Hey Crotchers, welcome back!
Is your yarn wrinkled or kinky, and you do not like it?
Have you been told that using an iron on your yarn is wrong?
Did you ever try to Iron, and your fabric melted?
Yarn ironing is one of the most challenging tasks, but today, we’ll have a detailed explanation of the types of yarns, how to iron them and how to do it without damage to the yarn.
Come along with me to learn more about yarn ironing.
Can Yarn Be Ironed?
Yes, yarn can be ironed. However, not all types of yarn can undergo the ironing process as some tend to melt, e.g., acrylic yarn. Ironing any yarn depends on the crease’s presence and the garment’s appearance.
How Can I Iron My Yarn Perfectly?
There should be proper maintenance of your yarn, and this includes ironing.
Low heat is required with a pressing cloth between the fabric and the surface to iron. It is best advised to use an ironing board to prevent damage or burn.
The following are the steps involved in the yarn ironing process with no damage to the fabric:
Step 1: Check the Fabric Label
On every fabric, there’s always a label that shows instructions for lasting use. However, it is best to note the following on your fabric labels to know when and how to iron:
Some fabrics have instructions on the heat setting, such as if it has a tag showing the symbol X or sew-in words like ‘Do not iron,’ meaning such fabric cannot go through ironing. If the fabric is marked with one dot – this means that the fabric should be ironed at a low temperature (not steaming); if it is marked with two dots – this means that the fabric can be ironed at a medium temperature (not heavy pressure), and if it is marked with three dots, it means that the fabric can be ironed at high temperature (with steaming, this is based on preference).
Step 2: Turn the Fabric on The Wrong Side
It is often advised that ironing any fabric should be done on the inside or the wrong side of the fabric or clothing material to prevent the surface from having shiny marks.
When the iron is at high heat temperature, the iron soleplate melts or flattens the fabric giving it a shiny pattern. Before the ironing, ensure you turn your fabric on the wrong side and cover it with a pressing cloth.
Step 3: Smooth Wool Out
After the fabric has been laid on the flat surface of the ironing board or press cloth, use your hands to press out wrinkles on the fabric, as this helps to reduce wrinkles during ironing. Ensure the garment is flat, and remember to have the pressing cloth placed over the fabric surface.
Step 4: Iron the Fabric
To iron the fabric, you can spray it with water to smoothen the surface and make it easy to iron. Ensure you use an iron with a fabric setting to help regulate the heat or steam, as most fabrics are best when ironed under a low temperature.
Step 7: Steam or Rub With Hot Water
If the fabric is ironable, you can steam or spray them with hot water, and after, rub the fabric wrinkles out.
Step 8: End-to-end Ironing
To iron, put your iron on one end and pull to another. Refrain from tossing it around, as this will only add more wrinkles to the fabric. Let the ironing be done in a straight-line process.
Step 9: Before Folding
To prevent more fabric wrinkles or creasing, allow the fabric to lay flat on a hard surface for a few minutes, then you can fold or hang it.
Want something more self-explanatory? The video below will be a great one for you to watch.
Different Yarn Fabrics And Their Ironing Capacity
There are yarn fibers with different ironing capacities. The way each is ironed is based on the material or manufacturer instructions and cloth texture (following the cloth texture is based on personal preference).
However, some of these fibers do not need ironing, while some can be ironed following the ironing process:
1. Wool (Polyester)
These are the perfect choices for you if you’re searching for fabrics that do not require ironing. No matter how you wash them, they do not wrinkle easily. They have the ironing capacity of a medium temperature between 110o and 150o.
Wool – this should be done using pressing clothes and medium temperature.
Polyester – this should be done by damping the fabric and low or medium temperatures to prevent the material from burning.
Do not wet or steam these fabrics, and these fabrics should be ironed on opposite sides.
2. Denim (Jean)
Not all denim fabrics can hold iron heat. However, denim wrinkles do clear away quickly, even without ironing them. If you wish to, firstly check the fabric ironing instruction. However, you can iron on high heat with a damp towel or spray the fabric.
