Lumps and Bumps

Sometimes we have a fabric that we want to treat a little more delicately; or sometimes, we just don’t know what it is, and don’t want to take any chances. That was the case for this particular fabric, a French scuba knit I recently used to make a skirt.

I washed it on delicate, then hung it on the line to dry – which in this case, is actually a garment rack. The garment rack pole isn’t entirely smooth though, so while drying it stretched out a bit and caused a lump in the fabric. Not to worry! Many fabrics can be put back into shape with a bit of low steam; a silk or wool setting is usually gentle enough.

Here it is after – smooth!

Another tip this fabric brings up; it was a roll end, and fabric can, especially when it’s a knit, get rolled off-grain when put onto a tube or bolt. By the time you get to the end, it can be very uneven, especially after you wash it and the fibers snap back into position.

When you lay out your pattern, remember to accommodate those uneven edges – check both sides of the fabric before cutting!