Thread: How to revive a crumpled silk veil?

So I am quite the careless dancer..have been crumpling up my silk veils for a while..mostly because I have been using them as cover-ups more than for performance. Well in a couple of weeks I will need to use one of them for a performance. So...please talk me through the best & easiest way to revive my poor little babies.

hang it in the bath room while you have a shower - the steam should work.

At the studio where I taught this spring they used steamers to get the wrinkles out of the recital costumes since they come really crumpled from the distributors and it worked beautifully. If you don't have a steamer, maybe drape it carefully over some hangars during a shower?

Love my steamer!

I've thrown mine in the dryer with a well rung out wet hand towel on the delicate cycle for around 10 to 15 minutes and had them come out just fine. The steam from the wet towel drying is enough to un-wrinkle the veils.

Steamer.

Originally Posted by Viv

I've thrown mine in the dryer with a well rung out wet hand towel on the delicate cycle for around 10 to 15 minutes and had them come out just fine. The steam from the wet towel drying is enough to un-wrinkle the veils.

I do this too. Nice to get ready for a gig while the veil is taking care of itself in the dryer!

Iron.

I throw mine over the shower curtain rod and give it a spritz with half water and half vinalla vodka (just makes it smell nice). It dries pretty fast and it get the wrinkles out.

If they are real silk (not "china silk") iron them. I always do. You should have a silk setting on your iron.

Originally Posted by basil1

If they are real silk (not "china silk") iron them. I always do. You should have a silk setting on your iron.

Real silk will take an even hotter setting than "silk" on most irons; choose the lowest setting that produces steam and just don't linger as you iron. I like to spray mine lightly with water as I go.

How do you iron without it becoming all staticky?? I ironed a few of my silk veils last month & ended up having to use StaticGuard on them afterward, it was so bad. I even used the steam button with the silk setting on my iron.

Steam setting on your iron and spraying with water as well. Silk can take a lot of heat and that is what it takes to get the wrinkles out.

Also, if you fold your veils with tissue paper neatly and travel with them that way they will not get wrinkled.

Originally Posted by Viv

I've thrown mine in the dryer with a well rung out wet hand towel on the delicate cycle for around 10 to 15 minutes and had them come out just fine. The steam from the wet towel drying is enough to un-wrinkle the veils.

I do this as well. You don't get quite the same sleek, shiny look that you get if you iron it, but it's WAY easier and not quite as staticky.

someone on Bhuz once said not to do this, though, if you habitually use fabric softener sheets in your dryer. The residue can spot the silk or something?

i just iron them

I got waaaaayy too much static when I ironed mine, what am I doing wrong?

Does anyone take them to the dry cleaners?

The static problem only plagues me in the winter, when it's so dry. The only thing I've found that "kills" the static is to hang the veil in a steamy environment after ironing. (Other than spraying with Static Guard... I do keep Static Guard in my veil vending bin, just in case.)

Originally Posted by tigerb

The static problem only plagues me in the winter, when it's so dry. The only thing I've found that "kills" the static is to hang the veil in a steamy environment after ironing. (Other than spraying with Static Guard... I do keep Static Guard in my veil vending bin, just in case.)

That's what I do, too. I iron the veil before I take my pre-gig shower, then hang it in the bathroom during my shower. Remember to take it out of the bathroom before you dry your hair, though, or you're right back at square one! ,r:;

A word about Static Guard--it is not an asthmatic's friend AT ALL so be careful where you are using it, and reconsider using it at all if you are dancing up close to people in a restaurant. The fumes will linger on the veil.

Originally Posted by badriya_al_ahmar

A word about Static Guard--it is not an asthmatic's friend AT ALL so be careful where you are using it, and reconsider using it at all if you are dancing up close to people in a restaurant. The fumes will linger on the veil.

Had NO IDEA about this, thanks for passing that along.

(Reminds me of when I planned a fog machine for a party then found out the guest of honor would not be able to breathe if we used it. Was SO happy somebody told me in advance.)

wow! Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll let you know how it goes. Personally the half-vanilla vodka & half-water is my favourite. I know you can guess why!

Ironing really works for real silk. Tip for folding veils. Never fold length wise down the middle, only across the short sides. Fold marks across the width will come out easily. Now you need a hanger, pad the straight part with some foam, and keep your veils on it.