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Making your own "sandwashed" silk Any tips?
peaudane Intermediate FRANCE Member since 12/30/07 Posts: 464	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 9/9/12 8:45 AM I love sandwashed silk, but it's very difficult to find for purchase. I read that you can give silk the appearance of sandwashed silk by washing it on hot with a few towels. Has anyone tried this? Was the result satisfying? What type of silk would work best for this? crepe? charmeuse...?
Debbie Lancaster   Intermediate CA USA Member since 9/18/02 Posts: 1659	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 9/9/12 2:47 PM Here's a tip from Pam Erny: Distressed silk A search for "distressed silk" or "how to distress silk" will give you a good idea. ------ Debbie
elizajo   Intermediate LA USA Member since 4/15/05 Posts: 1176	Login to reply to this post Like this post Subject: Making your own sandwashed silk Date: 9/9/12 3:11 PM I used Pam Erny's distressed silk method on two pieces of silk dupionni, a forest green and a periwinkle. It softens a great deal and may roughen up the slubbed portions. I didn't have much color fading, but her instructions show some pieces that did. I think it would be interesting to use the method on a charmeuse or crepe. I've heard of people using tennis balls in the dryer for distressing other types of fabric. -- Edited on 9/9/12 3:14 PM -- ------ Elizabeth
Elona   Advanced CA USA Member since 8/24/02 Posts: 7400	Login to reply to this post In reply to peaudane << Like this post Date: 9/9/12 3:36 PM I wash all my silks, to eliminate water spotting as well as because I hate dry cleaning, so all of them have been subjected to the technique you describe, except that I keep the water temp to 'warm.' In addition, I toss them briefly into the dryer with towels. In terms of the commercial idea of 'sandwashed silk,' I got the best results with a fairly heavy crepe de chine. It really came out well--slightly delustered, as you'd expect, and a bit more compacted. But all my silks look better and softer after washing, though many of them lose less sheen than one would think. One suggestion I read was to wash them not with towels but with jeans, for more abrasion! Seems like an interesting idea to try.
Debbie Lancaster   Intermediate CA USA Member since 9/18/02 Posts: 1659	Login to reply to this post 2 members like this. Date: 9/9/12 3:41 PM Dharma Trading has sandwashed silk charmeuse and crepe de chine in white/natural to dye. And, like others, I wash all silks on warm and dry hot. That way there are no--or at least fewer--surprises after making up the garment. After the pretreatment, I wash on delicate and line dry or handwash and dry flat. -- Edited on 9/9/12 3:43 PM -- ------ Debbie
peaudane Intermediate FRANCE Member since 12/30/07 Posts: 464	Login to reply to this post 1 member likes this. Subject: Making your own sandwashed silk Date: 9/9/12 4:29 PM Thanks for all the info! I'm excited to try this.
Nancy Rhodes   Intermediate OH USA Member since 4/8/02 Posts: 389	Login to reply to this post 1 member likes this. Subject: Making your own sandwashed silk Date: 9/10/12 5:19 PM In general, I send all my fabric yardage to Bootcamp. General idea is treat yardage worse than my careful laundering post construction garment. Then few none or very few changes. Also might survive an accidental mistreatment. ------ ... cleverly disguised as a responsible adult!
marymary86 Intermediate GA USA Member since 7/20/08 Posts: 2194	Login to reply to this post 1 member likes this. Date: 9/10/12 6:27 PM I made a shell out of silk that I had first hand washed. It maintained its sheen and "thinness" (I'm sure there's a better word but it escapes me). I enjoyed wearing it for several years without ever dry cleaning it. Then ... DH threw it in the washing machine and dryer with a load of jeans. The silk got thicker, the shell a bit smaller, and it had that cushy texture of sandwashed silk. It was one of the few laundry mistakes we've made that resulted in something nicer. ------ Mary http://checkmatesystem.com
peaudane Intermediate FRANCE Member since 12/30/07 Posts: 464	Login to reply to this post In reply to marymary86 << Like this post Date: 9/11/12 2:47 AM That's great!

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