Iron setting for PV?

[Dollander]

First off, apologies if this has been posted elsewhere, but my search attempts didn't turn up anything...though admittedly I didn't search very hard.

I'm about to make some PV kilts now that Summer's approaching (not that my wool 4-yard RevKs would be that much hotter, but I figure I'm gonna sweat in them either way so I need something machine-washable). I know Steve mentioned that pleats in PV can be permanent enough to survive the wash if the proper heat is used...but what is the proper amount of heat? I used my iron's cotton setting with a damp press cloth on the wool, but I also know from experience that that setting will melt polyester. So obviously I want the pleats to permanent without causing damage to the fabric.

And just so you know, I have a regular household iron and not some fancy, industrial-strength professional model. The settings are labeled "Synthetics", "Silk" and "Wool" (very close together), and "Cotton-Linen" at the very top. I put it just below the silk setting when I'm ironing my viscose-acetate UT kilts (which I'll be retiring once my PVs are complete) with no ill effects, but that's just to get the wrinkles out since the edges of the pleats are stitched...which, again, I'd rather not have to do as it'd make for a lot of extra work, not to mention not having the look I'm after.

[The Wizard of BC]

It is almost impossible to give you an exact setting for a home iron. They are not calibrated in degrees. So the most important thing to remember is to use steam for your temperature setting.

I think that the most important thing to remember is that we do not iron kilts. We steam and then press.

If a kilt is wrinkled we use steam alone.

When making wool kilts we use steam to heat and soften the fibers - Then we press to set creases. This is a downward force without moving side to side at all. We do not pick up or move the fabric until cool again.

One of the reasons we use steam is that it is always the same temperature. That temperature is below that which will harm the fabric. The problem with domestic irons is the the steam is created only as water is passed over a hot sole plate. So the sole plate is much hotter than is safe for the fabric. This is why we always use a pressing cloth.

Polyester is a synthetic fiber as is Rayon. To press a Polyester/Rayon blend fabric you lightly dampen the fabric with a sprayer and then press using a lightly damp pressing cloth. If you are using a home iron I would suggest a thin terry cloth like a hand towel or wash cloth. This will hold a lot of water that the iron turns to steam and keeps the hot sole away from the low melting temperature of the synthetic fabric.
Never, ever, let a domestic iron sole plate to touch directly onto Polyester/Rayon blend fabrics.

On my commercial irons the steam is generated in a tank so the sole plate is quite cool. I also use a teflon plate protector. The temperature of my sole plate is hot but cool enough that you can put it on your hand. It will feel hot but not be hot enough to blister.

I shoot steam into the Polyester/Rayon fabric to heat the fibers and then press just as I do with wool. The steam does all the work. You want the moisture in the fabric and the moisture in your pressing cloth to create a cloud of steam. Then press straight down just long enough to create a hard crease. Once set like this the crease in Polyester/Rayon blend fabrics will be permanent.

In effect you are lightly melting the synthetic fabric so it is really critical that you do not touch the fabric with anything hotter than steam.

[Dollander]

Wow...that was very thorough. Thank you.

And now I'm especially glad I asked and didn't just wing it, as I'd've likely used the same press cloth I did for the wool and thus ruined the fabric.

One other thing: will it help to add vinegar to the water for either spraying the fabric or dampening the cloth? I recall reading that vinegar helps fabric hold a pleat, and it did seem to enable the denim for my first self-made kilt hold its pleats long enough for me to stitch the edges (though the fabric smelled like a hoagie for a few days ). Or, given the physics of it, will it not make a difference?

[The Wizard of BC]

Adding vinegar to your ironing spritzer is adding a surficant. It breaks up the surface tension of the water allowing it to penetrate the fibers. This works well on cotton and wool but is less effective on synthetics. It can't hurt, but you will not notice any significant difference. And your whole house will smell like vinegar.

[KiltedKnome]

Wow...that was very thorough. Thank you.

And now I'm especially glad I asked and didn't just wing it, as I'd've likely used the same press cloth I did for the wool and thus ruined the fabric.

One other thing: will it help to add vinegar to the water for either spraying the fabric or dampening the cloth? I recall reading that vinegar helps fabric hold a pleat, and it did seem to enable the denim for my first self-made kilt hold its pleats long enough for me to stitch the edges (though the fabric smelled like a hoagie for a few days ). Or, given the physics of it, will it not make a difference?

Now, this is going to date me.... I remember my mother using Stretch 'n' Sew patterns and polyester knits in the late 1960's, early 1970's, and she always spritzed the fabric with a vinegar-water solution prior to pressing. The house smelled like "Easter" to me after she did it (Easter, Easter eggs, vinegar dyes....get it?).

[Dollander]

Okay, I have one more question: as my fabric has now arrived, I noticed that some of it has a clean selvage, while some does not:
selvage.jpg
Obviously the one on the left will need a hem. But will a single fold be sufficient, or will I have to fold it over twice to keep that rough edge from unraveling in the wash?

And no, I'm not being lazy; I just want to have as few layers as possible so the pleats don't lose their crispness at the bottom.

[The Wizard of BC]

That will depend on your method of hemming.

The fringed edge like you show can be either serged or, if you prefer, snip off the fringe but do not go beyond the small white thread.

Then press up your hem and stitch with a blind hem or catch stitch.