(Brief aside, for those who are unfamiliar with guipure - count me amongst yourselves: It's a rather sassy lace - it's not backed with netting in the way of "regular" lace. The stuff I bought is quite robust. I am concerned about the volume, but I love it so much, I'm going to throw caution to the wind.)
Here is my question with rationale (broken up into numerous sections?!):
- I've looked through Claire Schaeffer's book to determine the best way to treat these fabrics. My hope was to wash them by hand before sewing as they both tend to shrink quite a bit. Alas, Ms. Schaeffer advises that dark-coloured silk tends to fade when hand-washed, and the satin shine dulls. Deal is, it will likely wreck that extremely luxe thing it's got going on.
- I don't like dry-cleaning. I used to dry-clean everything until I realized it was poison and it doesn't so much clean your clothes as toxify them. I also don't like paying for the pleasure. And really, I've had some clothing ruined due to harsh handling when dry-cleaned, though not recently.
- But I don't want to mess with the fabulous sheen and fall of the silk, the drape of the lace.
- How would y'all procede: suck it up and dry clean (infrequently)? Or hand wash and risk disaster?
- Any of you who've sewn with guipure, please provide your insights. I believe it's popular in bridal tailoring (which is likely why Sherry, formerly a creator of wedding wear, was able to enlighten me about it's pedigree). What are your feelings about it? Is it a challenge, a pleasure - or something in between.
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Oh, i desperately need a slip - lucky you!
ReplyDeleteAs for guipure, I don't want to discourage you (there may be other opinions on it as well) but I would not use guipure for a slip. The lace usually needs to be hand stitched ( appr. Every inch or so) to some sort of foundation layer (i used cotton) to prevent sagging and distortion after a while. Washing will only speed up this process. I just finished my guipure dress, which i started in Susan Khalje's class (the author of Bridal Couture) and this is what she taught me.
However, a blouse would be lovely, or a simple top...
Far be it for me to disagree with Ms. Schaeffer, but I worked with charmeuse several times this year, handwashed it every time, and there was NO difference in the end result. Seriously, none. The first time I did it, it was a dark burgundy colour and I even cut a swatch and pre-washed it and steamed it and then compared it to the original, untreated fabric. No difference (other than a bit of shrinkage.) I later did the same with a dark olive green charmeuse (which never saw the blog because the project was a total failure) and the same result - no change.
ReplyDelete(Obviously you know I'm pretty anti-dry-cleaning as well but I swear these comments are not affected by that bias.)
I buy a lot of mystery fabrics in my Fabric District hauls. What I do when I'm not certain about washing -- cut out a 4 x 4 square, wash and dry as I would like, and pay attention to the way the fabric hand changes (if it does). Generally, I find that pretty much everything can be machine or hand washed on cold and line dried. I have not tried every fabric, but out of the ones I have tried, only the truly evil polyesters with weird surface finishes have resisted contact with water.
ReplyDeleteI'm faaaaar from an expert on it, but I think I'd cut a little swatch of the fabric off and wash it to see how it looks once washed - it may not be as bad as you're anticipating. At least you'll know what you're getting yourself in for.
ReplyDeleteI recognize that lace, the designer I work for dyes it custom colors., which means it get wet, and it still looks great. It's often a rayon blend. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteSilk is hardier than most people realize. I've never had a problem washing charmeuse - or pressing it for that matter. BUT I would advise testing a swatch, as others suggest. If you soak a piece as you would hand wash it, you will get a pretty good sense of how colorfast it will be. Also, in my experience, it gets softer and drapier with washing. So, I'd be surprised if you damaged the hand. I haven't really worked with lace much, but you could always underline it with either a contrasting color or with a nude mesh if you are worried about it holding up.
ReplyDeletePS- Thanks for visiting my blog. Actually, I think I got the idea for the Gap-tastic cowl from you! ;-)
Marina: That makes perfect sense which is why I'm considering how to underline it i.e. with power net or some kind of mesh. First I have to figure out if I have the right stuff, and if I don't I guess I'll have to find it. But thank you for that feedback - it occurred to me this might be tricky to work with.
ReplyDeleteK and LSCG and Rachel: Thank you for that info! I'm going to try a swatch - I don't know why I didn't consider doing this...
Anon: Great feedback - I sense I can delicately wash the lace so that corroborates my feeling.
Clio: I don't know why I haven't gone to your blog before! (I think I had another commenter a while ago named Clio and when I tried to visit her site it showed she didn't have an account, and I might have confused you for her.) And I'm so glad you've made the cowl. It's a truly useful and elegant piece so I'm thrilled I might have turned your attention to it. I learned of it from Tasia!
I can't advise re: the guipure but recently prewashed silk charmeuse and silk dupioni in cold water with Forever New and routinely wash my silk scarves the same way. The prewashes did result in significant shrinkage, up to 1/2 inch, and in ironing I noticed some loss of sheen. No problem for me at all. I seriously don't want to dry clean.
ReplyDeleteSusan: I'm really happy, in the end, with the outcome of washing the silk.
DeleteDrycleaning is the only way to clean high end without damage. Try a few more. Talk to the owners. Water is bad for fabrics as it swells and distorts fibers.
ReplyDeleteAnon: I have to disagree. I was more leaning towards your argument but the silk looks just great after being hand washed and steamed a lot.
DeleteI don't know enough about the guipure, I know what it is but as how best to use it in lingerie I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteCharmeuse however will wash beautifully. Silk is stronger when wet than dry. Washing may well affect the sheen however, but only somewhat, it may lessen it may give it a softer glow but it will still have a sheen. I wouldn't dry clean lingerie so I would wash it, and it will make it softer with more drape. I love pure silk lingerie and hand wash all the time. I would think it depends on how the lace and whatever you back with with washes. You would have to wash them all the same way.
I'd probably test it, but anything that was dyed had to have gotten wet, probably under some pretty unpleasant condtions.
I could feel how it was stronger while wet. You're right that it still has its sheen.
DeleteI know I'm late to this, but I would have hand-washed. I could live with the luxe compromise, because I would prefer that to toxifying beautiful fabric. But that's just me. I can't wait to see what you did.
ReplyDeleteThe toxins really bother me too.
ReplyDelete