is ironing your kilt a problem? questions & suggestion

[GMan]

Barbara,

What an honor to have you posting on this board! Glad that you are here to give us all great insights and knowledge regarding kilts.

[longforgan]

As yet, I have not had to face ironing my kilt. I know that it depends on how much you wear it, but do we have to do this very often? I threw out my last ironing board years ago; of course that was BK (before kilt). However, talking in my ignorance, (what a crazy thing to do) here is an idea! Let gravity work for you. How about a board attached vertically to a wall and having say, three clip-type kilt-hangers (left, center and right). The kilt would be hung there and could be steamed or ironed whilst it's hanging vertically. (am I wacko or not?)
- Cheers- Alan

[longforgan]

P.S. to my last message. Since then I have gone and read Barbara's advice more closely. That led me to try my kilt on a wall. I can get the pleats to arrange very nicely, but- the hangers would not be in a straight line at the same height. Work on this one guys will ya?- Alan

[Barb T]

Hi Alan

Ironing on the wall. Hmmm. Most steam irons only put out steam when they're face down, so ironing on a vertical surface would be tough. Even if you could get the steam, it might peel the paint and wallpaper off your wall!!

Also, I find that, if I want to get a good press, I really need to put my back into it and use both hands on the iron. I also set the ironing board really low so that I can keep my arms pretty straight and lean into the press. I've wrecked several cheap ironing boards, so I must be pressing pretty hard.

Just another thought. "Ironing" is a back-and-forth motion, and "pressing" is an up-and-down motion (no sliding the iron). You should press, rather than iron, a kilt.

And last, how often you have to press a kilt depends largely on how you take of it. If it's a heavy weight kilt, and you treat it kindly, it might not need pressing more than once a year. If it's a light weight kilt, it might need pressing fairly often, even if you take good care of it. Regardless, if the pleats aren't crisp any more (and it happens first with the ones right next to the apron and underapron), your kilt will look better if you press it, even if you do just the ones that need pressing.

Cheers!

Barb

[longforgan]

Hi Barbara, I knew my idea was crazy! (but remember, they said that Edison was crazy!) But no, I did mean that a board be first attached to the wall before the ironing would commence. The water spilling out of the steam iron would definitely be a problem. How about using a pressing cloth? Or how about another idea, imagine a horizontal ironing board! Cheers,- Alan
P.S. I tried one of these drip-dry kilts. It was o-k but my boots got awfully wet! - A.L.

[The Wizard of BC]

Guys,
Barb is right when she points out the diferance between pressing and ironing.
The reason wool is such a good fabric for kilts is it doesn't wrinkle very easy. That also means it doesn't take a crease easy.
So pressing pleats is really flattening with pressure. Not ironing with heat. The heat and steam of an iron is just to make the pressing a bit easier. It's the pressure that does the work. Proffesionals use a steam press that generates about 150 psi.
A home iron on a vertical board or home ironing board won't let you generate that kind of pressure.
You need to really lean on the iron and hold it there for a while. The damp cloth is to keep from scorching the fibers and causing a shiny spot. Then you need to sink the heat away quickly.
A good kilt should only need pressing about once a year under normal use. The creases will start to look round and soft.
If your kilt is wrinkled but the creases are still sharp, use a small hand held steamer like they sell for curtians. hang the kilt with two skirt hangers so it's open and round. That will let the wrinkles drop out with their own weight and not harm the sharp creases.
If you need to do your annual pressing then baste it up to hold everything in perfect alignment. Once the crease is in, it's in. A little mistake because you don't want to go thru the trouble of basting can ruin your expensive kilt.

[phil h]

I just take mine (that need it) to the dry-cleaners, washed and pressed for $12

[Barb T]

Hi Steve and Phil

Here's something else on pressing kilts from a previous reply in a different thread http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2747
Provides a bit of background for what Steve says above. As Steve says, the pressure is crucial, but so is the heat and the moisture (to get the little plates in the wool to open up).

As Steve says, once a crease is pressed, it's there forever, and if the dry cleaner presses a kilt wrong, it's almost impossible to fix it. Some dry clenaers lay a kilt out all nice and smooth with the pleats fanned (yikes!) when they press, and the result is a horrible, wavy bottom and wedge-shaped pleats. I'm not inclined to have a kilt dry cleaned unless it's absolutely necessary, and then I always tell the dry cleaner not to press the kilt. If I really want him to press it, I'd have it cleaned, I'd take it home, baste it, and then bring it back for pressing. Better than a disaster! But, if you have a dry cleaner that does a good job on kilts, that's great!

Cheers,

Barb

[richardljohnson]

... Once the kilt is cool and dry, ...

Just remember to use a damp press cloth on top of the tartan so that you don't make shiny spots on the kilt, and remember to press both sides of the kilt...

I also use this method for the PolyV kilts...YES! I do iron them!

After washing I let hang dry for about an hour then press and let cool before moving to allow crease to set. I know you really don't have to presss them but they look great if you do...

Richard-

[bubba]

Here's a little trick. When you're pressing a kilt fill a gallon size ziplock bag with ice and set an old iron on it to chill. After using your good iron to steam heat press the pleats take the chilled iron to press the pleat again.