working with linen

[madamemodiste]

Oh, LJ Sewing Oracle, what is the best way to pre-wash and dry the linen I got at Joann's for Jason's motoring coat. Temp for wash? Temp for dryer?...or should I hang dry? I haven't dealt with linen in so long.

Comments

[themaskmaker.livejournal.com]

The last advice I was given was to wash the linen in the heat of water you'd use for the color -- warm for light colors, cold for bright colors, etc. -- then iron it dry. Then wash it again, and iron it dry again. Repeat as long as you have patience, or until you like how it handles.

I did it three times, and I loved how the linen turned out.

[koshka-the-cat.livejournal.com]

I like to wash it on hot and then dry it normally. Then I spray it with water, iron it, spray it with starch and iron again. I find it's less wobbly that way!

[tattycat.livejournal.com]

This is what I do too, minus the starch (unless I'm making ruffs) and often the ironing (because I am lazy). I usually pull it out of the drier and hang it up right quick.

[quincy134.livejournal.com]

I usually wash on hot, dry normal. Then lots of ironing with steam and water.

[isabelladangelo.livejournal.com]

I was mine on whatever temp is appropriate for the color and then put the dryer on the gentlest setting.

I've heard of some people stay stitching the ends to keep it from unraveling but I've found it doesn't really unravel enough to warrant it, in my opinion.

[my-lady-f.livejournal.com]

I wash all of my linen in hot hot hot. Because I never know who will wash the item later and if it might accidently get washed in hot one day.

I do press and now I think I'll be using starch too. I like pressing linen a lot more than any other fiber.

[my-lady-f.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I dry in hot too. I want all the shrinking to be done in advance.

[nex0s.livejournal.com]

That's how I do stuff too. If it's going to shrink, let it shrink before I put a ton of work into it.

N.

[sarahnucci.livejournal.com]

I'll be the odd man out - I wash everything on cold (because everything I've seen says unless you steam it you won't kill anything on it - although vodka kills anything on it you might need to take care of later) and it's cheaper - so cold wash, regular perm. press dry. Then lay it out and spray with water and spray starch, roll it in a ball to get damp all the way through and iron on high heat.

[aseret-black.livejournal.com]

I've always hot washed my white linen and then hung to dry. While it is still damp I iron. I like all my whites washed in hot water because I find it keeps them bright and white. In fact people always comment on my whites looking so white.

[dragoneyes19.livejournal.com]

I also always wash in the hottest setting and dry on high, iron with lots of steam. I've never used the starch when ironing before but I think I may try that next time!