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Subject: Vilene Author: Anonymous [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 17:43:53 03/10/01 Sat In reply to: K 's message, "Stiffeners" on 17:42:56 03/10/01 Sat [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> [> Subject: Amount in Skirt Author: Anonymous [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 16:08:46 03/11/01 Sun I'm in the process of finishing my daughter's 2nd solo dress. I'm up to the part I dread...putting it together. My question is has anyone used the vilene from Irish Threads in Nova Scotia and how do you like it? Does it wear well in a dress? I have some of this, but I also have a much stiffer and thicker vilene as well and am not sure which to use. I used the thicker with the 1st dress and had an awful time sewing through it when I put all the pieces together. Also, on the first dress I did not put stiffener in the back of the dress, just the front panels, because I thought the back should be flowing. Am I supposed to put stiffener in the back of the dress? Replies: -i USUALLY SINGLE STIFFIN THE BACK OF THE DRESS DOUBLE THE SIDE PANELS AND DOUBLE STIFFIN THE FRONT OF THE BOX PANEL, LEAVING THE BACK OF THE PLEAT SINGLE STIFFINED. -If you have two weights of vilene, why not use the lighter weight for the back and the heavier weight for the front panel, adding more layers as you see fit? I use the Irish threads stuff, and use one layer in the back, two in the sides and three of four even in the front. If you are using multiple layers, cut any more than two out of the seam allowance adding more as you see fit. -I have also used the vilene from Irish Threads. Although there are other places you can get vilene, she carries the really wide stuff and she is SO nice and helpful if you have any questions re: how to use the vilene. I'd go with Irish Threads and ask questions when you order it. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> Subject: How many layers Author: Anonymous [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 16:32:34 10/10/01 Wed I'm ready to put a dress together and would like to know how many layers of vilene to use for the front panel, sides, and back. I don't want to have any chance of accidental folding that might be permanent. -I use 1 on the back, 2 on the sides and 3 or 4 in the front, depending on the size (bigger dresses usually get the most) -We use 1 in the back and 2 on the sides and front with the irish threads boning in the front. Very light and flat -We also used 2 in the front and side panels and 1 in the back... as for the boning... we placed it in the front, side panels, pleats (top and bottom) and put a small strip in the back because the panel kept caving in between my daughter's legs.. now its flat in the back, but still easy to dance in...looks great [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> Subject: How Many Layers Survey 2004 Author: Anonymous [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 13:58:13 01/12/05 Wed Percent (Votes) Description: 15% (13) Three in front, 2 in sides, 1 in back plus boning 37% (32) Two in front & sides, 1 in back plus boning 12% (10) Two in front & sides, 1 in back NO boning 2% (2) One all the way around plus boning 20% (17) One all the way around NO boning 5% (4) Other, please explain in a post! 9% (8) I plan to use less stiffiner to make it lighter in the future The results include 86 votes. The percentages are actually a little low since the last option could also be selected. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> Subject: Sources Author: Anonymous [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 16:09:40 03/11/01 Sun [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> Subject: Irish Threads Author: Anonymous [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 16:11:16 03/11/01 Sun -I have also used the vilene from Irish Threads. Although there are other places you can get vilene, she carries the really wide stuff and she is SO nice and helpful if you have any questions re: how to use the vilene. I'd go with Irish Threads and ask questions when you order it. -They are in Nova Scotia, Canada. Web address is www3.ns.sympatico.ca/pepper/. Pat is very helpful and very prompt in replying. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> Subject: Vilene Basics Author: Anonymous [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 19:16:52 03/15/01 Thu My youngest is growing out of her solo costume that I made last May. I am going to use Vilene on the next one(my first time using it). I have some questions about it. On the last costume I used a very stiff interfacing and it has held up well. I used 3 layers of it on the front and 1 on the back. I did my embroidery through the interfacing and the appliques and the velvet. That made it extra stiff, but the Vilene sample I saw once didn't look like you could really sew through it. The Vilene also was an iron-on product and I'm sure that would gum up the needle anyway. So here are the questions: Do you put your Vilene on after you've done the appliques? Is Vilene an iron-on product? I always use a stiff iron-on interfacing for my appliques, but how do you stabalize the velvet for embroidering on the appliques? I could really use any help you can give. The reason I make my daughters solo and school costumes is to save money, so I really can't afford to experiment on velvet and satin. Replies: -Vilene is another name for interfacing. The name is commonly used in Europe and there are many types and manufacturers. I have used several types from several sources and here is what I've found. 