After it dries, I Iron my burlap to get all of the wrinkles out of it. Depending on your iron, the method you use here will vary from mine, but I will show you how I do it and you can adjust as you need to. I use a medium high setting. On my Iron, it says "Silk." You want to make sure it is not on any of the automatic steam settings. I have learned from experience that too much of the water or steam will yellow your burlap and develop a weird film on your iron. Instead I just iron and do one squirt of the steam in one big motion over a large area of my fabric, following it up with a lot of steamless strokes.
Again, all irons are different, and you will have to play around with yours to determine which setting is right for you.
Pottery Barn Burlap Table Runner Tutorial |
Pottery Barn Frame and Burlap Mat |
Carol_Berlin
Thank you very much for this tutorial. I want to make a load of door-holder-openers in memory of the floods we had in Germany last year, 2013, where we used millions of sandsacks to hold back the water. I am also thinking of making other things out of burlap, whick people might like to wash and would not like to have to tell them it doesn't work. 🙂
Unknown
What about hand washing,then fabric softner rinse?Anyone try that?
Tami (Pixeltrash)
Well, you can do as much as you like, but it might take a lot of liquid stitch.
Tami (Pixeltrash)
If you aren't using a HUGE amount of burlap, you can go around the edges with liquid stitch & let it dry before you wash it and it will keep your edges together.
marijka
And if you prep the fabric BEFORE washing, you'll lose less yardage and not have to deal with all those strings. Just (1) serge, (2) multi-step zigzag or (3) fold once and straight-stitch each raw end.
debbie
Hi
Thanks for all the info I just picked up a nice peice of died burlap and put in the wash with my home made soap and 1/2 cup of white vinegar in the final rinse i added my purex fabric softner it smells and feels great but before I washed it I zig zaged around the entire peice with a large stitch my burlap did not fray at all and I am so happy with it thought I would share to help some of you. Once again thanks to all of you. I plan on making some bags with mine. will post at a later date we are moving so I can have a studio of my own. Lots of luck Debbie
Connie
All of the burlap items i see for sale (including p.b.) are so much softer. I specially ordered 11oz. Burlap as it is a finer weave. I washed it yesterday. Put n dryer.not much softer. Should I just leave well enough alone now? Connie in phoenix.
Cindy Driskill
Thanks Bunches!!!!
Linda Borrego
Thanks for the tips. I purchased some burlap and I can't stand the smell. I also tried to cut it and was frustrated that I couldn't cute straight lines. I am so going to use your tips. Thanks again.
Kristen Whitby
Hi Angela! Yes, there are definitely different variables when washing burlap. I have never had an issue with it, but I do limit mine to a couple yards at a time, use a front loader, etc (as I wrote above). There will always be a bit of fraying on the ends, but I just use the cutting technique to straighten out my edges and it works great.
Angela Nesbitt
I tried this method exactly as you wrote it and it ruined my burlap. 🙁 I know there are a lot of variables as to what could have happened. I just wanted to warn people if they were feeling gutsy (like I was...lol) that maybe another method might work better.
Béatrice Laher
Bonjour!
J'habite dans le sud de la France, en Provence. Et j'aime beaucoup votre tuto pour la toile de jute. Ma toile de jute n'avait pas d'odeur avant le lavage, mais elle était très raide. Alors je l'ai laver et surprise l'odeur est arrivée.
Maintenant, je suis pressée qu'elle soit sèche pour commencer à la coudre.
Alors je vous remercie pour ces précieux renseignements.
Vous avez une très jolie petite Princesse, la photo est très originale. Je vous fais un bisou de la France
juliawithag
Hi! Just wanted to let you know some things about burlap. I did this over twenty years ago, except that I washed and dried it (in the dryer---lots of lint) over and over again. It looked great UNTIL it started to discolor from the sun. Even lined, it turned a weird orange color. Also, I must warn you, it is EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE. My friend, a fire-fighter, had a FIT when he saw it.
Ann
Grateful for the pointers on the burlap; scrolling to the bottom I was taken aback by the darling baby with tights on her head!! 🙂 I wish I could get my hands on a photo we have from 20 years ago of our Ella with hot pink tights on her head - really made me smile at the coincidence. Our Ella is 21 now (full name 'Ariella' being used at 21 - hmph) And it was Dad's attempt at tights 20 years ago, too. Blessings!
Edna Hanson
Loved reading everyone's comments and ideas, thanks!
I love burlap too, but had initially read DO NOT WASH, but now i feel safer in doing so. I picked up mine @ ebay $29 for 10 yds postage paid, best deal I found. Want to get into stenciling and creating some unique OOAK items too.
Pinned this page too! I'll be back for follow-ups!
yes, pretty baby!
Julie
got my blonde burlap in the wash as I type.
Hazel
Hi,
So glad I found your blog! I recently made my first burlap wedding cake topper birds after a client requested them. It was pretty tricky fabric to sew with as it was stiff and frayed so I had to line the birds with wool felt. In the future I will be sure to wash it first 🙂
Oh, your little girl is just adorable!!
ghardym
Depending on how much you are washing you might try placing it in a lingerie bag or a mesh laundry bag to cut down on raveling.
Shan49
Have you ever tried painters drop cloth? You can get them at HOme Depot or Lowes. They wash up well and look a lot like burlap when washed!
Cher-Ann Texter
Thanks for the how-to... I had no idea that burlap could be washed! I washed mine and am very happy with the results!
Cher @ Designs by Studio C
https://designsbystudioc.com