printer friendly version

July Questions

Dear Andy,
I just happened upon this page looking for someone to tell me what kind of fabric I have. It is like t-shirt material with elastic sewn in rows through it and when it is washed it all shrinks up to a nicely puckered look. Do you know what kind of fabric it is and what I can make with it?
Anita
Anita:what you have is what we remember to be called Pucker Fabric. It was all the rage back in the '70's. It was sold for ladies blouses. Make yourself a blouse and have that retro look. Or, it may be a new look that imitates the old. You know what they say, "everything old is new again". Good Luck, Andy

Andy,
Is there anything that can be done to minimize the look of a pulled thread in silk? I have a silk drapery panel with a snag that shows up like a fold. Ironing/pressing has not helped. Thanks
Vicki
Vicky: sorry to say there is not much you can do about your snag. You may have to consider replacing the fabric. Good Luck, Andy

how do i get crazy glue out of micro fiber ottoman?
Dear Donald: It's crazy to be using Crazy glue while sitting on your couch. You can't remove the glue once it sets. You cover the spot with a large pillow. Good Luck, Andy

Hi Andy,
I appreciate your willingness to share your competence. I just bought a chair made from recycled polyester and with a Teflon overcoating. Do you advise I Scotch Guard it or is the Teflon coating sufficient or better?
Thank you, TE
Dear TE: the Teflon coating should do. Just don't use Crazy Glue while sitting on your new furniture. Enjoy your new purchase and Good Luck, Andy

Hi Andy,
This is a bit of an odd question but I thought you just might know the answer. I have been assigned the task of learning what hotels do with their old towels once they decide to replace them. My partner has found a market for them provided they are not in too bad of condition.
Do you know of any "old hotel towel" recycling program?
Best regards,
Nolden
Dear Nolden: get yourself a paper copy of Closeout News by visiting www.thecloseoutnews.com. It is a great publication. They will have listings of towel closeouts and seconds that you can get on a continuous basis. These are brand new, seconds and third quality. Visit several hotels and speak with their housekeeping departments to find out what they do with the old towels. They may replace them because they get stolen or lost. Good Luck, Andy

Hi Andy,
Do you have any tips/instructions on how to sew a "rolled hem", i.e., kerchiefs - on a regular sewing machine? Thanks in advance for your help. Mary
Dear Mary: we've forwarded your sewing question on to Judith, our in house sewing expert. Sad to say, the most I've ever sewn has been a button. The last time I joined two pieces of fabric together, we glued them. Happy Sewing and Good Luck, Andy
Hi Mary,
Check with your sewing machine store to see if they have a rolled hem attachment, this is much easier than trying to do this hem without an attachment. When I do a rolled hem, I run a line of stitching about 1/4 to 3/8" all around the scarf then press this under at the stitching line. Then, as I sew the hem, I use a large darning needle to turn the raw edges under. I do have a rolled hem attachment but haven't used it enough to get comfortable with it.
Judith

Andy,I have some fire retardent clothing called Nomex made by Workrite Uniform Company that has my name embroidered on the front.What is the best way to remove this without ripping the material?
Dear David. Nomex is a special material. Call the manufacturer and see what they say. I'd be hesitant to do anything that may change the fabric or it FR characteristics. Good Luck, Andy

Dear Andy,
I recently purchased a tulle veil for my daughter's wedding which is this Friday, July 9th. The veil came folded in a small plastic bag. I have tried everything to get the wrinkles out. A vinegar steam, regular steam, light pressing, nothing seems to work. I took it to the cleaners, and they won't guarantee that the veil will not be damaged in the process, and they won't guarantee that the wrinkles will all come out. Any suggestions...I am desperate
Dear Edwine: you have two choices here. Bring it back to the place where you purchased the veil to see if they have one with less wrinkles, or get over to a fabric store and purchase a few yards of bridal illusion, and try to reconstruct the veil using parts of both. Good Luck, (on both the veil and the wedding), Andy

Andy,
Im looking for a contact Name, I make specialty items for childeren. Ineed custam lables for these items. I would like to choose my own lettering. thank you so much for your help.
B.A.
Dear Becklie: visit: www.namelabels.com. They have exactly what you are looking for. Good Luck, Andy

Dear Andy
Upon giving my friend and his girlfriend a lift home the other night i found that the glitter from her dress as come off all aver my cars rear seat, Having tried the "sticky" roller aproach with little efect i was wondering if there is any other way of removing it from the seat. many thanks Neil
Dear Neil: try your vacuum cleaner or bring it to a place that may have an industrial type of vacuum cleaner. My experience has been that the glitter, in one form or another, will be around for years to come. Good Luck, Andy

