ironing pleats

[Blu (Ontario)]

blu ...

just to clarify.

you steam iron using the steam feature on the iron or using a damp cloth and then with a metal container filled with ice water you re-iron...

and this locks the pleats down? so to speak?

'brose

When ironing (esp. wool) I use a press cloth (from an old pillow case actually) and the steam-jet feature on the iron. Ironing in small sections, I can make minor adjustments as I go. After doing a small section with the hot iron, I set that aside and go over the same area with the cold pot and some pressure to "pull" the heat out of the fabric. I understand that some professional steam presses have a vaccuum feature that does the same sort of thing. I've used light spray of vinegar water in the past (from a spray bottle) but didn't notice that much difference. (The vinegar is suppose to make the fabric behave like perma-pressed.) Your kilt will smell like pickles for a couple of hours. THe cold pot trick works well though.

[The Kilted Chef]

Quite authentic when used with the dill pickle tartan!

Larry

[Raphael]

Do You iron both Side of the Kilt? I used some Starch and Ironed both side and the kilt looks Crisper han ever.

[Hamish]

Do You iron both Side of the Kilt? I used some Starch and Ironed both side and the kilt looks Crisper han ever.

I'd say that is making hard work of it! There is generally no need to iron BOTH sides. I normally iron on the outside, using a damp press-cloth and the steam iron. I would never use starch on a woollen kilt, although I can see that it might help to hold a sharper pleat on lighter fabrics.

[Blu (Ontario)]

On occasion I've ironed the inside. I ironed in a wrinkle on the first side doing that once. Yagotta be careful.

[Freedomlover]

Again, paraphrasing Jimmy; don't go near a dry cleaner with your expensive kilts.

Why not? I have had my kilts professionally pressed for decades without problems. In fact, the first kilt I ever bought (1963) is still in regular service and has been pressed hundreds of times without incident.

[Hamish]

Again, paraphrasing Jimmy; don't go near a dry cleaner with your expensive kilts.

Why not? I have had my kilts professionally pressed for decades without problems. In fact, the first kilt I ever bought (1963) is still in regular service and has been pressed hundreds of times without incident.

I have never understood this resistance either, Freedomlover. My oldest kilt dates from 1973 and, like yours, has been dry-cleaned many, many times with nary a problem. That kilt is as good now as it was when received from the tailor in Aberdeen.

The only point one might make is that some modern cleaning chemicals denature the leather straps. I was put in touch with a splendid leather conditioning cream which, when applied both before and after cleaning to said leather straps, keeps them in perfect condition.

[bubba]

Here in the US you can't blindly trust a dry cleaner to take proper care. Most are essentially assembly line operations and part of a chain using fairly unskilled workers. I've had things ruined by dry cleaners before. It might be different in the UK but in the US you really need to investigate any dry cleaner you're thinking of patronizing.

[Mike1]

I once had a suit coat nearly destroyed at a dry cleaner's shop. The shoulders were padded and they somehow doubled the pads up on both sides. :x

I had a seamstress rip a couple of stitches enough to get in there and lay everything back out, which saved the coat.

Do people just not care any longer? Yeah, I know, silly question wasn't it?

Peace,
Mike

[Miah]

I have had Military Shirts totaly destroyed taking them to a Dry cleaner that was not in the know of how Marine Corps Shirts were done.