I purchased a couple yds. of fabric from an antique store. It looks and feels to me like good quality silk, but I want to make sure it's not rayon or some synthetic. Does anyone know of any tests to determine for sure if it's silk?
Welcome to the Quilting Board!
I purchased a couple yds. of fabric from an antique store. It looks and feels to me like good quality silk, but I want to make sure it's not rayon or some synthetic. Does anyone know of any tests to determine for sure if it's silk?
Hi. The burn test works well. Try this link: http://quilting.about.com/od/fabrice.../burn_test.htm
Fraew
"I don't buy vintage quilts. By the time I finish the quilts I've started they've already become antiques." ~ Mark Lipinski
Link to my albums: http://www.quiltingboard.com/members...85-albums.html
Wow I didn't know that silk could be tested the same way as cotton. I see that the smell is the key. Thanks Fraew for this info.
I can't wait to see what you make out of this fabric Susanne.
Bev
My initials are BB, so dublb is double B.
The smell and the feel of the ash. Synthetics will be a crumbly, hard ash, black smoke. Silk will be a fine, powdery grey ash. Hope its the real thing.
Life is made up of bits and pieces. You won't know how it'll turn out till its done.
Do the burn test.I usually use a candle and tweezers and drop the swatch into an ash tray: Watch the thread as it burns. If the thread is genuine silk, it won't burn but it will glow faintly. It will also give off the smell of burning hair.
The Earth without art is just "Eh".
We need to know the result!
Hugs
Caroline
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