Satin Fabric

[maryq]

Hey Gals,

My Future DIL called me tonite, practically in tears. Poor thing... you know how weddings can stress a person out! Anyway, Her Mom made the flower girls dresses for the wedding. The skirt part is satin. One of Sara's sister's, who is not by any stretch a seamtress, hand sewed the hem, but apparently not very well. So Sara wants to take out the hand stitching and re-do it, but it's leaving marks where the needles holes are.

Does anybody have an idea on how to get those marks out? I know you can't wash the satin. I was wondering if I sort of steamed it from the back side if that would help. The bridesmaid dresses are a satin type fabric too and all they are doing with those is using "stitch witch" or some type of fusible or iron on strip so there won't be needle marks. I'm thinking we could try that on the flower girl dresses!

Any ideas????

Maryq

[zfatcat]

Try steaming the fabric. That should help. You have to be careful with the heat. Too hot can damage the fabric. As for hemming, I would find a thread the exact color or maybe even clear and machine hem a very small hem. Less than quarter inch. I don't think the blind hem stitch works on satin. It pulls the threads of the fabric.
Maybe go to a store where they have satin dresses and see how they hem them.

[lorettav]

You should put a cloth between the fabric and the iron so it won't make it slick looking. The holes in the fabric may go away when you iron. I'm sure it won't be noticed by anyone since it is closer to the floor. Hope it works.

Loretta

[Cathy32078]

I don't know anything about Satin but just wanted to tell ya that I think you are going to be a SUPER MIL. Let us know what you find that will take care of this. I don't sew garments but am curious.

Hugs

[kittymom]

Is there any way you could get some scraps of the satin fabric to experiment on? I'd be scared to fuse a hem without seeing what that kind of heat would do to the satin. Some satin is so forgiving and some seems to carry a grudge.

Have you ever hand sewn a hem with a stitch that looks like cross stitch and catches only one strand of the fabric back? It is almost invisible and surprisingly quick to put in.

Hoping you can get a piece of the fabric to experiment with. Good luck!

[astitchintime]

Maryq ~ Satin formals is what I do best! I sew on satin for my Rainbow Girls on a regular basis, in every color and mostly wedding dress patterns. First, do you know if the fabric a washable satin or dry clean only? Do you know what brand/manufact. it is? Where it was purchased?

The type of satin makes a major difference, don't let anyone use water or any other liquid to spray the fabric for pressing or steaming unless you know. Also I would hold off on using the stitch witchery or fusables if you have the time too.

When is the wedding? I am going to pull out my notes, I have kept a spiral notebook that helps to remind me of the specific issues I have had with any fabric I work on, maybe I can find something that will help. If you have a sample of the fabric, keep it and maybe together we can find a solution for this problem that will keep the bride-to-be from tears. Tell her not to give up hope,I will do my best to help!! We will find a way to make the hems as beautiful as the rest of the dress.
Happy stitching!!
Debi

[maryq]

THANKS so much for advice!!!!
I knew I could count on you guys!!
I don't know if Sara's Mom knows about what type of satin it, but I'm sure she must have scrap left to test on! She may bring it over this morning and we'll take a look at it!!


Maryq

[Peaches]

You could buy an extra yard of fabric, cut it into a bias strip and bind the bottom of the dress
like you bind a quilt edge. If you have part of the binding showing at the bottom, it will look
like a design element. I used this technique on the neck and arm opening on my daughter's
wedding dress. People who looked super closely were very impressed that it was hand
stitched. Never confessed that I didn't want to mess with satin facings!
Also, a lot of hem edges in stores now are just serged edges. They call it "pearl stitched"
hem design. Just bought two skirts yesterday from Nordstrom's that had this done. I bought
the "tall" size and am having a traditional hem added. The sales clerk thought I was crazy,
but the alterations lady asked if I sewed and we had a good laugh! She thought it was a great
solution to what I considered a cheap finish.

[Evie]

Any chance you could sew lace around the hem?

[TheKid]

Like Loretta said. Put a cloth between the iron and the satin. Or it will leave iron and shine on it. But, it will work. Most professional seams are done on a serger. Don't try that. Will be thinking of you.