Acrylic Black Watch After Washing

**Scotcop** · 10th May 10, 05:34 PM

Sent it through the washing machine........now I just have to baste the pleats and iron it......other than the tutorial on it, any advice you might have for me??

**Tartan Hiker** · 10th May 10, 05:38 PM

If you hang it when it's still fresh from the washer and pull on the bottom of the pleats, you'll have a much easier time of it.
Don't forget to use a cool iron and a pressing cloth!

**Iainkp** · 10th May 10, 06:15 PM

can't really offer much advice, but please do follow up with more pictures, I took an iron to my black watch swk this morning to fix a few pleats that were creased after I laid it down wrong after a night at the bar,

I just pinned the few effected pleats and ironed on a low setting from the back, however not knowing how hot to go, I first tested the heat on my flashes... rather test it on those incase it was to hot and melted/caused that shiny effect burnt fabric can have.

it went well.. they are straighted out, however there is still a crease in the front caused from shipping that the low heat didn't get out, its not noticable when wearing it, however I would like to get it out before church this sunday

this is the thread i read and helped before I ironed mine http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...ng-kilt-58263/

**Bugbear** · 10th May 10, 06:35 PM

The Wizard of BC has explained this:

If you shoot steam at the crease while the kilt is hanging, and at the same time pull the bottom of the fabric below the crease or wrinkle, it should come out. You could use your steam iron or a steamer held a couple of inches away from the surface of the fabric.

It works for acrylic, PV, or wool.

*

I have to keep logging in to try to post this.

If the wrinkle is on a pleat, make sure you pull the pleat down, from the bottom, making the fold of the pleat sharp or tight; you could possibly steam out the fold of the pleate if you don't.

Hope that makes sense.

**Kaw-Liga** · 10th May 10, 07:14 PM

Just a question from a curious person.

Would it help to baste BEFORE washing ??

Thinking that if basted before washing, it could be damp dried and hung to finish drying the pleats would be deformed less.

Is there any reason that this should NOT be done??

Going to have to baste it sometime before ironing, why not before washing??

Kaw-Liga

**Bugbear** · 10th May 10, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by Kaw-Liga

Just a question from a curious person.

Would it help to baste BEFORE washing ??

Thinking that if basted before washing, it could be damp dried and hung to finish drying the pleats would be deformed less.

Is there any reason that this should NOT be done??

Going to have to baste it sometime before ironing, why not before washing??

Kaw-Liga

He was washing it in a washing machine... I can see how basting stitches might cause major problems in that situation by getting caught on things.

Handwashing a kilt, it's probably a good idea to baste before washing, unless, as I have read, the kilt is very dirty.

The only kilt I put in the washer is a cotton canvas with sewn edge pleats, so I can't say for sure on the acrylic.

* still having to log back in every time I post.

**Whidbey78** · 10th May 10, 10:29 PM

Arcrylics do fine on a gentle setting in cold water. I'll do warm if it's really wrinkled before going in. It won't actually absorb water, just holds it in the weave. I always hang dry, as even on a no-heat cycle my dryer is warm enough to pretty much remove pleats--they're still there and you can see them but they lose all their edge and crisp look. Light steam and the weight of the water pulls the mild wrinkles out as long as you pinch it at the pleat too so that stays. I've steamed my SWK's with some success, just be careful. If it gets warm and you tug too hard you can actually distort the fabric. I had to hem the inside apron on one I'm wearing right now because after doing this it poked out right between my knees. You can actually see the distortion in the tartan...glad it's not visible.

And I can tell you from experience that basting before washing is a bad idea in a washing machine. I got away with it a few times, and then a relatively new kilt turned into a yard work kilt. Some of the holes were big enough to pass a pencil through.

With wool...hand wash, hang dry, and if you're good with an iron touch up here and there and I think you will be good. Wool is easy to take care of if you know what not to do to it.

Just my two cents.

**Scotcop** · 13th May 10, 07:37 AM

OK....got it basted and pressed...nice thing about the washing is it seems to have removed some of the pilling....

**seanachie** · 13th May 10, 07:44 AM

....I picked it up here, but when I pull wet from the washing machine I use clothes pins to help weight down the pleats while hanging and this has worked well. Particularly with my acrylic SWK kilts the recommendations on steam I fully endorse. My wife has a steamer and I have had a few stubborn creases/wrinkles that I was scared of using an iron on for the aforementioned shininess it can create. The steam has worked well. Also I pull the kilt out on the washer right away and always use cold water.

**Iainkp** · 13th May 10, 04:13 PM

looks like you did a nice job on it, I plan on doing the same thing to mine after church this sunday, hopefully it'l turn out as well, however I'm definatly considering getting a steamer when I can afford it (that'l be a while though)

As far as pilling I did a search and found alot of people like to use a sweater shaver, so I picked up one at walmart for $5 cnd thats a mini-shaver and runs on two AA bateries - takes a bit of time because its smaller however it worked just fine

Iain