Chiffon

11 years ago

My daughter bought some inexpensive almost-sheer chiffon-type fabric at Joann's today. We're going to make a type of a "tent" with it for her preschool classroom, for the kids to play in. She chose the fabric so that she can still see the kids while they're inside it. However, the one thing that neither of us thought of, ahead of time, was its washability.

According to what I've read on other websites, we can hand wash it. Oy vey, it's 6 yards. It would have to be done in the bathtub! Then drying-- I don't have a laundry line in the backyard.

I am thinking I might be able to just do a soak in the washing machine, and drip it out, then dry it on fluff in the dryer. Or is there a better way?

Donna

Featured Answer

carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10

11 years ago

What kind of tent? Is it the circular kind made w/ a hula hoop?

Or is it the classic triangular type?

& don't you only need to hem the cut edges, not the selvages? Why not wash after the panels have been made?

& I'll bet it's polyester....

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Comments (7)

User
11 years ago
What's the fabric made of?

You can wash it on gentle and then dry it on low, BUT she needs to hem the ends to keep it from ravelling. It might shrink or stretch, but it's for a play tent, not an opera gown.
donnar57
Original Author
11 years ago
Hemming, absolutely. (My job, btw, as she never wanted to learn to sew when she was growing up. Now she occasionally regrets that.) The fabric is already trying to unravel. I don't really want all those little threads gumming up my washer (or hers, either).

Donna
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sheesh
11 years ago
Well, Donna, she is not too old to learn! I was an adult with little kids when i taught myself to sew. I'll bet she is very capable of learning to hem, but six yards of chiffon would be a tricky learning experience.

If you have a serger, serge it with wooly nylon for the strongest, quickest, most attractive hem. If you dont have a serger, Depending on how ravelly the chiffon is, are you going to use a 1/4" hemming foot? That would be the easiest, neatest finish if it doesn't ravel too much already.

I made a prom dress for my dtr with 40 (forty) yards of chiffon!!! I know all about hemming it!
donnar57
Original Author
11 years ago
I do have a serger, but have never used wooly nylon on it. That's a great idea, for sure!

I know she's still capable of learning to sew, and certainly her grandma would be willing to hand over a sewing machine, too. But only occasionally does she show any interest -- like when Pinterest shows her something she loves but the store-bought price is outta sight! (That's what this was all about.)

Forty yards of chiffon -- I can't even imagine it. I was really lucky when my daughters were in HS -- they usually found a beautiful prom dress that I could barely have bought the fabric for at the price, so they went with store-bought. Same with the wedding dress. (I did make my own mother-of-the-bride dresses, and they were wearable afterward.)

Donna
donnar57
Original Author
11 years ago
Top one, and she plans to try a circus type top at the top. (That's not my job.) She wants it really FULL. Decided not to wash it at all. Unless a child pukes on it or something, she shouldn't need to wash it anyway.

Thanks!

Donna
taoseeker
11 years ago
Inexpensive chiffon is usually very easy to wash. It's most likely 100% polyester, and will stand up to basic washing powder. 6 yards should be no problem, forty yards would be something else.

The only thing I can think of is to use flat felled seams (doble hook type), the fabric needs the streangth of the seem to be robust enough for child's play. Maybe you could get by with a serger.