I have some silk streamers that are too wide for an application. How difficult would it be to cut it in order to make it more narrow? What would be the best way to cut it nice and straight? After that, how could I keep the cut edges from fraying. I know hemming would be best, but it seems like it would be very difficult. The fold is so small, and it seems ironing it flat would be very difficult to keep straight and consistent. Also, the streamer is dyed in 'block' patterns, so there is the issue of the ever-changing thread color.

I might actually be willing to try this if I could be fairly certain there is a good way to get a straight cut, and a way to treat the edge from fraying without having to make a standard hem.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Regan

You can use a product call Fray Check that you can buy in a fabric store or Walmart. It is in a liquid form and comes in an applicator bottle. You run a line of it along the cut and let it dry. Works great!

I have some of that, but I have never used it on silk. Thanks for the reminder. I will test it out on some scrap silk!

Fray check will spoil silk. Yes, you iron material, and lay it out on a long board or table. Use a ruler and draw a line with the marking pencils sold at fabric stores. This process can be compared to making drapes for windows.

The best way to hem the silk is with a french hem. Depending on your sewing machine, you should get the french hemming attachment for the machine. This will help fold the edge as you sew. Otherwise, there are removable hem tapes and even washable glue stick. But for the small hems the attachment is best. Silk is so fragile that it might be best to sew a straight line on each side of the center, then draw the center line. Cut, now you have stitched lines to fold your hem over. This will also prevent the silk from stretching out of shape as you sew.

I would ask Richard Hughes if he would do this, he will if you twist his arm a little. OR take it to a local drapery shop and as them to do it.

If you don't know anything about sewing, get a basic sewing book at the fabric store.

For the thread color to use, just use what is on the other 3 sides.

Bill, these silks are hemmed before they were dyed, so the color of the thread changes and matches the color of the silk. I hand sew a lot, but I do not have a machine. Having a machine make the fold makes lots of sense! I knew I could not do a small, straight fold and crease by hand correctly.

I don't know yet. I already have a lot to think about. Maybe having thread a different color than much of the silk wouldn't matter too much. I'm sure I could get a seamstress around here to do the sewing. I'm not sure I could trust anyone to cut a long streamer though. I am reluctant to use markers on it too because I cannot wash these streamers, so the marker color would have to remain. I guess once the silk was hemmed the marks could be mostly concealed by the fold, but still I would be very nervous about the marking and cutting process.

Thanks.

1st, I mentioned only mark the center line to cut it straight. Thus the chalk pencil will be cut, so most will not be there. This is a chalk, pencil like tailors use, it brushes off with your fingers.

See, get a book and you will understand what I am saying. Curtain shops have the table needed to lay out a long streamer. They will cut by hand or wheel cutter as well. It only takes patients to do the job. It may take you several hours over a professional doing it in an hour.

Yes, hems are and can be made by hand. You have to fold and iron them, but with the stitch before cutting, this will be your 1st fold for the hem. I cannot explain everything here on the forum.

So get a basic sewing book, and forget it if you don't have a sewing machine. I have multi-colored silks with sewn hems in yellow, gray, white, etc. The color on a multi color silk is any color you want. It will not be noticed really at all by the spectators.

Yes, all silk can be washed, even multi-color. Just put some vinegar in the water to set the colors. They also have a packet that you can throw in the water to take up the color that bleeds in the wash. Walmart carries this as well. Wash in Woolite, it is gentle on fine materials. Don't worry, all the color will not bleed, I have washed my Rice streamers and they look just like new.

One of the master secrets in sewing silk is to use the smallest diameter needle your machine will allow -- and do a test to see if ball point or sharp works best on that particular type of silk, not leaving holes, pulls or tears. Tension of a machine also is very important to eliminate pucker and pull. So, like all magic, test and practice and do not expect perfect results one time out.

The Ombre thread which look like they should match a single dyed piece won't.

In the long run you need to decide if your time is more valuable than purchasing a silk made to specification that is perfect -- at maybe $10 per hour -- and a feeling you did not get it quite right.

I was told by the manufacturer not to get the dye wet on these particular silks, so washing these are out. Plus , they are Red/White/Blue, so I would be afraid that the color would bleed onto the white. (Even with the packet of color-soak) If it is just pencil mark the remainder probably would not be problem anyway. A bigger problem might be whether or not I would be able to see the pencil mark on the dark blue colors. If the pencils are available in different colors then that wouldn't be a problem either.

I don't think I would want to tackle sewing a hem along the length of a long streamer. I will have to cut this streamer up into shorter lengths, so I had planned on sewing a hem along the widths. Since it would only be about 2" to 2 1/2" wide I know I could handle that, plus I could try to match the hem threads to the colors. However, the length is a different matter altogether, in my mind anyway. I was hoping there might be a good solution that did not require sewing, but if there is not one then I will have to find a way to get them sewn.

Thanks.

Regan

If you are not in a hurry. I can do it.

I can't believe that the dye is not set. If you iron them with a cloth soaked with vinegar it should help to set the dye. But I don't know what you are dealing with.

Richard

There Richard will do it, send it to him.

The only other methods which does not involve sewing is the Fuzz tape, the liquid glue, and the glue stick. They also have a new adhesive strip on a paper, then you fold it over. All these will make the hem to wide and stiffen the silk, and that may lead to tearing the material.

What is 2" or 2-1/2" wide, the silk? Why would you want to produce such a skinny silk streamer. That will not look at all like something that could not be hidden in some way. If I miss understood, and the hem is that wide, that is to wide a hem. It should only be no more then 1/8" wide hem, and 1/16" is even better.

Thanks Richard, I contacted a local seamstress and she has agreed to take a look at it. If she cannot do it I will get back with you.

Bill, yes....2 1/2" is the max width of the streamers for this application. Trust me, it will look good and be amazing to the audience if I can get everything going like I have planned. I would want the hem to be as small as possible.

The easiest way to insure a straight edge on silk is to tear it. 100% silk will tear perfectly straight. All you do is clip in about 1/2" and pull from there. It will be perfectly straight when you get to the other end. And the easiest way to hem the silk is to put a hemming foot on the machine and use that. It can be done very easily and works great. I've done it this way many times.

You are partially correct. Yes, you can teat most silks and fabric. Some you cannot. As for hemming, if it were that easy a lot more people would be doing it. I commend you if you are to do this. Most can't.

Richard

If I had a machine I would give it a try, but I don't. If I have to sew something, it's by hand. It's a slow process for me, so I don't want to attempt hemming a long silk streamer. I'm not sure I would want to risk tearing it either.