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From: blackie
Date: 05-14-2006, 01:23 PM (1 of 7)
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Hello and happy Mother's Day! I am making two a-line skirts for a client out of raw silk fabrics. It sort of looks like a semi-rough thai silk -- but I am no silk expert. It is heavy and stiff for a skirt, but she definitely likes the look of linen-y / lumpy fabrics, so that's fine. The fabrics are just gorgeous and I'm loving them. Anyway, the fabric seems to wrinkle easily. I have read that dry-cleaning (or very gentle handwashing) is the way to treat silk. My client knows this, so no problem. I just want to know how to prepare the garment so that it looks nice, and not rumpled, when I give them back to her (sometime today or tomorrow). Any silk advice is appreciated... it's my first time sewing with it! see the mundane life of a housewife.
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User: blackie
Member since: 03-31-2004 Total posts: 594 |
From: Magot
Date: 05-14-2006, 01:56 PM (2 of 7)
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Most I've made is a silk wedding dress or two. The silk will look creased as soon as she sits down in it - it is part of the look of silk, as you say. Keep water WELL away from it as it will spot. The damn stuff frays, so I would suggest you french seam as much as possible. I have zigzagged seams after sewing but my garments were not heavy wear articles! Silk shirts I have bought are always french seamed. The silk shirts I have owned I have just tossed in the washing machine at 40 degrees - NOT using a biological powder as silk is a protein and it just eats it over time. I also ironed these on quite a hot iron - mostly 'cos I get bored ironing things on a cool iron! The wedding dresses I did iron correctly! Try on a scrap and see what you can get away with - then hang it! Proper skirt hangers are essential (I don't meanthe type of clothes hanger you use but the loop things inside the skirt that you hang them on. It all helps to avoid creasing. Have fun, it is lovely stuff and often much more resiliant than we give it credit for. love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 05-14-2006, 02:03 PM (3 of 7)
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In my experience, silk is pretty tough stuff. Just test the heat setting and maybe use a press cloth. Some silk water spots so try with a dry iron. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: HeyJudee
Date: 05-14-2006, 02:11 PM (4 of 7)
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Oh, oh....This site says to avoid high heat when ironing silk.... http://www.treenwaysilks.com/care_of_silk.html and this one suggests ironing inside out... http://www.laundry-alternative.com/ironing_tip.htm Hope this helps! TTFN from
Judy |
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005 Total posts: 1366 
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From: bluebirdie
Date: 05-14-2006, 02:51 PM (5 of 7)
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"fabric question: ironing silk" I don't, not with high heat. - Robin
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User: bluebirdie
Member since: 03-12-2006 Total posts: 139 |
From: blackie
Date: 05-15-2006, 05:29 AM (6 of 7)
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Thanks for all the advice. I did use a steam iron before I read these replies, and the silk did not waterspot. It held up very well. It did smell bad when I ironed it, though, I noticed. Not a burny smell but an organic stinky smell. It kind of took some of the joy out of sewing with such beautiful fabric. Thanks for the advice, all! see the mundane life of a housewife.
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User: blackie
Member since: 03-31-2004 Total posts: 594 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 05-15-2006, 07:47 AM (7 of 7)
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That is the smell of silk. Some of it smells -- some of it doesn't. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
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