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October/November Questions

Dear Andy,
I am interested in finding someone who can help me in producing my line of Mardi Gras dolls. I have the fabric printed and ready. I am in need of help with bettering the pattern that I have from the artist and the actual sewing of the dolls. I am doing a large quantity of dolls for re-sale.
Melvin
Dear Melvin: visit www.seams.org for a list of contract sewers around the USA. We are unable to call everyone that writes in. Good Luck, Andy

Dear Andy--Can you tell me the names of the few remaining handbag frame/clasp manufacturers in the U.S.? I am an accessories designer; I have searched the internet and haven't found major resources. Thank you. Ann
Dear Ann: visit: www.baglady.com. They have what you need. I don't think they would be considered a "major supplier" but they are a supplier. Since most of the handbags sold today are made outside of the US, you would have to find your sources on the world market. Good Luck, Andy

I need flame retardant fabric for a pipe and drape booth for crafts shows. same material for table skirting. I would prefer to make myself and same money - premade drapes and table cloth/skirting is very expensive.
Can I use the fire retardant sprays on regular fabric instead? I need a good source for this fabric that is CHEAP! white is fine My booth is 10x10 - 8 foot walls - 3 sides
Julie
Dear Julie: cheap is expensive. When buying Flame Retardant fabrics, they should come with a certificate that says they are flame retardant, so that you can show it to a Fire Marshal that may ask for it. Spraying the fabric would be O.K. if you have the tablecloth or draping tested after you sew it. The lab will want to see that you used special thread that is also FR. This is not a real way to save at trade shows. It can be done, but it may be more costly than getting what they have at the show. We too, do about 10 shows a year, and know all the costs involved. Setting up your booth will save some money. Stay away from too many lights or anything that the show management may feel that it is THEIR job to perform. This usually means: electricity other than the basics, carpeting (there are ways to get around that) and stay away from ladders. Good Luck, Andy

Dear Andy,
I'm having a hard time finding a cheerleading uniform patternsuitable for a team. The only type I can find are the fully pleated ones for like a halloween costume. I was wondering if you knew where i could any of these. Thanks!
K.C.
Dear K.C.. not being much of a sewer myself, we are passing your question on to Judith. She sews all my clothing now. Good Luck, Andy
K.C.,
I just went to Vogue Patterns at http://www.voguepatterns.com and Buttrick has cheer leading patterns under "Costumes". I didn't check for McCalls or Vogue or Simplicity but you may find that they have patterns too.
Judith
Fabrics.net

dear andy: help! i have terrible set in wrinkles in my wool jacket. is there any way to get them out?
Dear KiLiK: try bringing your coat to a dry cleaner and see what they can do for the wrinkles. Have a "warm" winter and Good Luck, Andy

Dear Andy,
Can you please tell me if there is anywhere in the greater London, Essex,Hertfordshire or Kent area where I can buy some cotton cambric material, to make tics (pillow cases) for goose feathers?
Thank you,
Sheila
Dear Sheila: I'm not familiar with the retailers in London. But since you have access to the World Wide Web, why not use it to your advantage? Try sourcing your fabric right here at Fabrics.Net. We have one of the best sourcing areas available anywhere on the web. Good Luck, Andy

Dear Andy............I have a need to repaint the fabric headliner in our Bounder Motorhome. In the bathroom area of the coach we unfortunately had a leak.....I think more than once........the just of it is.....we have a really bad stain. The headliner is a fabric like a very lightweight carpet....off white to tan in color. Texture like a cross between veloour and small waffle weave. The ideal thing would be to use a spray paint on it........as you could mask off the walls and interior of the bathroom and get a even coverage on the ceiling. I am thinking we would have to use a stain killer of somekind as in home type ceilings.......which is ok with us.......but anyway to get a measure of coverage would certainly make the ceiling less obviously damaged. Thank you in advance for any solution you might have for us. Davila
Dear Davila: visit: www.hemmings.com. It is the Old Car bible. You will find lots of sources for fabric headliners there. You will want to get a fabric that is Flame Retardant. You may even want to try to contact Bounder directly. They may be able to get you the exact replacement fabric. Good Luck, Andy

I want to buy clothes, accessories,etc. wholesale or retail and customize them to resell them. Is this legal? Will I be able to add my own label?
Syl
Dear Syl it may be legal, but what would be the sense? Today's buyers are very smart. How can you buy something retail, re-label it and then resell it? What if there is a problem with the garment, and someone comes back to sue you? Will you have the proper insurance? Who is going to buy this from you? It's time to rethink this before going ahead with the idea. Good Luck, Andy

