Quote Originally Posted by The Wizard of BC View Post
ForresterModern,

Do you have a steam cleaner? A Really good Steam Iron?

I have found a few bolts of cloth that when they arrive from the weaver are skewed just as your F&K fabric.


Quickly baste you Kilt as it came from Barb.

Build up a good head of steam in your iron and then put on an over mitt.

Set up an ironing board and lay the Kilt in the big flat end with the Fell on the ironing board and the pleats hanging vertically
Grab the hem, a handfull of pleats and pull down gently. You should be able to pull the fabric straight and take out the skew.

Then pass the Iron over the fabric allowing the steam to pass entiely through the pleats.

The idea is to warm the fabric enough for it to relax and let the skew fall out.

Then remove the steam but don't let go of the fabric until it is totally cool.

Then hold up the entire Kilt and see if the place you just did is now straight in relation to the rest of the Kilt. If it is then simply repeat the process over the whole Kilt.

I've had three times now when I have had to de-skew an entire bolt of fabric that just arrived from Scotland.
Steve

Thanks for the suggestion. As I said barb gave it a good steam ironing beforethe build up, but the skew came back over time. I do not have a steam cleaner, do have a steam iron but cannot vouch for its quality (or even its location, since I use a drycleaner for everything), and lastly, I have absolutely NO idea how to go about basting a kilt back the way it was when Barb sent it. It took me darn near 20 minutes to get them out---can't imagine how long it would take me to put them back in. I do have a household steamer, still new in the box, to use to remove wrinkles from my kilts but, due to my so far meticulous care of them, I have not had to even open let alone learn how to use it.

For the most part I don't see the skew in the pleats, just the front apron. so maybe I could try it on the front apron only, but I fear that its presence throughout the whole kilt fabric will likely cause it to return in the apron even if I get that part straight. I will talk with my wife and see what we can come up with to try to use your suggestions.

Thanks again for your help.

Jeff