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The Sew What’s New Archive
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From: Jayde877
Date: 07-27-2005, 02:13 PM (1 of 15)
| I have run across a problem that I do not know how to solve. I purchase most of my fabric at Wal-Mart (usually when they are on $1 a yard sale) and I haven't figured out how to tell what kind of fabric it is. I have looked at the end of the bolt, but that doesn't help much. I pick fabric based on the look and feel, not what type it is. My dilemma is that I would like to sell some of the things that I have made, but I am afraid someone will ask me what kind of fabric I used and I won't be able to answer them. Any help on this would be most appreciated. |
User: Jayde877
Member since: 07-27-2005 Total posts: 106 
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From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 07-27-2005, 08:27 PM (2 of 15)
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The fabric content and care instructions have to be available to the customer.. This is a law.. You have to ask for care labels, but they are required to furnish them.. All fiber content has to be marked..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: Debby215
Date: 07-27-2005, 10:36 PM (3 of 15)
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I know anytime I have ever bought fabric at Walmart, the fabric content is on the end of the bolt...just my 2 cents
Debby
So much fabric....... So little time!! |
User: Debby215
Member since: 11-14-2001 Total posts: 611 
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From: carman
Date: 07-27-2005, 11:33 PM (4 of 15)
if they say they don't know ask them if you can do the burn test  that way you can dertermine the content, that should get the managers attention 
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User: carman
Member since: 04-17-2000 Total posts: 692 
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From: Catalina
Date: 07-28-2005, 06:05 AM (5 of 15)
| At Wallmart on the $1 table alot of it said fabric content unknown on the end of the bolt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
User: Catalina
Member since: 01-06-2005 Total posts: 119 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 07-28-2005, 11:44 AM (6 of 15)
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In that case, I go by feel.. That is something learned in my 71 years on this earth, and I cannot put it in words to teach you.. Sorry.. I can say this, if you scrub a corner of cotton (or suspected cotton) between your hands as if scrubbing (hand washing) it will take sizing out and you can see after smoothing it back out if you have scrubbed any starch or sizing out..The smoother and thinner a fabric feels, the lesser likely of being 100 % cotton..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022
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From: MaryW
Date: 07-28-2005, 11:49 AM (7 of 15)
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Carman, tsk, tsk.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: Sancin
Date: 07-28-2005, 04:41 PM (8 of 15)
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I was taught to do this in my home ec sewing classes - back in the old days! Also was taught not to lick my finger to help turn pages in pattern book!
*~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895 
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From: paroper
Date: 07-28-2005, 05:08 PM (9 of 15)
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The Wal Mart fabric is often mill ends and pieces. It is on all kinds of bolts and even if the fabric bolt actually has a content on it, it probably isn't the correct for the fabric on the bolt. The only thing I can tell you is to try to get sample board by collecting several small pieces of different fabrics and compare by feel but you'd never be able to 100% guarantee the fabric, even if you were almost sure. If I were going to sell this fabric I'd probably preshrink all of it because if they wash it and it should shrink (doesn't happen often if you know the fabric content), they're going to yell "foul" your direction. Also, many people are allergic to some fabrics. My sister was terribly allergic to rayon (which fortunately has a very specific look and feel).
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: bridesmom
Date: 07-30-2005, 11:23 PM (10 of 15)
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Hey Carmen! What is a 'burn test'??? Laura
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: pucktricks
Date: 08-01-2005, 10:17 AM (11 of 15)
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Nancy- It drives me crazy when my father-in-law licks his fingers to turn pages or pick up cards. I know it's a silly thing to be annoyed by, but I am. Go figure. So, it's not really related to what the question is, but I felt like sharing my little pet peeve, when you mentioned that. Ticia |
User: pucktricks
Member since: 03-31-2004 Total posts: 570 
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From: mommydionne
Date: 08-03-2005, 08:01 PM (12 of 15)
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burn testing is what it sounds like, you take a piece of fabric, 1inch by 1inch works well, and set it on fire and see what happens. ie wool self extinguishes (which is why the military uses it for flight suits), cotton burns to a grey ash, as does linen, nylon melts to a hard grey bead, silk smells like burning hair, rayon burn with little flame and smells like burning paper, polyester pulls back from the flame and melts into a plastic bead, spandex leaves a sticky residue as it melts and smells bad, acetate burns fast and smells like vinegar, Some sewing books have charts in the back regarding this, my oldest son did this for his grade 2 science fair project, any thing where he could set something on fire was cool to him!! Jeanette
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User: mommydionne
Member since: 01-08-2004 Total posts: 838 
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From: paroper
Date: 08-03-2005, 09:02 PM (13 of 15)
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So...if you are in a fire and NOT in something that burns to an ash, get out of it because they'll be digging it out of you! Not only does poly draw up into a bead, but it holds the heat at a very high temp for some time which means that it'll just burn in....nasty stuff!!!! There are also some things that are so flamable that they flash before the flame gets there...like real horsehair. Many years ago there was a terrible Christmas fire in a church. The Christmas tree which was lit by candles caught fire. The women were fashionably dressed in full skirts with horsehair. There was a huge number of deaths...all women because of the size and content of their clothing.
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: mamagoose
Date: 08-03-2005, 09:30 PM (14 of 15)
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Jeanette, Thanks for the details of the burn tests. Question: What about "blends"? Melanie |
User: mamagoose
Member since: 01-26-2002 Total posts: 168 |
From: mommydionne
Date: 08-04-2005, 11:02 AM (15 of 15)
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blends are tricky, they actually burn in a combination of the fibres, for example a cotton poly blend will burn with an ash that falls out of the melted polyester (it also really smells icky) . When my son and I did this we found some of my "pure cottons" had some polyester in them! so much for product labeling
Jeanette
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User: mommydionne
Member since: 01-08-2004 Total posts: 838
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