1. I use a medium weight interfacing on every piece of fabric in the dress. When I begin to embroider and applique, I use a heavyweight stabilizer (found at Joanns) behind the piece I am working on. When all the design work is done I apply 1 layer of vilene (from Irish threads) to every piece of the skirt and pleats. I baste it along the seam line. Then I use the fusible vilene (from Irish dancer's catalogue) as a second layer on the front panel and the side panels. Cut this to fit just inside the seam lines so that you are not sewing through it. Hope this helps, it seems to be the best solution for me, but everyone has their own ways and different clients want different looks. -A bit on what vilene actually is . It is a name given to all the non-woven products made for the manufacturing industry,. They called all products made for the home sewers pellon. Other than that each product is numbered. The company is changing and eliminating the word pellon, I would not use an iron on interfacing behind your embroidery as it can easily bubble. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> Subject: Vilene in Skirt Author: Anonymous [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 19:38:25 03/15/01 Thu I'm using the Irish Threads pattern and also their Vilene. The bodice is all done (Yeah!), now to assemble the skirt. Should I follow the instructions which say to baste the Vilene to the velvet, sew the panels together, then trim out the Vilene from the seam allowance? Or is there a better way? I read once on another board (www.sewnews.com/bboard) that you should "float" the Vilene within the sewn panel, i.e.: not to do what is mentioned above, but hang or anchor the Vilene with long stitches from the seam allowances into the four corners of the Vilene. (hope this makes sense) Has any one tried this? I made a little sample of two panels and put the Vilene in following the Irish Threads instructions, and the "skirt" popped so the seam would have been close to the imaginary body and the panels went outwards like wings! Help. What method have you found works the best? Replies: -I baste the vilene. I've tried many methods and this is the one that I have found the most reliable, at least for me. Every seamstress has their own little quirks, so hopefully you will find what works best for you --(OP)Could you please explain more fully? Do you mean you would follow the instructions from Irish Threads, or ?? ---I basically follow the Irish Threads instructions, however I only baste in 1 layer of vilene. The second layer I trim inside the seam allowance and fuse it to the first layer. Irish dancer's catalogue also has a fusible stiffener that I have tried for this second layer. I hand baste the bodice to the skirt. I also use a dressmakers form to check the hang sometimes. -I hand baste the second layer of Vilene to the first layer of Vilene then trim the second layer of Vilene's seam allowance to just inside that of the first layer of Vilene's seam allowance. That way only one layer is caught in the seam. I only do two layers of Vilene on the two front (split skirt)panels of velvet, or the center box panel in velvet. I put one layer of Vilene in the two inside side kick panels (the ones only in satin) and the the next to side panels of velvet.e skirt and I have not put any Vilene in the whole back side of the skirt. You can use another interfacing that is not nearly as stiff. This prevents the Pippy Longstocking look (wings at the hips or the Bustle look (big derier look) completly and has worked successfully for me. Not to mention that the dancer and actually sit down in the dress without folding the Vilene into an odd shape in the back. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> Subject: Informative website Author: Anonymous [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 13:09:56 09/20/01 Thu In my neverending search for supplies I came across this website, www.vilene.com. -The site is an overview of the companies products . You cannot purchase from them. The qualities that suit Irish dance dresses are available in only 120 to 150 yard rolls through wholesalers most of who sell to business only PatM --Yes it is an overview of the product/company, however they do list (under countries) places that carry it. Yes it is a wholesale company, but many on this board may have their resale certificates, thus they are able to buy at wholesale prices. Also, IMHO it's always nice to find out about a product you use. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]