Any tips for working with silk

[irichmond]

Hello all
Its been a long time since I last posted, many personal problems to deal with, but have still been logging on
to see whats going on. Not done much sewing for awhile, until now and have all of a sudden got loads to do.
Been working on 4 pairs silk interlined curtains double pleat and every one has been a nightmare getting the front to lay straight
while measuring, the amount of times I have flipped the fabric to get the front smooth it has took ages.
I have worked with silk before and Im sure I never had this problem.
Tried pinning that seemed to made it worst any tips please.

KInd Regards

Irene

[thecurtainmaker]

Re: Any tips for working with silk

Poor Irene! I didn't quite understand - is it when you are trying to form the pleats that you are having problems?

Have you tried laying the curtain face down (having marked the pleats), then putting one hand in the pleat whilst folding the curtain over. I dont know if this will help.

Regards
Pen

[Tam]

Re: Any tips for working with silk

Oh goodness you have my sympathies ! Some silks are just plain painful!

I tend to opt for using my heavy 1.8m length rule to straighten my silk for the front measure up from the bottom at regular intervals and pin along the top of the metal rule so that I at least know the fabric is still square ( albiet for a while ) that way when you turn the curtains over, face down to put in the buckram (over the interlining under the silk) you know the pins are the level line.

Once pleating I do the same as Pen. Put my hand in the fold and gently fold over, slide a 30cm ruler into the fold to make sure the linings are flat inside, I then smooth down the pleat from top to bottom so the buckram sits tight to the fold line . By using double fusable buckram it helps heaps in holding the top line in place.

I have yet to find another positive solution of the pleat/space tops rolling once pleated

I wonder what everyone else does????? Interlock the tops maybe?? Cut the interlining a teeny bit short so the silk adheres to the buckram ( worrying that the glue will seep through to the face fabric?? Any ideas??

[irichmond]

Re: Any tips for working with silk

Thankyou Pen and Tam

Pen I managed to do the pleats ok the problem was getting the fabric to lay flat. Having layed it out on table I smothed it out from bottom up but with it being interlined all I was doing was smoothing the lining and interlining, the silk hardly moved so I had to keep flipping it over to try to get it flat, It was a pain. I used my big rule Tam to smooth silk before laying in interlining but still had to do part by hand because it kept gathering creases as I was moving rule up. Oh dear not very good at explaining rabbiting on a bit. They are finished now thank goodness I think now maybe It was the silk its self sticking to my padded table, not sure why though. Fitting them next saturday in Peterbough so might make a nice weekend of it.

Regards

Irene