Date: 10/28/09 8:28 PM

Does everybody have the cleaners preshrink wool and silk. I'm planning on sewing some wool into a pair of pants and lining them with Habotai silk. I haven't done so in the past, except for wool crepe, and haven't had a problem, but I'm wondering if I really should.

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a/k/a Sondra

If I sewed any slower, I wouldn't be sewing at all. -- Kellie R.

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Date: 10/28/09 9:10 PM

After spending $50 to take 6 yards of wool melton to the dry cleaners, I'm about to try the damp-towel-in-the-dryer method. Do a search; it's been discussed recently in a couple of threads, tho I can't remember which ones.

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Reply to FirecrackerKTM
Date: 10/28/09 10:30 PM

Thanks. I did search, but obviously not enough. I hadn't heard about the damp-towel-in-the-dryer method. Maybe I'll run onto it.

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a/k/a Sondra

If I sewed any slower, I wouldn't be sewing at all. -- Kellie R.

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Reply to OP Gal
Date: 10/28/09 10:44 PM

Here's the other very recent thread about this: HERE

I found a really good company forum post about this, which I've referenced in the thread. They say not to use heat, but to dampen the wool fabric (various methods possible) then let it air dry. This is what I'm doing from now on. I don't know if this same technique applies to silk.

Edited because my first link was incorrect (didn't lead to the discussion).
-- Edited on 10/30/09 11:30 PM --

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When we dismiss or deny the hopes of others, we forget that they, like us, have only one chance in this life. ~Alexander McCall Smith (speaking via Mma Ramotswe in Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, book 10 of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series)
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Current image: Woman Sewing, Caroline Augusta Lord, c. late 1890's, oil on canvas; University of Cincinnati Fine Arts Collection

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Reply to OP Gal
Date: 10/29/09 10:54 AM

For wool, look for "London shrink" under the Tips. I've just gone ahead and hand washed wool a couple of times, but I seldom sew with wool so don't listen to me.

For the silk habotai and other similar silks, you can handwash them (or even machine wash on delicate). Use a little baby shampoo if you like, but you really don't need anything since the fabric isn't dirty! I like to use a little fabric softener because silk can have a lot of static otherwise. Then hang to dry.

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2009 Yards in: 109 Patterns in: 20
2009 Yards out: 175 New patterns sewn: 21

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Reply to OP Gal
Date: 10/29/09 11:40 AM

I'm pretty tough with my silks, figuring if they can't cook they should stay out of the kitchen, etc: I machine wash 'em all--and then machine dry them too, but only briefly, on low temp and with a towel to keep them company. I take them out after only about ten minutes and swiftly lay them flat on the bed to cool off.

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Date: 10/29/09 11:42 AM

I copied the following from a discussion of the topic. I tried it with some of my fabric and was pleased with the results.


I've seen quite a few different methods of preshrinking wool. Hot water/eucalan, steam pressing, regular wash/dry, london shrink (rolling in a damp sheet), etc. All VERY time-consuming

Last week I bought 12 meters of suitweight wool and during my blog reading that day, I found
this post by Pam from Off the Cuff Style. Given that she's a professional in the industry, it was worth it to give her method a try.

Following her instructions, I threw my wool in the dryer with 3 hot, wet bath towels for 40 minutes. Yes, all of it, I didn't even do one piece at a time 'just in case'.

Awesome ! They shrunk some (which of course was the whole point) but they felt exactly the same, no change in the feel or the hand of the wool. I'll do this every time now

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Claire
1seamatatime.blogspot.com

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Elaine

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Date: 10/29/09 11:43 AM

I confess I recently put a gorgeous melton in the washing machine's delicate cycle, then line drying until damp on a dry sunny day and finishing in the dryer. Steaming a swatch showed the fabric was going to shrink a lot and I just didn't have the patience to do a london shrink. I also didn't like the hard press finish the melton had. The fabric is now even more gorgeous to me with a softer hand and much softer surface, otherwise it isn't that different.

Not that I am recommending this for every wool! Just sharing an experience.

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Liz

thefittinglife.blogspot.com

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Date: 10/29/09 12:54 PM

If you do the dryer method, do you put it on high, med or low?

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Reply to OP Gal
Date: 10/29/09 2:08 PM

I'm sure there is a RIGHT way..
but I use the handwash cycle of my machine, eucalin(sp), cold water.

Then I spread it out on my bed (it's damp but not sopping) under the ceiling fan. If it appeared to shrink an obscene amount, I repeat.

Otherwise, this best emulates how I wash my wool garments...handwash cycle, hang or lay flat to dry.

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Too much fabric to count...

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