Garment maintanence

Scherensammler

Well-Known Member
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Hello dears!

Some time ago I offered to do a tutorial about how to press a lapel to make it look nice and crisp again. I had almost forgotten about it but ConchitaWurst ConchitaWurst kindly reminded me.
So here is the tutorial on how to press a lapel.

It's not something to be afraid of, although it can be somewhat tricky when dealing with certain cloth and colour combinations (dark cloths and in particular twill weaves can be a bit nasty).

Here's what you need:

1.) A crumpled lapel that needs pressing
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2.) A proper iron with a minimum weight of 2 kg. There are several options available, although not everyone has the space to set up this gravity feed iron with a waterbucket hanging from the ceiling:

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This would be my tool of choice, a heavy, dry tailor's iron of 5 kg weight.

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Since this is meant to be for doing it at home, I opted for a standard household steam iron (the brand doesn't really matter):

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Preferably it has these two buttons, one for extra steam and one for spraying water.
Should your iron does not have the latter just use a spray bottle and set the nozzle to a fine mist to avoid large drops of water.

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Set the temperature between wool and cotton to make sure the iron is hot enough for the task.

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Now with the iron sorted out you need a few other things:

1) A sleeve board. Can easily be found in department or hardware stores. For this job a sturdy wooden board, covered with cloth, is better than the stretch metal version. The reason for this is that the stretch metal board has only a thin cover and the shape of the stretch metal might transfer to the cloth.

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2) A pressing cloth. Preferred materials are fine cotton (fake Riva will do just fine) or fine linen to withstand higher temperatures. If you don't happen to have bought fake Riva shirt cloths on streets on Naples you can either use a piece of an old bed sheet or an old shirt.

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Now to the actual process of pressing the lapel. Place the lapel on the sleeve board so that the lapel crease is exactly on the edge of the board. By doing so you avoid killing the roll of the lapel:

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Now place the pressing cloth on top of the lapel, make sure both are flat and smoothed.
Use either the iron's spray option or the spray bottle to slightly wet the pressing cloth.
Avoid spraying the nearby lining, as the water can leave marks.

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Now place the iron on the pressing cloth, starting at the bottom of the lapel, putting some extra weight on the iron:

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Leave the iron on the cloth until that part is completely dry:

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Repeat the step until you reach the top of the lapel:

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The end result should be a crisp looking, sharp lapel edge:

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So time allows, I will continue this series, showing how to freshen up collar and sleeves.
 
My understanding is that the iron is lifted and set down, not slid around?
 
Any tips for getting that lapel roll back? A dry cleaner pressed one of my Neapolitan suits completely flat :okay:
 
Any tips for getting that lapel roll back? A dry cleaner pressed one of my Neapolitan suits completely flat :okay:

It's pretty much the same process, only difference is that you need to undo the crease in the lapel.
So you put the lapel onto the board so that the crease is about in the middle, put the cotton cloth over it, spray it and remove the crease...

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Once the crease is gone, place the lapel back on the sleeve board. Use the collar crease as a guide at the top and let the lapel roll to about 1/2" above the top button. If it's a well made jacket the lapel roll has been worked in and it should have the will to roll by itself.

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Keeping the lapel crease straight, press in the new crease, but not all the way from (or to) the top button, so the end result should look like this:

IMG_20160517_174018_zpsbnfwtbpk.jpg
 

Because you want to maintain the shape of the lapel and keep the cloth smooth and flat.
By shifting the iron you risk pressing in tiny pleats and/ or ruin the shape by distorting or even stretching the lapel.
The latter is not so much a problem with fused coats, but coats with a padded lapel are easier to ruin.
 
9 times out of 10 I'll press my linen suits and jackets prior to wear.
 
It's pretty much the same process, only difference is that you need to undo the crease in the lapel.
So you put the lapel onto the board so that the crease is about in the middle, put the cotton cloth over it, spray it and remove the crease...

IMG_20160517_173908_zpsxjklvt30.jpg


Once the crease is gone, place the lapel back on the sleeve board. Use the collar crease as a guide at the top and let the lapel roll to about 1/2" above the top button. If it's a well made jacket the lapel roll has been worked in and it should have the will to roll by itself.

IMG_20160517_173938_zpsobogbzvi.jpg


Keeping the lapel crease straight, press in the new crease, but not all the way from (or to) the top button, so the end result should look like this:

IMG_20160517_174018_zpsbnfwtbpk.jpg

It worked wonders! Cheers!
 
Full credit to Scherensammler Scherensammler for starting this thread. And here I was thinking that DW was just a place to express all that casual racism and homophobia in a safe and accepting environment, then a thread that crops up that's well informed and and quite helpful. What's the world coming to?

Anyway, not meaning to threadjack at all but here's a couple of videos on pressing trousers and suit jackets. Unfortunately you have to put up with the limp-wristed lickspittle, Simon Crompton on the Richard Anderson videos. One should be cautious as the desire to put one's fist through the monitor to get at the slimy prick is surprisingly strong.

Pressing trousers:





Pressing a jacket:



 
And here I was thinking that DW was just a place to express all that casual racism and homophobia in a safe and accepting environment
foxy i know this is a joke and one of your usual one a month drive-by's, but please don't perpetuate this stupid bullshit.
 
Full credit to Scherensammler Scherensammler for starting this thread. And here I was thinking that DW was just a place to express all that casual racism and homophobia in a safe and accepting environment, then a thread that crops up that's well informed and and quite helpful. What's the world coming to?

Anyway, not meaning to threadjack at all but here's a couple of videos on pressing trousers and suit jackets. Unfortunately you have to put up with the limp-wristed lickspittle, Simon Crompton on the Richard Anderson videos. One should be cautious as the desire to put one's fist through the monitor to get at the slimy prick is surprisingly strong.

Pressing trousers:





Pressing a jacket:





i only want Scherensammler Scherensammler tutorials

they are the best

thanks a lot
 

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