Andy,
I have a good blazer that has a persistent foul odor in one armpit (I wonder where that might have come from). My dry cleaner was unable to remove the scent. Should I try another dry cleaner? Will mild detergent and water focused on the area work, or is it likely to destroy the jacket?
Bruce
Dear Bruce: do what the French have done for years. Get yourself a Strong men's cologne and dab it on the inside until the odor is hidden. Don't try anything else. You may have to have the inner lining replaced. In fact, you may have to replace the entire Blazer. Happy Shopping and Good Luck, Andy

Any I just bought 3 large 100% cotton Lacoste Polo shirts off ebay. They are a little to large. What is the best way to shrink them as much as possible.
THANK YOU,
Michael
Dear Michael: either wash them in very hot water and hope that they do shrink, which they may not. Or, tailor them to fit by reworking the entire shirt yourself, or bring it to a professional tailor to have them made to fit you. Or, put them up on ebay and resell them, and try to rebuy the correct size. Good Luck, Andy

Hi Andy,
I am about to start a home accessories design business and have 2 questions:
1. is it possible to buy pre-shrunk cotton instead of having to wash the fabric myself?
2. How are large yardage (patterned) screen prints produced? would the screen be 54" wide or would a smaller screen be used repeatedly to fill the width of a bolt of fabric?
thanks
Dear A; in regard to your first question, you may be able to find some preshrunk cotton fabrics. Don't plan on washing the fabrics yourself. You will never be able to grow the business, if you have to do all the work yourself.
As far as the printing, the fabrics are printed commercially 54" wide. These are done either using screens or rollers.
Spend some more time learning the fabric business, before venturing out into your home accessories business. Good Luck, Andy

Hi Andy, can you tell me why 100% cotton tee shirts feel hot and itchy to me like non-cotton tees do? I can't wear anything but cotton and lately I'm going broke trying to find tee shirts that don't bother me even though it says 100% cotton on the labels. I've washed them numerous times. thanks, Michael
Dear Michael: I've never heard of this before. Unless you are buying T-shirts that are mislabeled, cotton should, in and of itself, not cause you any itching. Try changing your laundry detergent. Good Luck, Andy

I bought trim or braiding on line last fall for cheerleading uniforms. It was sold in a 5 yard roll and had 5 stripes. I can not find any websites now that do this. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks!
Jenna
Dear Jeanna: it may be impossible to find the exact trim you need. Time to look for new resources. Start looking right here at Fabrics.Net. We have some of the best suppliers anywhere on the web. Good Luck, Andy

Hi Andy
Can you please tell me which cotton (name, weave, weight, finish) you normally use for a simple fashion t-shirt? I need some technical details for an assignment and would really appreciate your help, as I find it hard to find any information.
Thank you very much
Rina
Dear Rina: there is nothing simple about fashion T-shirts. Every manufacturer uses whatever fabric they think suitable for their market and brand. There are no "name, weight, weave, finish" that can answer this question. Good Luck, Andy

I live in Puerto Rico and want to use the old fashioned - washable - cotton Indian bedspreads that we all used in the 50's. Can you tell me where to find. I've Googled...but everything looks more exotic than I want. Washable is the key word. Thanks - RM
Dear Rhea: try Ebay for the cotton bedspread of your dreams. The hunt is part of the fun. Pleasant Dreams and Good Luck, Andy

Soda stain on Satin dress. Please if you any suggestion, it will be greatly appreciated. Luis
Dear Luis: we came across a great web site and product line for all the Stain questions we get here at Fabrics.Net. Visit www.carbona.com. We saw their entire line in our local supermarket, and they have a product to meet every need. Good Luck, Andy

Hi Andy,
I had a discussion with some friends yesterday over flannel vs. cotton. I cannot find any legitimate source on the internet that I can cite to prove my thoughts on the matter. I understand that flannel and cotton, while both a part of the cotton family, differ. Flannel is rawer, less refined, and has a slight nap to it and thicker threads. While cotton is more refined, has thinner threads, and overall is a more lightweight cotton. Also up for debate is what flannel looks like. I understand flannel to come in all sorts of varieties (i.e. solids, prints, plaids, etc.). Flannel is not just the name for cotton fabrics that happen to have a plaid design to them. Your help would be greatly appreciated in this matter. Thank you in advance for your time.
Sincerely,
Marla
Dear Marla: after some research, we have found that the word Flannel was originally derived from the Welsh term "gwlanan", which is Welsh for wool. In today's version of flannel it generally means any brushed fabric. Cotton is a fiber that can be used for thousand of different fabrics. Some cotton fabrics have a "flannel" finish. Some Flannel fabrics are made from fibers other than cotton. The design of the fabric is secondary to the hand(flannel) or the fiber content(cotton). Hope this begins to answer your question. Good Luck, Andy

Hello Andy,
I am a small clothing design company just getting into this business. I want to attend some fabric trade shows, but don't know the best ones to attend. Could you give me any suggestions? We design for contemporary women's clothing (trendy/unique) ages 21-35.
Dear Erin: you can make the trip to Las Vegas from Houston this summer. Visit www.fabricshow.com for the upcoming Magic show. They have a nice area for fabrics, although it is not a "fabric show". The main fabric shows are the New York Fabric Show in October, and a smaller one in Los Angeles. The New York Show is put on by the same folks as previously mentioned. Good Luck. Andy

