Friday, June 6, 2008

Fabricluver: Mohair - trueing up grain & underlining/ Trench fabric

Mohair - I pulled a hair - umm, a thread

I was all set to take a picture of the mohair and explain that pulling a thread couldn't be done since it was so fuzzy. I had to pin it to the curtains so I could see light coming through but I finally did it. It took several tries and I actually had to pick it out because of the fuzz but that is done.

Now the question: Sandra Betzina in More Fabric Savvy says "underlining is not recommended because mohair will sag over the underlining in time. Lining is optional but it must hang free at the hem." Nancyk mentioned this earlier so now I'm not sure what to do. I made DD a jacket last year from this fabric and I did attach the lining hem. I will have to ask her how it looks now. Her jacket is short - probably at high hip level so that may not tell us much. Any suggestions on how I should go? I will be glad to mail someone a piece of this if it will help.

Trench Fabric - I have the black/plaid. Does this need to be trued up? Should it be dry cleaned before hand?

I apologize if these answers have been posted and I missed them.

11 comments:

Marji said...

Susan, last year I made a silk dupioni dress that I underlined with a silk organza and then made a Venice Lace overlay.
Because the lace overlay was likely to sag with the weight of itself, I basted it to the dupioni (white lines of stitching in this pic) then hand stitched it, in zigzag stitches to the face fabric.
This kept the lace stable enough to keep it from sagging, yet was totally invisible from the right side.
I'm thinking that this will work for your mohair.
And in a coat, (not a jacket, but a coat) the lining is free hanging anyway. Attached to the coat only by long french tacks.

fabricluver (Susan) said...

Marji - did you mean to attach a picture or could you link one? I understand what you are saying but I would like to see the length & width of your basting. I am also thinking that silk organza would be the best underlining for the mohair and would give it the stability it needs. Mine is white but I think I can dye it.

Thanks so much for your help!

fabricluver (Susan) said...

One more question: should I preshrink the silk organza? If so, what method?

Thanks again.

Nancy K said...

Preshrinking silk organza is easy. Throw it in the wash and dryer. I'd serge it together at the ends.

Nancy K said...

Does anyone have Claire Schaeffer's fabric book? I'd love to hear what she has to say on mohair.

Nancy K said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nancy K said...

Yes the raincoat needs to be trued too. I haven't tackled that yet. Thank goodness, Manhattan Fabrics sent me the yellow doublefaced already trued. I am almost finished prepping it.

Marji said...

Susan the whole last half of my first comment is a link - the white stitches are the basting, and I basted each piece after each were cut.

I preshrink silk organza by washing it in cool water, delicate in the dryer, then line drying it - I dont throw my silk organza in the dryer.

Shannon, can you weigh in here on your method?

I have Claire S's book and she mentions no such strictures about sewing with mohair.
And I've not found it in any other source.

fabricluver (Susan) said...

Well, duh - that's what I get for not scrolling over it. Let's see if I got this right - you basted the SO to the dupioni, the white stiches, and then used the large zigzag stitches to attach the lace overlay to the dupioni?

So I would use basting stitches to attach the SO to the dupioni and this would be done after each piece is cut? With the mohair fuzz it sure won't show. I am going to use the Kasha flannel backed lining - is this attached anyway other than normal? (I know it hangs free at the bottom)

BTW, that dress is gorgeous! I love the colors and it looks great on you! I somehow missed it last year.

Thank you all

Nancy K said...

As much as I like Sandra Betzina, I would be more inclined to take Claire Schaeffer's advice. Do as Marji suggests and have a good time.

Marji said...

"Let's see if I got this right - you basted the SO to the dupioni, the white stiches, and then used the large zigzag stitches to attach the lace overlay to the dupioni?"

No, I basted the organza to that dress first, just around the edges, THEN I mounted the lace onto the dupioni/SO pieces by placing the undelined piece of dupioni, right side up, on the table then mounted the lace on top of it, THEN basted the lace to the silk using the white thread - that way the lace was exactly placed. Then I flipped the whole over and stitched the lace to the silk from the wrong side with those long zigzag stitches you see in the picture.
All this is irrelevant for the coast sew along, but I htought I'd clarify.

right now, for June, just worry about getting your muslin made and getting your fabric prepped. Everyone who's underlining is going to have to mount the underlining to the fashion fabric - We'll go over it in July.
I know there are pics on the Divas site, and certainly in several texts, if you want to look ahead.
Hope this helps.