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From: HeatherL
Date: 11-09-2004, 11:25 AM (1 of 9)
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I've never worked with crepe before. I just bought some in a lovely cream color, to use for a long, full skirt for the holidays. I'm going to "think out loud" here...please jump in with any corrections or suggestions. I have ideas, but I want to make sure I do it right! Since the fabric is so thin and pale, it really needs a lining. However, the more I think about it, the more I tend to think that I should put the lining fabric in as sew-in interfacing, instead. That way, the seam allowances won't be as visible through the crepe. (I'm assuming that the seam allowance will be sufficiently hidden behind two layers--the crepe and the lining.) If I do this as sew-in interfacing, would basting (machine or hand) be a bad idea? My lining is a basic poly blend that I picked up in the formal wear section. Would fabric gluestick work well enough? I've read that flat, pinked seams work best with crepe and that finished seams make the garment too heavy at the seamlines. True? Now, if I do use the interfacing rather than a traditional lining...would it be best to use a pattern that does not have darts? Or is there a trick to doing a neat dart with two layers of fabric? Also, I will probably be handwashing and line-drying this garment, rather than dry-cleaning it. I've read that crepe can shrink up to 15%! So I think I should preshrink this before I cut it. However, I've read a number of different methods for preshrinking crepe, and honestly don't know which way go. Any suggestions or advice? |
User: HeatherL
Member since: 03-13-2004 Total posts: 102 |
From: paroper
Date: 11-09-2004, 02:58 PM (2 of 9)
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I would use a traditional hung lining that is attached at the waist, zipper and at the bottom with "thread chains". If the lining is very close to the color of the material, I don't think that your seams will show. Is your crepe polyester, polyester blend or what type of fabric?
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 11-10-2004, 07:55 AM (3 of 9)
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I gotta agree with Pam. I underline a lot of things but with a flowing fabric in a skirt I think I would do a traditional lining. It will hang better. If do decide to underline instead just hand baste the fabrics together before you put in the darts. But remember you will add a bit of bulk there. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: HeatherL
Date: 11-10-2004, 10:30 AM (4 of 9)
| it's 100% polyester, if that helps. I'm not sure whether to try to steam-shrink it or go ahead and just gentle-cycle prewash it, since that's probably how I'll care for the finished garment. |
User: HeatherL
Member since: 03-13-2004 Total posts: 102 |
From: paroper
Date: 11-10-2004, 11:08 AM (5 of 9)
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I don't know that it will shrink. Polyester shouldn't. If you can afford to loose a piece, take a 4x4 piece of the fabric and wash it with your regular laundry. You don't need to worry about what color or anything you wash it with, just wash it on your regular wash settings for polyester. Dry it as usual. When it is through, measure your 4x4 piece and see if it has shrunk, if it should shrink at all, you can more or less gauge how much. This is sometimes a good test to see if a fabric will fray like crazy too. If it has not shrunk at all, don't worry about the prewash and such. It won't be necessary. Most modern fabrics do not shrink. If it were a blend with a high percentage of fabric that does shrink, or if it were a wool, rayon, nylon or cotton I might be more concerned, but polyester is not a major material for shrinkage. I prefer not to prewash things unless I really think it will shrink or fade.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 11-10-2004, 06:07 PM (6 of 9)
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Pam Why wouldn't you just wash the whole thing to pretreat? Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: paroper
Date: 11-10-2004, 07:21 PM (7 of 9)
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I think the fabric is prettier and often because of the sizing, it is crisper before it is washed. I just don't prewash that much fabric...matter of fact, I hardly ever do. It is easier to handle when it is not prewashed. Besides, the easiest way to find out if it does shrink is to prewash a little piece that you have the exact measurments on to find out if it does shrink. Although this piece might shrink. I would be suprised if it does because of its fabric content. This is not something that was recommended when I was in high school or college and there were a lot more things back then that shrunk than now. So unless I am mixing fabrics that I think might fade, or mixing fabrics with different fabric contents, or I am concerned that the fabric because of content might shrink, I just don't do it and it is very rare that I needed to do it.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 11-11-2004, 07:41 AM (8 of 9)
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For years I didn't prewash -- then I had a major problem with colors running. They shouldn't have, but they did. Now I prewash almost everything. I'd rather ruin the fabric before I put the work in it. I think I'm a little sensitive to the chemicals in sizing and I like knowing what the hand of a garment is really like. I just wondered why you would go through the trouble of testing a small piece, but if you like working with the treated fabric when possible I can see why. That way you can work with fabric the way you like it without any big surprises. Makes sense. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: bunzino
Date: 11-11-2004, 10:46 AM (9 of 9)
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I pre-wash everything!! I agree that a lining would work better for a full skirt than an interlining, which is what you were describing. However, you might want to do it in a fabric that is your skin tone. That would preserve the sheerness of the crepe w/o actually revealing anything. nancy |
User: bunzino
Member since: 08-16-2002 Total posts: 119 |
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