My friend and I are interested in creating a small batch of custom shirts - with designs and images silkscreened onto the new, very hip, very sheer mesh-style shirts. Are there any wholesale manufacturers of these sheer shirts? And/or printers? We are not clothing designers, and so, know very little about that part of the business (I do the photography, she does graphics)? Or do we need to enlist the help of a clothing designer?
thanks for any info
Dear Elke: going into business is a costly deal. You need a lot more than a good idea. Spend your time looking for all the sources you need, before investing your dollars. Small batches of custom shirts are going to cost you big bucks. Visit some wholesale apparel trade shows, to try and find a manufacturer that is already doing a similar shirt. See if they would be interested in doing some custom shirts for you. Printers are in short supply these days, due to most of the apparel production going overseas. Start small, but follow your dreams. Good Luck, Andy

Andy,
I washed my fince's work clothes and there was a red shirt in there I didn't know it was new, well you know what happened it stained about 3 nice pair of her light tan work slacks and some light colored shirts can I fix this? If so how? Thank you.
Dear D: the only thing that will fix this mess, is a nice candlelit dinner. Pick a nice restaurant, and ask for her forgiveness. Then, let someone else do the laundry, until you learn what to do. Good Luck, Andy

Hello Andy:
I was on the internet searching information and came across your site. I previously owned a children's clothing/shoe boutique and am now interested in opening a fabric and button store. Would you be able to direct me to where I would be able to gather wholesale information or trade shows for both?
I really appreciate any assistance you can provide.
Thank you.
Mitzi
Dear Mitzi: ever hear the expression, "out of the frying pan and into the fire". It comes to my mind, thinking that you want to open a retail fabric and button store. While following ones dreams has and is, always a good thing, Retail in general and Fabric Stores in particular are a very hard business these days. Consider opening a Fabric Store in cyberspace. Much less rent, and your customer is Planet Earth.
The truth is that out of the 13,000 retail fabric stores that were around 7 years ago or so, about 6000 remain. Sewing is a lost art. Schools are not teaching it. The giant stores sell the basics very cheap. It's hard to know what will sell in the specialty fabrics, unless you have a niche. There is a small fabric show in September at the Cobb Galleria Center, Sept 10-11. It is the Southeastern Fabrics and Notions Show. Call for information at 800-4-SEWING. The other show to attend is the IFFE show, in October in New York City. Visit www.fabricshow.com. Good Luck, Andy

I have a silk cumberbund which was pressed with a too-hot iron and has become shiny. Is there any way to remove the shine from this fabric?
Thanks so much!
Dear Michael: enjoy shopping for your new cummerbund. Nothing you can do will remove the shine, unless of course, you wear it on the reverse side and keep your jacket button closed. Happy Shopping and Good Luck, Andy

Dear Andy,
I've been trying to decorate my open patio to look simple & relaxing.
The paint of our patio is white. I have an imitation hunter green leather couch & sofa that I would like to reupholster myself. But I never sewn before. I'm thinking to just cover it with a striped fabric like it shown in Martha steward's magazine. It's very simple but elegant looking. Where can I get the least expensive striped fabric around my area (Ontario California). Can you advise other easy option to change the leather material?.
We are having a family reunion in our house this coming September. I'm hoping you could help me asap.
Thanks.
Valetta
Dear Valetta: consider visiting www.surefit.com or buying printed vinyl, known as Oilcloth, for your outdoor stuff. If you've never done any reupholstery yourself, I'd bring it to someone that does this all the time. Cheap is Expensive. Good Luck, Andy

Andy -
I am currently looking for someone who can sew baby crib bedding (bumper, skirt and quilt/blanket) for me. I have been looking for the "right" items for our new baby's room and can't find what I really want. And wouldn't you know it...I can't sew a bit. Would you happen to know of someone reputable?
Thanks,
Wendy
Dear Wendy: when it comes to baby items, buy a store bought product. Those items must be made from Flame Retardant materials. Anything less is putting your baby in jeopardy. Good Luck, Andy

Hi Andy
I really hope that you can help me. My mom has bought herself a nice embroidery machine and my brother-in-law wants her to make iron-on logos that he can put on various types of shirts for his staff. She found someone to digitise the logo for her so that she can do the embroidery, but neither of us have a clue how to go about making this image into an embroidered iron-on patch and no-one is willing to give us advice cos it's competition for them! We're in South Africa, so I'm hoping that if you can advise us on how to do it that it won't be a conflict of interest for you. I am really holding thumbs that you can help and am looking forward to your reply.
Regards
Sheldene
Dear Sheldene: I wish I had the answer to this question. We are going to open this up to our readers to see if anyone out there has the answer to this question............ 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.