Hello Andy,
I am in the process of starting a small company creating different bags and I would like to make a diaper bag but I have a concern about the changing pad. My concern is: Are there any regulations with changing pads in the diaper bags?
Thanks.
Dear Beth: there are rules and regulations for everything. Try visiting and joining the Juvenile Products Manufactures Associations at www.jpma.org. They or their members will be able to guide you to where you need to be. They also do a great trade show, that you will probably, at some time, will want to exhibit at. Good Luck, Andy

HI Andy,
I want to make a tote bag with a personal photo on it. I have seen some produced my Anna Hindmarch. How do you get the photos onto the fabric? I can sew and make a tote its the transfer I don't how to do. I don't particularly want to use canvas material? any ideas. thanks stephanie.
Dear Stephanie: several companies are making fabrics that can be printed at home on your Inkjet or laser printer. These include cotton, silk and canvas. Search around. Good Luck, Andy

Andy,
Quick Q:
I have a business suit that I absolutely love, but it is 15 years old now and has quite a shine. Can you recommend some way to reduce the shine, short of taking steel wool to it? Thanks so much,
Paul
Dear Paul: not much you can do about the shine. Wear the suit only to outdoor events held in the evening in dimly lit places. The shine is usually in the back of the suit, so stay away from mirrors. Enjoy the suit for as many years as you can fit into it. Good Luck, Andy

How can I keep the glitter on a dress from falling off? I look like Tinkerbelle walking across the room!
Dear Sharon: not much you can do about the glitter falling off the dress. short of just leaving it in the closet. And really, everybody loves Tinkerbell. So go out and have a great time. Good Luck, Andy

Hello Andy,
I hope you can help me I have asked alot of people and they can not give me an answer. I have recently bought a pair of denim jeans which have an iron on transfer that my husband does not like. So i want to take the transfer off but do not know how. It would greatly appreciated if you could let me know if you have the remedy of getting transfers off.
Thanks Heaps
Leanne
Dear Leanne: short of drastic measures like taking scissors and cutting out the transfer and replacing the denim with new fabric, you are not going to be able to remove the transfer. Try to return the jeans and buy ones that do not have a transfer on them. Good Luck, Andy

Dear Andy,
I made some pants out of pleather - since I am disabled and still like to look good and now cost conscious. I think they look pretty much like leather. I shopped and got the look before I made them and always get compliments. Like leather, however, they have gotten bigger and I would like to shrink them some and clean them. Can pleather be washed in the washing machine??? Would appreciate a response since this is the season to wear them? Thank you, alice
Dear Alice: my choice would be, to have them Dry Cleaned. Check with the company where you purchased the fabric, and find out the cleaning instructions for your fabric. At least at the dry cleaner, you have some recourse if it doesn't work out. Enjoy your pleathers and Good Luck, Andy

Andy,
I am making rag rugs, and would like to find pre cut material from end of the roll cuts, do you have any idea where I can locate a factory to buy from.
Thanks
Marylyn
Dear Marilyn: visit, www.google.com and search "rag rug supplies". We found over 714 sites offering these. Usually, the cutting of the fabric is left for the one buying the fabric. The only way one can usually get a deal on the end cuts, is to buy them just the way they are. Happy Rugging and Good Luck, Andy

Hi Andy,
Do you know what tetopon is.
I have a shirt which is 80% Tetopon and 20% some other fabric (can't remember exactly now). It always holds it's creases very well and I would love to own more garments made of this fabric, but I can't seem to find any reference to it anywhere.
I would be delighted if you could shed some light on the situation for me.
Kind regards,
Karen
Dear Karen: we too cannot seem to locate any information. We did find out that it is of Japanese origin. It may be a name for a limited production yarn or some contrived name that an apparel manufacturer has put on to his garments to give it some exclusivity. What ever it is, enjoy it and Good Luck, Andy

Hello Andy,
I am a 21 yr. old college student thats on the verge of launching my own clothing line. i want to start logo based and move from there. With that said I'm wondering if you can help me find a manufactuer that manufactures t-shirts, and other garments with out tags so that I can insert my own tag on the inside collar. If you could help me with that I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
-kb-
Dear KB. it may be best to start small. If all you want to do is add logos to the outside of the shirt, it may be best and less expensive to buy one of the "brand name" shirts and remove the tags. As you grow your company, you can have custom made T-shirts with your own label. The giant T-shirt makers have their own factories and buy fabric by the trailer load. You cannot make it for any less than they can. Good Luck, Andy

