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Getting wrinkles out of silk-need advice!

Hi everyone. I'm very new to dying fabric, but I'm having a great time learning and experimenting. I have been dying China silk in various weights, using Jacquard acid dyes and the stove top method. I use pro textile detergent and Milsoft fabric softener, and try to launder my veils on the minimum agitation wash/less wrinkle dry settings.

The problem I'm having is that my solid color silks take a really long time to press or steam the wrinkles out, especially along the edges. I use a professional steam iron and have a pro upright steamer, but it seems that I am spending a LOT of time prepping my silks for the marketplace. I have tried just ironing, just steaming, and also ironing and then steaming. Needless to say, it's been a lot of work. My silks do come out nice and soft after dying but the wrinkles seem too prevalent and stubborn.

Is there a basic technique that I am not aware of? Or, is there a certain piece of equipment I shouldn't live without? I am curious to know how the professional silk dyers on here get their silks flowing and wrinkle-free.

Thanks in advance everybody. : )

By CharlotteEmily at 2008-04-07 13:00 | Silk | login or register to post comments | previous forum topic | next forum topic

silk and wrinkles

Looks like this topic has been pretty well covered, but I thought I'd chime in a bit.

I used to iron my silk veils to dry them, but I don't anymore -- it's too much time pressure when I'm doing many veils in a day. I can't always be available to iron them exactly at the right time. So I use a big mister bottle filled with water and wet them down quite well before ironing. And I never put veils in the dryer anymore; even air fluff compounded the wrinkle problem.

And yes, do watch that temperature. I did a fun experiment a couple years ago in which I made pleated silk yardage by twisting the 10mm silk into a rope and then boiling it. Wow, was that effective -- they tell you to "maintain" the pleats, but I'm pretty sure those are never, ever coming out.

Faking Fortuny Pleats

--tigerb

my blog: A Good Day to Dye

By tigerb at Tue, 2008-04-08 14:11 | login or register to post comments

getting wrinkles out of silk

Are you letting your silks dry with the wrinkles in them before ironing, or are you taking the scarves while they are still damp and ironing them dry? I know that some silk dyers make a habit of ironing their silks dry.

Another question, how hot is your dyebath? Do you have a reliable thermometer? When immersion dyeing silk, you need to keep the maximum temperature at or below 185°F (85°C). Higher temperatures are supposed to damage silk; I wonder if they may also make the wrinkles worse.

-Paula

By pburch at Mon, 2008-04-07 14:12 | login or register to post comments

Thanks Paula, for your input.

Thanks Paula, for your input. I have never ironed my silks dry before. This technique sounds promising. Previously, I have been putting my silks straight from the pot into the washer, thinking that since they are still fluid from the dye bath, the washing machine water will keep them that way. It seems that I should probably rinse the scarves until the water runs clear *before* I iron, or I could have a stained ironing pad and some colored messes on the floor. : )

I've never questioned my thermometer because it is brand new, but I might have been cooking my silk too much with the instructions I've been following. I try to keep the temp at 185 or less, but there have been times where I have blinked and the temp is pushing 200. I will try to keep things a little cooler in the future.

Thanks again for the advice. Here I go with the next batch...

By CharlotteEmily at Tue, 2008-04-08 10:41 | login or register to post comments

ironing silk

My experience with silk is following (Suppose you have lightweight silks): Right after washing it out, I wring the water out and then wrap it in old towel. You get the right dampness for ironing.
If it's dry - spray it with water lightly and let it sit in a bundle so the dampness gets evenly all around.
And yes, like Paula says, hot dyebath makes the silk to remember the wrinkles somehow. You iron them out and when it gets damp even lightly, it starts to form the wrikles that used to be there before. But this effect is weaker and weaker with the time.

By Jaja at Tue, 2008-04-08 03:28 | login or register to post comments

Hi, thanks for the advice! Yo

Hi, thanks for the advice! Your last paragraph hits the nail on the head. After Paula's advice, I now know that I have been cooking the heck out of my silks. With your advice, it makes sense to me why I have had to re-iron and steam my silks multiple times. It's like...I just did that, why are they wrinkled again? :shaking head:

The towel wrap idea is a good one. Makes perfect sense. Am looking to try it soon. Thanks again.

By CharlotteEmily at Tue, 2008-04-08 10:48 | login or register to post comments

wrinkles on silk scarves

how long do you "cook" your silk scarves? When I do chiffon,, it seems that It takes in a few minutes. Also I am having trouble getting the winkles out, i am going to try to cook it for less time Theresa Green

By Theresa Green at Fri, 2012-07-06 17:55 | login or register to post comments

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