The 'Gertie Sew-Along Dublin Group' (I agree, we need a better title) met up last weekend, and battled our way through the shops, emerging victorious with almost all the materials we need. [I've no idea where to get silk organza, I'll probably head back to the bridal section and ask there. And I'm still debating whether the slight need for pinking shears justifies the huge cost.]
The selection is not great in these parts, especially at the weekend, nor when specifically looking for cotton, in winter. We got the muslin for the bodice mock-up (and had to explain it wasn't for cooking turkey), we got fusible interlining (ultrasoft), shell fabric (printed cotton or poly-cotton), and some of us got lining material too (poly-cotton).
So, we're all set, right? Nope. Annoyingly the fabrics need to be prepared before we get started. This means laundering them. Most fabrics have a tendency to shrink, but cotton and polyester definitely do. No point in going to great efforts to ensure your garment fits perfectly, only to have it shrink on the first wash. Also, I found my printed poly-cotton very stiff, but once washed it softened nicely, making it easier to work with.
The rough instructions are to wash the fabric as you intend to wash the final garment. There are some restrictions, for example dry-clean only fabrics. But the fabrics we picked out are made to be washed. Unless your fabric says otherwise (on the edge, the end of the bolt, or the receipt) then a basic 30/40-degree wash should be fine. Use your usual washing detergents, and dry as you would normally. Finally, we'll need to iron the fabric, to get rid of any creases before we begin garment construction.
[I am disappointed in the quality of my fabric, the print faded slightly as expected, but it has also become damaged in several places, looking like it might rip right through. Now I'm glad I bought a bit extra. Perhaps it should have been washed at 30-degrees. The lining fabric on the other hand, is so much nicer, softer, more solid.]
The fusible interfacing is likely to shrink as well. But you can't just throw it in a washing machine, the glue will get a mind to melt and it'll end up stuck to everything. I got a new book recently, the encyclopaedic
Claire Shaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide. It's a fantastic book, imparting boundless knowledge on how to treat and use all kinds of different fabrics. Here's what she says about fusible interfacing:
"...fill a basin with hot water. Place the folded interfacing in the basin. Remove the interfacing when the water cools, about 20 minutes. Roll it in a towel to remove excess moisture and hang it over a shower rod to dry."
And no need to iron, yet :) Also, no need to wash the muslin, unless you intend to make a finished garment from it. Now we're ready to start thinking about the pattern.
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