Pre-washing

**Mipi** · 14th August 08, 04:22 AM

Does 60% wool / 40% poly Tartan need pre-washing prior making kilt? If yes, at what temerature?

**Carolina Kiltman** · 14th August 08, 12:35 PM

If a fabric is washable, it always a good idea to wash it before making the garment. The first is the obvious one of possible shrinking, not too likely with a poly/wool. The second is that some modern, high speed looms require that the threads be wet (to increase the tensile strength) during weaving and there may be a goodly amount of sizing in the fabric. You will want to have that out before pleating, if for no other reason it makes the fabric more supple and easier to work.

Be sure to send us pictures of the finished product.

Washing temperature, warm wash, cool rinse.

**The Wizard of BC** · 15th August 08, 03:14 AM

The fabrics which are called "washable Wools" usually have less than 20% Wool content.

With your 60% Wool I would not put this fabric in a washing machine or dryer. Hand wash in cold water or dry clean only.

**Pleater** · 15th August 08, 12:26 PM

I have been hand washing all my kilts for a while now and feel it is the best thing for them, though I am hard on my kilts with wearing them in sandy scrubland and they are not rugged denims or canvas.

I think that they are lasting better than when I put them in the washing machine on 'delicates' or even 'hand wash' settings.

If you pre wash the fabric in exactly the way you intend to wash the kilt, then you should not get shrinkage after the kilt is made, but if you chose the wrong washing method you could ruin the material before you even start work.

If you are going to machine wash then you might need to consider folding the raw edges under and tacking down the seam so you don't get any fraying in the wash.

I would only put a fabric with that amount of wool in it into a washing machine if it was labled as washable, and then only on the hand wash program.

Anne the Pleater