Please help! Is my skirt ruined?

[ConfusedParticle]

I have a new, lovely 100% 'washed' wool skirt. It was expensive and is very dear to me.

Went out wearing it today, wore long duvet coat over it but got stuck for 5 mins only in an insanely heavy downpour. It was vicious, and i knew the skirt edges had got a touch wet but thought it should be ok.

Once home i hung it up to dry and noticed the hem is wrinkled. It is pretty much almost dry now and the wrinkling hasn't gone! I am not a wool expert but am afraid the fibres might have altered irreparably and my lovely skirt is ruined :(

I am posting photos, best i could get in low light. Skirt is dark green and grey but lighting is making it look orange.

Does this mean the skirt is lower quality than i had imagined, or is it just horribly bad luck? Will the frilly wrinkled edges drop out? What can I do!!!??? Any advice appreciated.

This is a photo of a part of the hem that DIDN'T wrinkle. Just to show how it is meant to hang.

Have you tried a pressing cloth and some steam, use a bit of untreated flat wood (back of a brush or similar) immediately after pressing to absorb excess moisture to get it flat again.

I'd probably throw a tea towel over it and iron it on a wool setting.

oh i will definitely try that, thank you!

Many of my clothes are wool and I wash nearly all of them, on a wool cycle. If something goes a bit wrinkly I just steam iron it on the reverse side, with a damp clean tea towel between the iron and the fabric. Wool is brilliantly resilient as long as you don’t make mistakes like tumble drying it or washing it in hot water.

That looks minor to me and should be fixed with a gentle iron, or if not, a gentle hand wash or getting it dry cleaned and pressed.

I don’t think the fibres have shrunk as it needs to be hot water usually for that.

I think it might need a gentle steam press using damp muslin over it.

Some of it is to do with the hem stitching. It looks to be cut on the cross judging by the pattern, and should have a bias tape hem or mock hem if it was that expensive. And l don’t think by looking at it that that is what it had, which is one of the reasons it’s bubbling,

But a steam press shoukd help. Heat and steam mould wool fibres.

Oh thank you, i am glad there is hope!

I am a bit precious about it because i don't usually spend so much on items such as a skirt, and it is so precious to me as it has been in my mind for most of my adult life, finally in reality and available to buy
Will see what I an do.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

I don’t think the fibres have shrunk as it needs to be hot water usually for that.

I think it might need a gentle steam press using damp muslin over it.

Some of it is to do with the hem stitching. It looks to be cut on the cross judging by the pattern, and should have a bias tape hem or mock hem if it was that expensive. And l don’t think by looking at it that that is what it had, which is one of the reasons it’s bubbling,

But a steam press shoukd help. Heat and steam mould wool fibres.

Thank you, I remember your posts in the 'quality' threads and very much trust your judgement! The skirt is bias cut with a 'living hem', as per the description (label is Nygardsanna). Here is a product photo.

I don’t know what a ‘living hem is!

It’s a lovely skirt though! Show me a picture of the inside of the hem!

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

I don’t know what a ‘living hem is!

It’s a lovely skirt though! Show me a picture of the inside of the hem!

Thanks, I have no idea either! Here is the image of inside hem. The skirt is lined.

I’d be inclined not to use the steam setting on your iron. Instead I would use the wool setting and press over a wrung out handkerchief or other flat, thin, closely woven cloth.

I’d start first on a small section on the inside and as per PP use a wooden clapper to absorb the steam and set the seam. Before I had a proper wooden clapper I used a small wooden chopping board.

It’s a lovely skirt.

@Deux

I’d be inclined not to use the steam setting on your iron. Instead I would use the wool setting and press over a wrung out handkerchief or other flat, thin, closely woven cloth.

I’d start first on a small section on the inside and as per PP use a wooden clapper to absorb the steam and set the seam. Before I had a proper wooden clapper I used a small wooden chopping board.

It’s a lovely skirt.

I will definitely do this, thank you. I don't have a clapper (new to me!) but i have quite a few chopping boards floating around (don't ask).

Have just done what is suggested and have had almost complete success. A few areas of the hem are still slightly damp a little crinkled. I will do it again tomorrow after leaving it to hang tonight.

Thank you so much:) I so hope it recovers fully.

