Step 1

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Since velvet has a deep pile, you absolutely cannot iron it... unless: 1. You purchase a needleboard (or velvaboard) to place face up on your ironing board with your velvet face down to avoid crushing 2. You steam each seam several inches above the fabric, and gently press them open with your fingers, never allowing the iron to touch the fabric. As you can't iron, you also can't use iron-on interfacing, so you'll need to use the old fashioned stuff you have to baste on. Since velvet has such a deep pile, when the piled layers face each other, they love to move all over the place, creating horrible ripples and puckers. You really do need to purchase a walking foot for your machine, or the alternative is basting every seam by hand before machine stitching (yeah, I thought not!). When storing velvet, make sure to roll rather than fold it, because any creases will soon become permanent (this also goes for any pins left in for any amount of time!).

2 Comments

  • 432c7490d115c1733325c6c5c8630a78af55287a_large

    May 3, 2010, 04.20 PMby pingoo

    Thank you! This is a fantastic help, and I learned the hard way about leaving pins in and folding the fabric .. I actually have a walking foot which came with my automatic machine, and now I have a chance to use it :) Very valuable information, :D

  • 36f6e0ea38569d950d8244a444768019ac22e1af_large

    Oct 21, 2009, 03.46 PMby mhomecookin

    Thanks, I knew about the velvaboard but not the walking foot.

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