Sewing curtains - dry clean fabric before sewing?

16 years ago

I am sewing panel curtains for one of the rooms in our newly built house. The panels will go to the ceiling (9 feet) and will cover a 20-foot wide window. Therefore, a lot of fabric is involved! I ordered 30 yards of a Waverly fabric on line, and it is "dryclean only."

I always pre-wash fabric before I sew, but should I dryclean before I sew? How would that work, with such a huge amount of fabric?!!!

I would love advice from any of you who know about this!

Thank you!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

bestyears
16 years ago
Pre-washing is to shrink the fabric so that you don't have a problem after you've sewn it. I don't believe drycleaning changes the shape or size of fabric. I've made lots of home dec stuff and have never drycleaned before I've made it up. Have never had a problem.
brutuses
16 years ago
I second what best years said.

Unless you are going to try to wash the curtains later, it's not necessary to prewash. Dry cleaning now for dry cleaning later is just a waste of money.
Related Professionals
Appleton Interior Designers & Decorators · Stanford Interior Designers & Decorators · Washington Interior Designers & Decorators · Charleston Furniture & Accessories · Duluth Furniture & Accessories · Rock Hill Furniture & Accessories · Zionsville Furniture & Accessories · Gainesville Custom Artists · Fairview Shores Custom Artists · Pembroke Custom Artists · Romeoville Lighting · Venice Lighting · East Setauket Window Treatments · Rancho Santa Margarita Window Treatments · West Des Moines Window Treatments
okhouse
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you both for your responses. I would never have thought of dry cleaning before sewing, but the site I ordered from, fabric.com, said clean the fabric before sewing in the manner you will clean it after sewing - if it is dry clean, then dry clean it first.

I will happily skip the dry cleaning caution and get right into enjoying my sewing! I woder how well I will do sewing such a huge expanse of fabric! I have sewed a great deal over the years, but nothing of such a size.

Margaret
andee_gw
16 years ago
Margaret,
For cutting the bolt of fabric, I put all the leaves in my DR table, and then chairs at either end. The bolt is in one chair and then pull it over the table, and over to the opposite chair to measure and cut. Keeping it organized and loosely fan-folded at the opposite end helped. And when sewing, keep the fabric flowing from a chair to sewing machine to another chair so it doesn't get heavy as it goes through the machine and keeps it off the floor. It's a bit of a bother, but so worth it to sew your own draperies!

And everyone is right about not dry cleaning. How curious that fabric.com would recommend it.
okhouse
Original Author
16 years ago
Andee, Thank you for your response about my curtains. I can picture what you are saying you do, and I will do it exactly as you described. You give me the courage to get started as soon as the fabric is delivered. When I finish this 20 foot stretch, I will begin a 21' corner window in our bedroom; then it's on to the 40' wall in the living room! Obviously I have my work cut out for me.

Thanks again!

Margaret
parma42
16 years ago
I'd reconsider.

Now my experience might have been a fluke but I'll share it, anyway. In our last house, I had an ID come in to help with a LR window treatment. The window was off size and I had to do custom. We picked out a beautiful Robert Allen, dry clean only, fabric. When we put the house up for sale, I took the draperies to the dry cleaners. When they came back, they were almost two inches shorter. Yikes!