Antiquing Silks

by Diane Harris
Originally printed in the Southwest Costumers Guild (SWCG) newsletter, Cactus Needles, and reprinted with permission of the author and newsletter editor.

I recently was commissioned to design and build an Edwardian dinner gown. My client wanted the fabric to look antique and yellowed. She chose silk taffeta as the fashion fabric, which I found at EmBee's (Los Angeles fabric district). The taffeta originally was white, so that it could be dyed. After doing some research on "teaing" the fabric, Frances Burns (a Guild member) told me that silk will yellow by bleaching. The bleaching doesn't destroy the fibers of silk because of the proteins. So, after test bleaching with different times and amounts of water and bleach in my sink, then discussion with Frances (I was very nervous), I bleached the silk taffeta in my washing machine.

My client wanted to be able to hand wash the garment, if necessary. She gets a rash from the dry cleaning solutions. I had already pre-washed the fabric.

Antiquing Silk with Bleach

  1. Wash your fabric first, but do not dry fabric yet.

  2. Set your washing machine on the permanent press cycle and let the washing machine fill with water.

    I used the warm/cold setting.

  3. When the agitation cycle begins, put in 1/2 cup bleach.

    Let it agitate so that it is completely diluted in water.

  4. Put your wet fabric in the washer at this time.

  5. Check yellowing after 5 minutes, then 2 minutes, then 2 minutes again.

    The agitation cycle was about halfway complete at this time. I then added an additional 1/2 cup bleach (diluted in a pitcher of water) to the mixture as it continued through the agitation cycle.

  6. Check the color about every 2 minutes.

    The fabric reached the desired antique look at the end of the agitation cycle. It was a little darker, since the fabric was wet.

  7. Let the washing machine go through the entire permanent press rinse cycle, but flip the setting to the gentle spin cycle.

  8. Dry the fabric on gentle for just a few minutes.

  9. Iron the fabric while still damp.

This method gave me a luscious antique look. My client loved it.

This method also works for wool.

Cutting Silk Taffeta

Taffeta does not behave like most fabrics. It doesn't ravel like most fabrics, it spreads. The spreading happens in the first inch from the cutting line and makes a (not) lovely ripple effect on the seams. To avoid this:

  1. Place low tack tape along the cutting line.

    Blue painter's tape one inch wide is a good choice.

  2. Cut through the tape.

Sewing Silk Taffeta

Silk can be a challenge to sew because it tends to slip around.

  1. Leave the tape that was not cut away on the fabric.

  2. Using a walking foot, sew as close as possible next to the painter's tape.

  3. Peel the tape off after sewing.

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