Hello, my name is Joanne. I am making a memorial quilt for my daughter, who passed away 2 years ago from a drug overdose. This idea has grown into a larger adventure. I am now making this quilt for all the children who died senslessly due to drugs.
In my county alone in the passed three years over 200 have passed. anyway, I need some help with finding someone who can donate some of my needs, white quilting thread, batting, binding etc. I am going to use white cotton sheets since it will be cheaper that way. Do you know anyone who can assist me with this endeavor? any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Joanne
Dear Joanne: you have a noble cause. We will post your letter here at Fabrics.Net and let our readers respond. Good Luck, Andy

Hi Andy! I have a black 3/4 length velvet jacket that is satin-like lined, it was stained on 3/4 of the collar by what I think is chlorine one night when I went out to a club, it was found sitting partially in a fountain. My black velvet jacket collar has now turned to brown coloring due to the chemical that was in the water. I tried rinsing it out many times just to get the chemical out. It is now dry and brown, what can I do to redie it back to its natural black? What are your suggestions? Thank you very much, help me save my favorite jacket!
Natalie
Dear Natalie: try replacing the collar with a contrasting color. Nothing you can do will replace the color to the exact match. You may try to match the black, but that may be impossible too. Enjoy the jacket and Good Luck, Andy

Andy, one of my client's companies is trying to come up with a way to re-vitalize leather sneakers.
The question they asked me, and now I am asking you, is how are leather sneakers manufactured and produced? What is done to the leather during the process? Your help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Dear Bill: this is beyond my scope of knowledge. Most sneakers are made outside of the U.S.A. It may be less expensive to buy new sneakers than to try and restore old ones. Unless of course, if you think there is some value in vintage leather sneakers. Good Luck, Andy

hello Andy,
my wife and i bought two very comfortable "cat naper recliners" pleather.after about 6 months i noticed that my head rest had already begun to turn hard and crack,split. the furniture store replaced my chair,said they never had this problem before it has been 3 and guess what? starting to do the something my wife's chair still looks new? we have come to the conclusion my oily skin ,hair " not that i have a greasy head or anything" but my question is do you know anything to clean,softing my chair short of putting a cover over it or not sitting in it
Dear CLW: you could try wearing a baseball cap or putting a piece of fabric over the headrest of the chair. Or just enjoy the chair the way it is and r-e-l-a-x. After all, it is a recliner and you are supposed to throw back and forget about your cares, when sitting there. Don't worry about the fabric and have a good time. Good Luck, Andy

Dear Andy,
I have a business idea that would involve buying vintage designer garments resale (big names, beautiful fabrics) taking them apart and using the fabric to make new, one of a kind garments for kids. Do you have any idea or comments about what the legal or ethical implications might be?
Thanks!
Catherine
Dear Catherine: sounds like a plan. As far as the legal situation, I'd defer to an attorney. They and only they can give you sound legal advice. As far as the ethical questions, if the designer or their estate are not expecting royalties, then you may be O.K. I'm more concerned that since you are taking old garments made for adults and turning them into garb for kids, you may have another problem on your hands. Kids apparel must meet strict flame retardant criteria. You will want to make sure you have the proper labeling and insurance to cover you, in case of any liabilities. Visit the government site www.ftc.gov and see if you can find the information you will need. Good Luck, Andy

Dear Andy,
I enjoy your column a lot! Your advice is always appropriate and informative. I hope you can help me out. I'm looking for a wholesale source for boiled wool fabric for a line of children's jackets I want to manufacture. I'm also looking for the knitted trim used to bind off the edges of such garments. It's usually dyed to match. I've already tried posting a request on your site, but I haven't received any replies. Thanks.
Gitty
Dear Gitty: visit: www.google.com and search for "boiled wool fabric". We found 358 web sites offering Boiled Wool fabric. We wish you Good Luck, Andy

We make preschool furniture. Where can we buy fabric wholesale in the United States?
Dear Cathy: your request for a place to buy fabric wholesale, leaves us asking more questions. You say that you need if for kids furniture, but don't say exactly the type of fabric you need. There are lots of different fabrics and each type has a different source. Do you need knits or wovens? Does it need to meet specific requirements for flame retardant applications? Do you need the fabric dyed to specific colors or can you take stock colors? Does it need to be made of a special yarn or will any yarn do? We have a sourcing area here at Fabrics.Net. Look around our site and see if you can find something close to what you need. Good Luck, Andy

