Silk Scarfs

[tbaby_8]

I took the advise from another thread about going to the fabric store and buying silk material from there and using that for a scarf.

But, my question is

Is it suppose to feel kinda rough and smooth at the same time or silky? The lady said that it was 100% silk, but I thought it was suppose to feel smoother and softer. I don't know. I can someone help me out.

 

[lilsparkle825]

i was expecting something more satin-y than what i got so i guess i agree with you. i love it though, so...

 

[MAMATO]

No, no, no. Real silk is VERY soft on the touch, they don't have a shiny look but more like a matte look. Go get one in a second hand store with the label that says 100% silk. The better ones have the designer's signature directly printed on the scarves. Most of the time the instructions would say to handwash them. Real silk scares cost like 60$ a piece, but you can get them way cheaper in a second hand store. Go get one just to become familiar with them and then you'll know what to shop for in a fabric store. If it is cheap, it is not 100% authentic silk, probably more a chinese synthetic silk. Once you try a real silk scare you'll never go back to a fake one.

 

[tbaby_8]

I will try to see if any of the second hand stores have them. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

I took the advise from another thread about going to the fabric store and buying silk material from there and using that for a scarf.

But, my question is

Is it suppose to feel kinda rough and smooth at the same time or silky? The lady said that it was 100% silk, but I thought it was suppose to feel smoother and softer. I don't know. I can someone help me out.

You have to know what to ask for.....
From the internet:

[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Silk that has been processed can be woven or knit into a variety of fabrics. Silk will shrink, so if you are using it to construct clothing, be sure to preshrink it. Silk often has a wonderful feel and an almost iridescent sheen that makes us think of luxury. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]The weight of silk is shown as "mm" (pronounced "mommy") and varies within the different types of silk. The following list of various types of silk may help you understand some of the qualities of each. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Chiffon
[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Often the lightest weight and most diaphanous of the silks, Chiffon is also the most see-through. It creates the "billows" of fabric that add dimension to garments, but generally requires some kind of lining or backing unless it's used for scarves. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]China Silk
[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]China silk is a lightweight, sheer, plain-weave fabric. It's sometimes referred to as habutai, or habotai, or pongee. It is one of the less expensive and more commonly available silk fabrics. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Habotai can often be found as light as 5 mm and as heavy as 12 mm. Most of our scarves are made of 8 mm Habotai. When purchasing for clothing construction, or purchasing ready-made clothing, this fabric is not recommended for fitted garment styles because the seams will tear from the stress.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Crepe de Chine
[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Crepe de chine is a lightweight fabric made by twisting some fibers clockwise and others counterclockwise. The twisted fibers are then woven in a plain-weave fabric, but it's the twisted fibers, not the weave, that gives crepe its distinctive "pebbly" look and feel rather than a shiny luster. Both sides of the fabric look and feel the same. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]When purchasing ready-made clothing or considering this fabric for sewing, avoid using it in tailored styles because the fabric is too soft to hold a structured shape. Crepe de chine doesn't ravel as easily as other silk fabrics, but it will tear if not handled gently. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Charmeuse[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]
Generally, when we think of traditional silk, this is the fabric we have in mind. The back of the fabric is a flattened crepe while the front is a shimmery satin weave. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Charmeuse has even more drape than crepe de chine and works well for scarves, blouses and lingerie. Occasionally we will offer scarves in Charmeuse. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Jacquard[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]
Jacquard silks offer various woven patterns, using matte and reflective threads to create a light and dark effect in the fabric. This effect is similar to brocade, although the Jacquard is originally created in one color. These are generally heavier weight and more densely woven. Patterns are often florals and paisleys. This added dimension (pattern) makes this fabric perfect for abstract for free-form dyeing. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Douppioni[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]
Douppioni is a plain-weave fabric with slubbed ribs. It has a stiff, taffeta-like hand and is usually dyed in bright colors. Douppioni is often made into elegant evening gowns or semi-fitted vests and garments. But the style shouldnÕt be too fitted, because the fabric doesn't stand up well to stress and ravels easily. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]It's often recommended that douppioni be dry cleaned to resist abrasions. However, as with most silk, you can generally wash douppioni with positive results. Just be sure to serge the raw edges first to prevent raveling. Washing will make the fabric lose some of its stiffness, which may be your preference, and the color will soften as the excess dye is washed away. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Noil[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]
Silk noil is made from the short fibers left after combing and carding so it doesn't shine like many other silk fabrics. Noil looks similar to cotton, but has the soft feel of silk against the skin. It also drapes better than cotton and resists wrinkling, so it's the perfect choice when traveling.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]It can be machine washed on gentle and dried on low, but this will cause a faded, "weathered" look. If you prefer bright colors, dry-clean or hand wash. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Raw Silk [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]
Raw silk is any silk yarn or fabric that hasn't had the sericin -- the natural "gum" that protects the fiber -- removed. The fabric is stiff and dull and the sericin tends to attract dirt and odors. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Shantung[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Once made from hand-reeled tussah silk (see below), today's shantung is usually made with cultivated silk warp yarns and heavier douppioni filling yarns. Depending on the filling yarn, shantung may be lustrous or dull. It has a firm, semi-crisp hand and tends to ravel, so avoid close-fitting styles.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Tussah[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]
Tussah silk, often called shantung, is made from the cocoons of wild tussah silk worms that eat oak and juniper leaves -- their "natural" food. Because the worm isn't grown in a controlled environment, the moth hatches from the cocoon thus interrupting the filament length and making the fibers short and coarse instead of long and lustrous. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Tussah silk is difficult to dye and most often available in its natural color, a creamy tan. Because of its irregular slubs and the fact that it ravels easily, tussah should be dry-cleaned. It is a good choice for traveling as it doesn't wrinkle easily. [/FONT]​