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Steaming out puckers Um . . . how?
CharmedDiamonds Beginner IL USA Member since 3/23/09 Posts: 87	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 4/14/11 0:10 AM Hey y'all, I've been practicing princess seams and have gotten to the point that I only end up with one pucker per FBA adjustment for my D size girls (that's a whole lot of easing going on!) I've read on these forums that you can steam them out . . . but I don't quite know how, or on what kind of material this is doable on, other than cotton. Does taffeta work? Shantung? I have a lot of dresses I'd love to be making, but this is holding me back!! Thanks :) PS - for clarification, I DO know you use an iron
Elona   Advanced CA USA Member since 8/24/02 Posts: 7401	Login to reply to this post In reply to CharmedDiamonds Like this post Date: 4/14/11 3:47 AM I think you've hit on the best solution for limiting puckering by easing, Charmed. Really, I suspect the key is simply not to get puckers at all, rather than by trying to remove them once they're part of the seam. Take a look about a quarter of the way down this page to see Charles Kleibacker's exquisite method of pinning and steaming out ease. Obviously, he's working with a biased, deep-V neckline here, which is more of a chore than your situation, in that all you have to do is control a rather short area on princess seams. But I think the technique will be similar: Careful pinning of the ease, followed by steaming and pressing (not ironing) before you do the final stitching.
FionaWinOz Advanced Beginner AUSTRALIA Member since 11/18/10 Posts: 33	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 4/14/11 7:55 PM Charmed, Sorry this is not an answer as to how to iron out puckers I have had the same struggle and found this link which might help avoiding puckers in the first place - the photos help make it clear. treacherous curves If the link does not work here is the web address: http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/14740/princess-seams-and-other-treacherous-curves Good luck ------ Melbourne, Australia
Speech girl Intermediate GA USA Member since 5/11/03 Posts: 1656	Login to reply to this post In reply to CharmedDiamonds Like this post Date: 4/14/11 10:02 PM I've only had success with steaming on natural fibers (like cotton, linen, wool). ------ Kim formerly mikkim http://girlwithatimemachine.wordpress.com/
a7yrstitch   Intermediate TX USA Member since 4/1/08 Posts: 4378	Login to reply to this post In reply to CharmedDiamonds Like this post Date: 4/15/11 4:17 PM ..... -- Edited on 6/7/11 10:43 AM -- ------ I have no idea what Apple thought I was saying so be a Peach and credit anything bizarre to auto correct.
Tom P   Intermediate NY USA Member since 3/16/07 Posts: 887	Login to reply to this post In reply to CharmedDiamonds Like this post Date: 4/15/11 5:15 PM You can shrink out fullness in wool, linen, and silk (in decreasing order of ease). Cotton, too. It really just has to do with the fiber, although how tightly woven the fabric is has a lesser effect. The problem with cotton, or any washable garment, is that it doesn't stay. In denim, for example, it's possible to sew an armscye with too much ease so there's no gathers, but it'll look gathered anyway because the fibers aren't elastic enough. That's what people mean when they say a fabric, "doesn't ease well." Even if you press the puckers out, they return with washing, or probably just over time. The way to do it is to shrink the extra length out with steam and hot iron. In your case, arrange the seam and pucker over a ham having about the same shape that the garment is supposed to have. It's probably easiest for you to use a damp press cloth (a piece of muslin dipped in water and squeezed dry) over the pucker. Using the point of the iron, press the pucker until the presscloth is dry. Try not to shrink too big an area (bigger than an inch or so around the problem spot) or you'll just flatten out the pocket formed by the ease in the first place. You probably want to use the iron a little hotter, so you really want to use a press cloth and be careful if you have to press from the right side. LIke I say, with cotton, the pucker will return with washing, and maybe just over time. This kind of shaping can be a little easier before you sew the pieces together. Just run a gathering stitch in the SA, then steam press the seam (only 1.5in or less from the raw edge!) on a flat surface until the puckers even out. Only the gathered edge will like flat, and maybe only a few inches at a time of the gathered edge. This way, it's much easier to make sure that you don't crease the fabric. If you press and shrink in a crease in wool or silk, it may never come out.
rosannec Advanced Beginner AZ Member since 7/9/06 Posts: 62	Login to reply to this post In reply to Tom P Like this post Date: 4/15/11 7:12 PM Thanks TomP! These are the clearest directions for steam shrinking I've ever read! Thanks for the info!

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