bid Report post Posted June 13, 2009 (edited) Hi all, Has anyone successfully cleaned a vintage wedding dress at home? It is from the 50s, slipper satin with a net overlay. I know the theory of what to do from my museum days, but have never actually cleaned any vintage textiles myself...checking on the internet the methods suggested seem to be the same as my knowledge. Has anyone actually tackled this successfully at home? Boho Edited June 13, 2009 by bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mum of 3 Report post Posted June 13, 2009 Hi Bid, your dress sounds great! I haven't done it, but I know a woman who has! I've bought loads of stuff from this shop...it's wonderful. I'm sure if you contacted Patricia she'd be able to advise you. http://www.echoes-vintage.co.uk/index.htm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 13, 2009 (edited) Thanks MO3...I think I'll email, as I have some specific questions about the netting in particular My main concern is that as I'm thinking of doing this for someone else, I really don't want to mess it up! Boho Edited June 13, 2009 by bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 15, 2009 (edited) Well, I've just collected the dress, and I'm really excited about getting started! I'm thinking I'm going to add some sequins and sparklies to the centres of some of the lace flowers... Boho Edited June 15, 2009 by bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted June 15, 2009 I'm thinking I'm going to add some sequins and sparklies to the centres of some of the lace flowers... Oooh yes. And wear the stripy socks with it. :hypno: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mum of 3 Report post Posted June 15, 2009 My main concern is that as I'm thinking of doing this for someone else, I really don't want to mess it up! Boho Oh no!!! The pressure! Any chance of any piccies of the frock in question? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 15, 2009 Oh no!!! The pressure! Any chance of any piccies of the frock in question? Yes, I thought I would take some 'before', 'during' and 'after' piccies The wedding is about a month away...I'm off to get supplies tomorrow, and think I will wash the net/lace bolero jacket then, and the dress the day after I'm so excited!! Boho Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mum of 3 Report post Posted June 15, 2009 Yes, I thought I would take some 'before', 'during' and 'after' piccies The wedding is about a month away...I'm off to get supplies tomorrow, and think I will wash the net/lace bolero jacket then, and the dress the day after I'm so excited!! Boho Bid! I thought it was only me that got excited about hand-washing! (For all you non-laundry orientated peeps out there, that's washing by hand, not washing of the hands ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 16, 2009 My life is tragic! Boho Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
call me jaded Report post Posted June 16, 2009 Is there anything we should know??? (and, yes, I haven't been around much) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 16, 2009 (edited) Is there anything we should know??? (and, yes, I haven't been around much) Sadly it's not for me! It's my aunt's dress, for my cousin's fiancee. Had a bad day to-day, autie-wise, so only managed to buy the gentle detergent...but hopefully tomorrow I shall tackle the jacket! I also need to fashion some kind of 'mannequin' to support the dress while I sew on the sparklies: I think I shall have to use my tripod airer thingy padded with white towels... Boho Edited June 16, 2009 by bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 17, 2009 (edited) Have just washed the jacket Unfortunately now it's clean I can see a lot of teeny repairs needed to the netting...and some stains that I'm wary of trying too hard to remove as the netting is so delicate. But at least it's clean! Really with repairs to netting or lace, etc, in a museum you would put tulle behind and stitch it carefully to support the torn fabric, but I don't think I can do that because it will show. But the netting is a double layer, and most of the rips are in the top layer, so I think maybe I could try to sort of darn them very neatly... Not sure whether I will need to use something like spray starch when I press it to give it some 'body', as I think originally it had some kind of sizing on it. Still, I've made a start! Just hope it will look OK when it's all done Boho Edited June 17, 2009 by bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted June 17, 2009 Every time I catch up on this thread my stomach knots up in stress for you Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mum of 3 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 Every time I catch up on this thread my stomach knots up in stress for you Me too...good luck with the 'darning'! