velvet or wool?

[MacRobert's Reply]

Middle - black cotton velvet Sheriffmuir doublet - rough when stroked down

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Middle - black cotton velvet Sheriffmuir doublet - rough when stroked down

Nice to see Balgonie up and about.

My own take on velvet is that it is best confined to collars; that said, a velvet Argyll with silk turn backs and facings really is the biz.

[creagdhubh]

Dixiecat is right enough with advice about crushing but in my experience the single most reason for crushing velvet is inexperience, an iron and a pressing cloth. DON'T

If you try to press out any creases that way you will simply crush the pile and ruin the jacket. 100% cotton should have any creases fall out if hung in a warm room. Steaming is good, preferably from the inside, but avoid water spotting on the pile at all costs

I'd still go for barathea though. Velvet may have you stand out in a crowd but I prefer to blend in

Never iron or press a silk velvet doublet! Why on Earth would someone do that? Natural creases from wear - in the right places - give the velvet doublet or coatee a certain amount of character, in my opinion. For the rest, a suitable wooden suit hanger does the job.

Cheers,

[Dixiecat]

Never iron or press velvet! Why on Earth would someone do that?!

You certainly can press velvet, albeit gently and with caution and not without something between the iron and the velvet. I do this all the time when making the velvet jackets and waistcoats of a highland dancer. The 100% cotton velvet can take a certain amount of heat and pressure. I always make sure that I press, not iron, which means and up/down motion, not a sweeping motion one would make when ironing a shirt. Also, I use a large scrap of velvet face down on the velvet garment that I am pressing (velvets are face to face). Sometimes I'll hold the iron slightly above the fabric and use steam to relax the fabric into place. Also, take care not to press too hard when going over the seams so that you don't impress a seamline into the velvet.

Silk velvet is a whole different kettle of fish. Heat, even low heat, from an iron can do considerable damage if you don't know how to handle the fabric. I would recommend professional care if you had a silk velvet jacket.

The crushing that I was referring to earlier was the creases you might get from packing, hanging or wearing too long in the car, etc. Not from wearing.

[cable scot]

Well I pulled the chain on a cotton velvet in black(midnight blue wasn't a color option)rocky at USA kilts knows a guy who can do them at a d**m good price.So I also orderd a lovat blue tweed jacket & vest with hose for less than what I had budgeted. So let the jonesing continue,early to mid april is the aprox. date for delivery

[LitTrog]

Well I pulled the chain on a cotton velvet in black(midnight blue wasn't a color option)rocky at USA kilts knows a guy who can do them at a d**m good price.So I also orderd a lovat blue tweed jacket & vest with hose for less than what I had budgeted. So let the jonesing continue,early to mid april is the aprox. date for delivery

!!! Gotta share the pics, too!

[cable scot]

Will post pics as soon as I can, I know

[creagdhubh]

Congrats, great choices!

[sydnie7]

A bit OT here (but we're all used to that, right?). Dixiecat mentioned using a scrap of velvet as a pressing cloth, which I've heard of before. I've also seen a horrendously expensive pressing aid that looks like a little bed of nails -- called a "needle board" and here they are at B Black. Has anybody ever splashed for one, and are they any use or worth the money?

I knew a gal who owned and used one but that was a hundred years ago and I haven't any memory of the results.

[davidg]

Has anybody ever splashed for one, and are they any use or worth the money?

I've never used one but I don't think it would be worth the money. I prefer to steam

I'm sure there will be those who disagree with me but if you use a good quality steam generator iron, preferably one that does not use filters, you should get a good result

The dangerous bit is getting water splashes on the velvet. That's why a good quality steam generator is best so you get an even spray of steam rather than water splashing out and why a filter can be a disaster. Filters can, when well used, splash bits of brown scale all over the place