Replies

1. 
   ThreadKoe | Sep 30, 2008 05:11pm | #1

   I have never done organza, but the instructions for BROOMSTICK SKIRTS should be similar. I have done it with cotton and a dryer, as I thought that leaving wet cotton to dry twisted made it smelly. Cathy

2. 
   Josefly | Oct 01, 2008 04:26am | #2

   I think the article you mean is "Wrap it Up" by Kenneth King, in #137, June/July 2008, p 38. You gather up the ends of the fabric and tie them with string or cord, then twist the fabric tightly, put it in a vegetable steamer and steam it for 20-30 minutes. Then remove the fabric from the steamer, set aside, and allow to cool. Since these instructions were for a scarf or wrap, the fabric was first sewn into a tube and seam allowances were pressed open.

1. 
   Neesey | Oct 01, 2008 04:36am | #3

   Yes, thank you! That is exactly the article I was thinking of. Thank you so much.

1. 
   jjgg | Oct 03, 2008 07:13am | #4

   I don't think this will work with poly organza, but you could certainly try. Let us know how it comes out.

1. 
   Neesey | Oct 03, 2008 07:48pm | #5

   How do you fell if the fabric is poly or not? I suppose it probably is but I bought it at a thrift store, so I don't know for sure.

1. 
   KharminJ | Oct 04, 2008 08:14am | #6

   Hi Neesey!

   There may be other ways, but the easiest that I know of is the "burn test" - pull off a couple of threads from a cut edge, about an inch an a half long, hold them together and gently touch to a flame. How they burn, and what they smell like, will tell you alot about the composition. Off the top of my head ~

   Polyester just kinda goes "pfft".Silk takes longer to burn, and has a not-chemical smell to it.

   Wools also take a moment to catch, and smell like burning hair ('cuz they are)

   Nylon basically curls up and melts

   Cotton smells pretty much like burning paper.

   And it's been so long since I used rayon, that I don't recall how that reacts. <!----> Love sewing with rayon!

   Anyway, somebody please correct me if I got any of that sideways -

   Happy Creating, and Welcome to the Gathering!

   Kharmin<!---->

2. 
   ThreadKoe | Oct 04, 2008 06:18pm | #7

   You got most of it bang on Kharmin. Just a few things to add: Use a slightly larger sample if you can. A few threads burn too quickly if you get them too close to the flame.Polyester balls up into a hard plastic ball, smells like burnt plastic.Silk and wool are proteins, smell like burning hair. Wool takes longer to burn, silk catches quickly.Rayon burns like paper, because it is made like paper, and leaves a fine powdery ash. finer than cotton ash. Has an acidy smell, like a chemical.Blended fibres are harder to determine, as they will have qualities of all the fibres. A wool blended with polyester will smell like hair, burn slowly, but will also ball up. Takes practise, but you can eventually figure it out. ALWAYS do a burn test over a sink or non flammable container! Cathy

3. 
   KharminJ | Oct 04, 2008 06:29pm | #8

   Thanks Cathy! I know what I know and do, but sometimes putting "What I Know" into words, without actually doing it at the same time, gets tangled ;)((())) Kharmin

   Edited 10/4/2008 11:31 am ET by KharminJ

4. 
   Ralphetta | Oct 04, 2008 07:50pm | #9

   http://www.griffindyeworks.com/faqs/burntest.htmlThis is a chart that gives information on the subject.

5. 
   ThreadKoe | Oct 04, 2008 08:06pm | #10

   Thanks for the link Ralphetta. Nice concise, detailed resource for burn tests. Have printed off a copy for my resource file. A lot easier than pulling out my textile book or relying on my memory for some of the fibres. Burn tests are sometimes nasty, But for quick checks, they are great. Cathy

6. 
   Ralphetta | Oct 04, 2008 10:09pm | #11

   About once a year my daughter would call me long distance with questions like that and then a few months ago she told me about that site she'd found.

7. 
   KharminJ | Oct 05, 2008 12:47am | #12

   Excellent reference! Thanks, Ralphetta - I just printed it out, too.

   Kharmin

8. 
   Thimblefingers | Oct 05, 2008 05:36am | #13

   If your fabric is polyester, you can crinkle it in the microwave.  Just be sure it doesn't have any rayon in it as rayon produces toxic fumes when nuked.  If it's polyester and you want to try that method, I can write you back with the instuctions.  Or maybe someone on the discussion knows of an on-line source for them.  I've wrinkled poly many times in the microwave and it does a great job.  It might even have been discussed in Gatherings some time ago - I posted a picture of my daughter's grad dress that I "cooked".  That would probably be a couple years ago.