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 24, 2009 If I ever come on here and bounce about cleaning a vintage wedding dress again stop me!! Have just spent 3 and a half hours doing teeny diagonal darns on the jacket Boho Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mum of 3 Report post Posted June 26, 2009 Oh No! Your poor fingers! I bet you've got RSI now Is that the jacket done, now, then? What are you going to tackle next? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 26, 2009 No, not even finished the jacket yet!! Finishing it tomorrow I hope, and taking it for inspection on Monday. If they're happy, will tackle the dress next! I'm thinking I will only try to properly clean parts of the dress. It has metal boning in the bodice, which I'm worried might rust if I wash the whole thing. So I'm going to wash the netting shoulder straps, have a go at the sweat stains (will probably sew neat little satin patches over them on the inside as I don't think they will come out), and probably sponge the various skirts. Then spray-starch the buckram?? under skirt to make it stick out again, press the other skirts on the wrong side and then loads of fabric freshener spray! And then some mother-of-pearl sequins I already have and some little crystal beads!! Never again! Boho Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mum of 3 Report post Posted June 26, 2009 You probably know this already, so I apologise in advance if I'm telling you what you already know, but hanging the dress on the line overnight will really help with any odours (the dew moistens it just enough to 'wash' it, I think), and then leaving it in sunshine should help to bleach out some of the stains. Also, bicarbinate of soda is good for odours...could you cover the offending areas in (dry) bicarb and leave it for a bit, see if they get any better? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 27, 2009 Nearly finished the jacket...got fed up of darning the teeny rips, so spent a happy morning sewing on mother-of-pearl sequins with a teeny crystal bead in the middle of each one in the centre of the lace flowers appliqued onto the net Just got to darn under the arms, and sew sequins/beads onto the lace applique on each pointed cuff of the sleeves. Feeling a bit more positive about the whole thing now, as the sequins and beads look absolutely garjuss Boho Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 27, 2009 You probably know this already, so I apologise in advance if I'm telling you what you already know, but hanging the dress on the line overnight will really help with any odours (the dew moistens it just enough to 'wash' it, I think), and then leaving it in sunshine should help to bleach out some of the stains. Also, bicarbinate of soda is good for odours...could you cover the offending areas in (dry) bicarb and leave it for a bit, see if they get any better? I wondered about that, and I would if it was my dress, but I'm worried about cats, etc...so I don't think I dare! Will post some piccies when I'm done! Boho Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brooke Report post Posted June 27, 2009 ive just fished my wedding dress out of the loft we had the roof done last yr and some dirt had got onto my dress Anyway my dh has taken it to work as they have a dry cleaning service so im hoping it will come back nice and i will be keeping it safe in my wardrobe!!! God know what the dry cleaner will think i have done when they see it Hope you manage to get your done Bid will be nice to see the pics Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted July 1, 2009 (edited) Finished!! I think I've spent about 20 hours on it Dress (you can't see in the piccie, but I've sewn a sequin in the centre of each alternate lace design on the skirt): http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn117/boho2/006.jpg Jacket: http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn117/boho2/003.jpg Bodice detail (with sequins and teeny crystal beads cunningly disguising marks and repairs): http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn117/boho2/007.jpg Boho [ignore the fact that the door in the piccies is minus a top coat...that has to wait for the summer hols ] Edited July 1, 2009 by bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mad cat lady Report post Posted July 1, 2009 Ooohh, pretty dress Well done Bid, looks like you did a great job. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted July 1, 2009 (edited) Ohhhh, its stunning Have a gold star * Edited July 1, 2009 by pearl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mum of 3 Report post Posted July 1, 2009 Bid, you are soooo clever!!! The dress looks beautiful-As good as (better than!) new! All that hard work surely deserves a bell tent! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted July 11, 2009 (edited) Well, the wedding was today, and the dress looked wonderful, didn't fall apart and the bride was thrilled with it! I even got a mention in the speeches Boho Edited July 11, 2009 by bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mum of 3 Report post Posted July 11, 2009 So glad it all went well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
