Online Fabric Source

BEI Design typoed:

"DYEING" dammit! I'm not planning on "dying" for YEARS.

Beverly

That's a relief, Juno

If you decide to dye, I would suggest steaming the fabric, rather than pressing it. I have a Jiffy steamer that I got for my knits (nobody wants a "pressed" sweater or afghan) that is great for steaming wrinkles out of things. Just hang them, I like the shower rod for this purpose, and then steam the bejeesus out of them.

There. Problem solved. If you don't have a good steamer, now you have a good reason to get one. You'll find lots of uses. They're really great for that wool whatever you tossed into the washer without realizing it. You pin those out on a padded board and steam them into "growing." Blocking, too, of course.

Have drooled through the website before, but that's all. ;)

Hope you get it all figured soon, Beverly. I know sometimes the most challenging and frustrating part of a whole project is sourcing the fabrics.

Sharon

I have one!!! Bought it when I was doing the wedding (I went on a real buying binge, Babylock coverstitch, press, blind hemmer... The steamer is still in the box. ;-}

I bought it because I was looking forward the "pressing" the floor-to-ceiling draperies while they were hanging, it's always been a real problem to get them pressed and hung before they get all wrinkled again.

Thanks so much for the nudge, I'll get it out and figure out how to use it. ;-)

Beverly

Well thanks for weighing in, I guess I'll call and just take my chances.

Indeed! DGD's teacher brought back a lovely piece of velveteen, but it is too purple, it doesn't really pick up the dominant color. We'll figure something out, I'm headed to The Mill End Store tomorrow, DD is going to Fabric Depot. We are very fortunate in having two good LARGE fabric stores locally, but may have to resort to online if we don't find just the right color here.

Beverly

Thanks ;-)

Beverly

It's really hard. ;-) You put water in the reservoir, plug it in, turn it on, and when steam starts to come out of the wand, it's ready. You take the wand (pointing the part with the holes *away* from you,) and wave it up and down the fabric, about an inch or two above the surface.

You're gonna love it.

Why "...*away* from you...???"

No doubt, I just need somewhere to set it up. So many tools, so little room....

Beverly

It doesn't matter. I'm pretty sure that if I had a 25 room mansion, I would still have space problems. Didn't George Carlin have a routine about this? You always need more space for your stuff.

Ooh, ooh

I've dyed cotton velveteen from Dharma. It turned out great. I dyed a couple of yards of their cotton velveteen in a deep forest green color. This was made up in a poly-satin-lined "elf vest".

The heat and agitation during the dyeing, followed by laundering and machine drying took care of any tendency to shrink. The finished garment is "machine wash cool, tumble dry low". I fish it out of the dryer when it's about 90% dry and smooth it out on a flat surface. I've never had to press it at all.

You would think that this house, which was sufficient for a four-member family for many years, would have room now that the children have left the nest and after DH died. But, nooOOOoooo....

Beverly

Beverly

Ah, do report back on what you find, please?

Beverly

There used to be seven of us living here. Grandma had her own apartment in the former attic, we now rent that out. But we had four kids, each had a room of their own. I really have to go through this entire house and get rid of things. Or else someone will have to do it when I'm gone. Fortunately, one of the kids wants the house. ;-)

After having gone through *months* of sorting-tossing-donating all the many-year's accumulation in my DMIL's house when we moved her and her second husband here to care for them, I vowed "I will not put my kids through that!"

Here I am, 5+ years after DH's death, absolutely immobilized when it comes time to sort-toss-donate all his stuff. He was constitutionally unable to part with things, being a Child of the Depression had made a very deep mark on him.

Neither of my DDs want this house, do I really have to pare the unnecessary stuff down.

And *I* don't have *any* "unnecessary" stuff...

Beverly

Treasures. I have treasures. I'm sure you do, too.

Immobilization is my biggest foe. Part of it is that I don't have the energy and stamina I had only a few short years ago. The other part is that there is so much to do that I end up whirling in circles instead of moving forward in a line. So, I come check email, news groups, and play a game or two, maybe IM with a friend or six...... Not productive. But it feels good. Better than all that whirling, for shure!!

Beverly,

I can relate to that - it's so hard to get rid of things we love, even if they have sat there for years unused. The jumper that my Mum knitted me that I never wear now.... the handkerchief that my Grandad owned, the old blouse that I bought years ago and is still going well (poly-cotton), some of the fabric stash....

I've been slowly clearing my house out over the past 2 - 2.5 years - basically to make room for DD and her stuff! I'm slowly getting to the point I'll have been round once, and I'm beginning to think I need to start again! I have a drawer full of stuff that I don't know where it all came from!

Didn't you say you DD's had arranged a 'de-cluter' your house seminar for you? (GDARFC!)

Regards,

Sarah

Match the blue instead? I don't know if you are planning on washing any of her outfit once made? That may factor into your choice as washing will possibly change the colour over time.

Regards,

Sarah