> I have to agree with Suzi. I don't wash my velvets before or after I > sew...it seems to mess with the pyle/pile. ok, it gets funky after it's > washed; however gently.
And I've found all the velvet I have washed looks infinitely better than when I first got it. Same with many people around me who wash fabrics the second they get them. I was all mine in cold water with enough powder to remove whatever treatment is put on. I find velveteen here especially given some treatment that makes them mush harsher than they need to be. I snubbed velveteen for years because of it. I also either use fabric conditioner or regular conditioner (ok, high end stuff, but it's made for hair anyway;) ) and then hang it out on a day where it's either mildly windy (beats out folds and wrinkles) or on a damp day with light breezes. If the pile still isn't soft I'll hand spritz it with a mixture of water an my best conditioner and pat the pile until it feels better. I've had cotton velvet curtains come up beautifully this way too. Necessary when you are poor and the only large lot of velvet of this thickness you can get is by buying second hand. And when velveteen in the shops is less than perfect. I have had poly velvet get wet and then go crunchy when dry (though it was able to be brushed softer again), which really made me nervous the first time I washed cotton velvet. But I have also washed a viscose piled silk backed velvet with no adverse reaction. Gentle cycle cold water. I suspect success has as much to to with the actual fabric bought (and prestore treatment) as the water you have (our water fluctuates between soft and hard and musty) and the machine and drying space etc. I consider myself lucky to live in Auckland, even though the humidity is extremely frustrating from a comfort point of view, just as the rain is, it can be great for some washing needs. If not general washing needs;) We don't have a dryer btw, which is probably not the case for the vast majority here. We simply have no need of it. If it's cold and wet we usually have the heater on and the lounge becomes a laundry room over night. If it's a lovely day they we have two seperate drying areas. michaela de bruce http://glittersweet.com -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.8.14/48 - Release Date: 13/07/2005 _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