3. Silk and Satin
To iron silk or satin, it is best advised to focus on the steam, not the heat. Iron the fabrics at a low temperature. The fabric should be laid flat on the ironing surface or board with a pressing cloth placed on the surface and ironed.
4. Spandex
Spandex fabrics are wrinkle-resistant and do not need to be ironed. If you decide to, ironing at the lowest temperature with a smooth and even heat pressure is best advised.
5. Linen and Cotton
These fabrics have a high wrinkle-holding capacity and require ironing at 150° and 200°. You can steam or spray the material from the iron or a spray bottle. The lightweight ones are to be ironed on the wrong side, while the heavyweight ones are to be ironed while they are still wet.
6. Acrylic
To eliminate wrinkles on an acrylic fabric, it is best to steam iron. The steam iron is done by using a handheld garment steamer or the steam setting on an iron.
7. Acetate
This fabric is soft and quick to melt when the heat temperature is high. It is best ironed when it is still wet and at a low temperature. Ironing, the fabric should be placed on the wrong side and ironed (steaming).
8. Nylon
This fabric is of two types – regular and ripstop. It is a synthetic material that makes it anti-wrinkle, but it still gets wrinkled. If needed to iron, you must be cautious as nylon fabrics and heat do not go together.
The nylon fabric melts under high temperatures, and it is best advised to iron a nylon fabric at a low-temperature setting.
9. Beaded Fabrics
Beaded fabrics cannot hold heat temperature, and this can damage the beads. Ironing at a low temperature of 110o or less is best. Either iron on the wrong side or use a press cloth between the fabric and the iron. Place the fabric on a white towel and iron.
10. Cashmere
This fabric doesn’t need to be ironed if adequately taken care of. However, if it gets wrinkled, use a wrinkle-release spray or allow it to hang on your shower rack. You can either shower steam or use the cloth steamer to eliminate the wrinkles. Do not Iron the cashmere fabrics.
11. Lyocell (Tencel)
A lyocell fabric is also known as Tencel. It is wrinkle-resistant and machine-washable. It, however, requires little or no ironing.
However, you can get rid of wrinkles by putting ice cubes into your dryer with the fabric and being allowed to run for about 8 minutes. Once the ice cubes melt, they make a steam-like atmosphere that eliminates wrinkles on your lyocell fabric.
What Are The Things I Should Avoid When Ironing Yarn?
While ironing, there are quite a several things to watch out for or prevent. Here are some of them:
- The delicate and soft fabrics should be ironed first. Suppose you have general ironing. Let the soft fabrics be ironed before moving on to the heavy fabrics.
- Do not use hard water – if you’re in a place with hard water; it is best to filter the water to get distilled water which is softer to use on clothes.
- Ensure always to clean your iron. The soleplate should be well-taken care of by scrapping off the black stains on it.
- Iron with mist function, especially if you’re dealing with stubborn wrinkles. Some irons have the space to fill with water, and pulling allows you to dampen and relax the fabric.
- Use only a little heat. When ironing, ensure you regulate or control the iron temperature setting to prevent the cloth from melting or burning.
Also, do work with the following Ironing habits as Precautionary measures:
- There should be enough tools needed for ironing
- Ensure you have enough space while you set to iron
- The ironing surface must be smooth and laid with a pressing cloth
- The ironing environment should have lights, whether natural or artificial
- Wrinkled clothes should be wet with water (damped)
- Carefully work with the fabric or iron setting instructions.
Conclusion
It seems pretty difficult, but best done when you follow the above tips for a proper and neatly ironed cloth preventing damage or burns.
Suppose you’re worried about the temperature setting. In that case, it is best advised to start ironing at a low temperature before moving on to high heat – this can help to eliminate stubborn wrinkles gradually with the fabric not melting or having shiny marks.
However, suppose you’re ironing the same type of fabric. In that case, you’re good to go. Still, suppose you’re ironing different types; kindly separate the wrinkled clothes by their fabric type and start ironing from the order of the fabrics that require low heat before going on to the others. In that case, this is referred to as ironing in ascending order of fabric type.
Enjoy ironing your yarn with zero worries!