish fabrics, but GM knew they were scratchy on my skin and always had some reason not to use them..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022
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From: coloradoanni
Date: 05-05-2004, 12:49 PM (20 of 21)
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Thanks for all of the input on organdy, and remarks about "scratchi-ness**! I'm sure that is TrUe on little girls' delicate skin, but hadn't thought of it, other than this: I thought that on a little dress either the dress had a diff. fabric for lining with thin Organdy OVER it, or a child would wear a slip...you are now talking about neckline or arm/ sleeve "itching" then, I take it*! I have seen little 50s dresses on Ebay with the (I guess) Shirley Temple appearance to them - not doll dresses, but little Toddler/baby dresses --for a One to Two year old.....maybe up to Three.` I "think"they had more than one layer to the skirt part. ...?? 
ScRaPs!*sTuDio
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User: coloradoanni
Member since: 04-24-2004 Total posts: 50
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From: MariLynnTX
Date: 05-05-2004, 01:20 PM (21 of 21)
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That is the problem with organdy, even with French seaming. You could bind off the seams, I imagine, with a soft fabric instead of French seams. I would do that at the waist, too, if the pattern has a waist and attached skirt. Or if a baby dress has a yoke, it might need special lining. Batiste and voile are very soft and lawn much softer than organdy although usually stiffer than the first two. Organdy is great for doll clothes that need some stiffness, and also for Christmas ornaments, place mats, sheer applique' on towels, tablecloths, place mats, doilies, collars, pockets. blouses, yokes, etc. Cutwork is beautiful done on organdy or using organdy as an underlay fabric for cutwork that is two-layered and has the heavier fabric cut away from the sheer. I made myself a full-sleeved poet's shirt with a curved yoke back and front. The shirt was white cotton and the yoke was 2 layers, the bottom one white organdy. I stitched an arabesque design in white satin-stitch over both layers, then cut away the top layer of white cotton close to the stitching, then went over the stitching again. I've been wearing it for seven years and I still get compliments on it every time I wear it! MariLynntx
Life is a song...we give it harmony or dissonance.
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User: MariLynnTX
Member since: 08-13-2001 Total posts: 256 |
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