Glad you managed to get it sorted, OP.

Just remember that wool will only shrink/felt if it hasn’t been treated with a shrinkproofing agent and if you subject it to a combination of heat, moisture and pressure.

(Ex-textile chemist here )

@Warmduscher

Glad you managed to get it sorted, OP.

Just remember that wool will only shrink/felt if it hasn’t been treated with a shrinkproofing agent and if you subject it to a combination of heat, moisture and pressure.

(Ex-textile chemist here )

that is good news, it was indeed very cold rain!

i think i will iron once more when it is fully dry. It is looking fine now though. Just a few crinkles.

I love it so much, it might not be to everyone's taste but my passion for it made me cry earlier

What i would love to know, of any experts are around is, is this hem shit? Considering it is a bias cut skirt, it the hem crappy? I would be interested to know considering the price.

I had to look this up because I have never heard of a living hem, but, as I thought, it's because it will always move/ stretch. A bit of an odd expression but fits with their whole organic shtick!

I would say that the kind of hem isn't key to the quality for 2 reasons. First, other countries have different conventions for sewing, two, in this day and age I'd expect it to be a very expensive skirt to have a proper biased hem. Couture even.

I certainly rate their notes on looking after wool. Good luck!

It's a very standard hem finish, not one I'd personally like to see on a bias skirt but it's not unusual or unfit for purpose. You mentioned it was expensive, that term is relative of course but there's plenty of expensive brands with fairly standard finishes. Is it shit, well it's not going to fall apart or anything but like a pp mentioned I'd have preferred to see a bias binding or a faced hem.

If you can sew or know someone that can, it's probably worth changing it to a faced hem, I'd go for a nice deep one and finish it by hand, maybe even add in a layer of silk organza in between as interlining. Going by the pictures it's long enough that a complimentary fabric on the inside would not be a hugely noticeable thing and it would be a much nicer finish and look to the garment and how it moves.

I haven’t seen the term before, but I think by living hem they’re talking about the fact that on a bias-cut skirt or dress the hem will kind of flow and move around and not hang rigidly. Not about the actual hemming technique.

Re is it shit, I’d say it’s basic for the price, but that’s quite common these days. I often take old or second-hand clothes apart to restyle/repurpose and expensive things can be less well made and conversely some cheaper or average brands are almost indestructible - e.g. superdry stuff is amazingly well made.

OTOH with a bias hem you do have to be careful not to add too much weight and thickness at the hem or it will hang oddly. So I’d hesitate before asking anyone to alter it or add any layers. If it works as it is, just look after it and re-stitch if it ever comes down.

Wow!!! It was expensive. That’s a proper bias hem. Taped rather than just turned!

Arrrrgh no it’s not!

You have a very expensive skirt with a not very good hem!

It should be deeper than that, and be bound with bias fabric. That’s a big standard hem on a bias garment which is causing some issues.

Thank you or the info, everyone.
Im not surprised, and do feel a bit fed up about it, but i do love the skirt. The fluidity of the hem is preferable to me, and would prefer it to be sleek, but will be leaving it as it is for now. If i have issues at any point I will definitely seek help from a professional!

I do seem to have bad luck with clothing. Some years i avoid buying anything at all due to this. I love to wear good things that are as ethically made as possible, but have honestly often had better luck on ebay.

I sometimes want to give up and just wear leggings and tunic for the rest of my life. Ive honestly considered trying to sell off most of my good stuff.
The skirt was a treat as i had come in to a bit of money and had a very rough two years (grief). I also purchased a Brora cashmere hat that cost me, too, and it really doesn't suit me :(

I don’t think it’s that bad really if the fabric is nice, and it’s well cut and works for you, the hem quality is a minor issue. A proper/high end bias hem has to have a separate piece of bias cut fabric added. It has to be lightweight yet match the bias movement of the main fabric and it has to be attached carefully so that it’s not stretched differently from the fabric it’s attached to. It’s a right faff and I can understand a company taking the decision not to add that step.

And I’m sorry you’ve had a hard time op, and about your hat. I understand cheering yourself up with a clothes purchase (wish I could go a year without buying anything! :o ) and also I know all about making mistakes! But I agree eBay is great for finding good quality things, and also for reselling.