If you have ever purchased 300D Linen Type Cationic Fabric (PU) a 100% cotton shirt before you know there are often problems associated with this fabric. The colors fade and become dull, the fabric shrinks, and after a few times of wearing and washing you can see millions of little fuzzies over the surface of your shirts. The process of Mercerization makes all these little annoyances go away.
Single Mercerization is a process in which the yarn used to make a shirt is run through the middle of an open flame at a very high speed. It passes through so quickly that the yarn itself doesn't burn but the millions of fuzzies and slubs on the yarn are eliminated instantly. This makes the yarn stronger. Since there is no fuzz on the yarn, it is held together better and can no longer unravel by itself. The yarn is also less prone to shrinking because the mercerization process literally pre-shrinks the fabric. Mercerization also cleans the yarn and gives it a strong affinity for dye. While normal cotton yarn has no clarity or depth to it's color, Mercerized yarn accepts the dye much better and the colors come out deeper, sharper and have a very clean look. The fabric now looks and feels ten times better. Single Mercerization is a huge step up from the quality of regular cotton shirts but Double Mercerization takes it even a step further.
During the knitting process some fuzzies will ultimately resurface. In Double Mercerization the knitted fabric undergoes a second Mercerization process to remove these. The fabric is placed in a chemical bath using caustic soda to once again remove any additional fuzzies or slubs and is then washed clean. This makes the fabric even stronger and makes it look and feel even better. It has a luster and sheen that is unmatched. Double mercerized fabric feels so soft and smooth its look and feel can easily be mistaken for silk.
By choosing to make your own
curtains you can have curtains that are made to fit a window that might not be
a standard size and you will also be able to have exactly matching tie-backs
that pull the curtains back from the windows during daylight hours. You can also use the same fabric you choose
for your curtains for other soft furnishings such as cushions which will enable
you to create a colour scheme throughout the room and streamline your overall
theme. You may not be able to do this
when you purchase ready-made curtains or other types of soft furnishings.
There are number of different fabrics you
can choose from if you decide you want to have hand-made curtains in your home
and here are a few of them:
Cotton Fabric This is perhaps the most
common and well known fabric of all.
Cotton can be used for many purposes in the home, from curtains to
blinds and from bed linen to seat covers.
Cotton comes in almost every colour available and is also simple to care
for. Cotton is an extremely versatile
material and is perfect for hand-made curtains.
Chenille Chenille is the French word for
caterpillar and evokes a picture of soft and fluffy fabric. Chenille can be used for a number of
different soft furnishings but the most popular is the chenille cushion. Chenille offers a soft touch to a home and is
the perfect fabric to be used in bedrooms or lounge areas.
Jacquard Fabric Jacquard weaving can
create the most stunning designs and the design commonly known as Jacquard is a
combination of swirly, flower like prints.
Jacquard can be used for a variety of soft furnishings and this includes
cushions, curtains and bedding. Jacquard
is produced in a number of different colours and is guaranteed to add a touch
of elegance to your home.
Print Fabric Over recent years print
fabric has become a lot more popular.
There are now a wide range of printed fabrics available and these range
from animal prints to plant themed fabric.
If you want to create a unique pair of hand-made curtains then you can
definitely do this with print fabric.
Velvet Fabric Velvet is a soft and
relatively durable fabric and can have a number of uses in the home. Hand-made curtains look fabulous when crafted
using velvet and velvet looks fabulous in dark rich colours such as purple and
charcoal.
Choosing your fabric is very important when
you decide to make your own hand-made curtains and you must, must, must
consider your current colour schemes and themes before you make any purchases.