I just got ball point ink on my washable suede skirt. How do I clean it? Thank you. Robin
Dear Robin: bring it to a dry cleaner and see if they have a solution to remove the ink. Good Luck, Andy

Dear Andy,
I was given your email from a quilter. I am looking for reproduction feedsack fabric with the old mill logo. Can you help me with this? Thanks, Abigail
Dear Abigail: the items you want are being sold into the gift market currently. We've seen them as recently as August at the New York Gift fair. They are being reproduced by several companies. I'd suggest you visit www.google.com or your favorite search engines. They are out there. Good Luck, Andy

Hi Andy,
I was asked by a friend how to remove iron-on appliques from her child's curtains. She used Goop-off and actually removed the color in the transfer but it did not remove the outline. Is it permanent or can the remainder of the iron-on be safely removed? Kathy
Dear Kathy: those iron on are made to be permanent. I'd stop trying before you're left with curtains that are not worth hanging. Good Luck, Andy

We are in the market to purchase a flex steel sofa or sectional, my concern is to get the purchase in leather or micro fiber and sectional or couches. Decisions to many. Thanks for your response. Also seen where you can order direct from NC, that scares me and concerns me of the great savings you can save. Linda in Ohio
Dear Linda: our feeling has always been, especially with furniture, is that you should sit in, and on it before purchasing it. Don't try to save by having it shipped in from a distance. Go to your local store or drive to where you want to purchase. Sit, and spend some time on the sofa. Leather does look nice, but sometimes it hot in the summer and cold in the winter. The new microfibers are usually much softer and more inviting. Really depends on how you like to enjoy your "stuff". Happy Shopping and Good Luck, Andy

Hello,
I was just wondering whether it is possible to shrink clothing made of polyester?
Dear May: everything shrinks, sooner or later. If you need it to be shrink, bring it to a tailor who can alter the clothing to the correct size. Good Luck, Andy

A remnant package that came in the spring contains some pieces that are very wrinkled. Is thee any way to safely remove them. Barbara
Dear Barbara: with some finesse, carefully separate the wrinkled from the smooth. As far as removing the wrinkles, depending on the type of fabric, you made need to iron it. Good Luck, Andy

dear andy i am looking for a quilting fabric called spirit of london. it has been asked for by an american friend. can you help
thanks jean
Dear Jean: your friend may actually mean "Liberty of London". Check it out. Good Luck, Andy

My company needs synthetic starch, that is not water soluble, and can endure some washings.
We need to apply it on silk and crush it permanently, and than wipe of the dirt when it gets dusty, without removing starch.
We make large silk chandeliers , and need large amounts the synthetic starch, or similar.
Something like you apply on linen that you do not need to iron. Where we can find these products?
Thanks
Dear Olviera: contact National Starch at www.nationalstarch.com. Call them and see if they can help you. Good Luck, Andy

Hey! what is the best way to shrink a 100% cotton t-shirt?k thanks!
Dear Bethany: wash it in HOT water and put it in the dryer. Soon, it will fit your favorite Barbie Doll. Good Luck, Andy

Dear Andy
Thanks for the search, but I should have been more specific. I am looking for Waterproof fabric that is sold wholesale, and that is sold in yards, but also I need it to be sold in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. More likely the LA garment district. If I could have this information I would really appreciate it. Thanks
Sincerely,
Farrouk
Dear Farrouk: there are many different fabrics that can meet your needs. Take a walk down to the Garment Center in downtown Los Angeles, around 8th Street. Ask around to see who may have what you want. Waterproof fabrics, if you are not buying the standard vinyl, may have to be custom made for you. Tell the store owner, who usually sell both retail and wholesale, how many yards you need, and when you need it. They may be able to help you put the deal together. Happy Hunting and Good Luck, Andy

 

Andy has been in the fabric and textile business all his life, but professionally since 1969.

"I love what I do, selling fabrics around the globe. I've met lots of interesting, creative, dynamic folks; some have become dear friends. I love to help new businesses find the things they need to become successful. It works for everyone."

You can ask Andy questions at Andy@Fabrics.net.

If you are looking for fabrics, the fastest route is to fill out a request form at http://www.fabrics.net/swatch/

The "Ask Andy" Column is an opinion Column and may or may not reflect the views of Fabrics.net.