1920s dress patching dilemma! Advice wanted

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cloudsofviolet

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I have a 1920s dress and jacket set that i plan on probably selling. 52" long and 29" waist or hip belt. i guess one would have to tuck up the dress at the waist and hip area to belt it? It appears homemade (crooked sewing on the inside).

Jacket is fine. Dress has shattering on upper back and a nickel sized area on the upper front, all which is covered when wirn w/ jacket.

Dress has bishop or balloon sleeves that are tight at the forearm and wrist area. This feature makes the dress amazing imo, and would be covered when worn w/ jacket.

My dilemma is whether I should lower the back neckline approx 1" so I can get some fabric to cover the front shattering. Or get some modern silk crepe to cover the holes.. Would that lower the value of the dress? Given that it is homemade, would serious collectors probably pass it up anyways, so I should fix it up for a more casual collector / wearer? Personally I feel bad selling unrepaired but if it lowers value for collectors then I'd hold off.

Is there modern silk crepe out there that is comparable to 20s silk crepe?
 

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Are there facings inside you can take fabric from? That's what I try to do if looking for material for a patch, or even from wide seam turnings if I only need a small amount.

Sometimes you can replace a facing with similar fabric, similar in weight and drape etc. It won't show from the outside, and you then can use the original material from the facing for your repair on the outside.

I think the repair/don't repair dilemma depends partly on your sewing skills. I still consider myself an 'advanced beginner' at restoration, so it depends on the repair.

I have 30s dress I need to patch, and there's almost no fabric available from the inside, so I'm going to have to get creative. It has a self belt that I can shorten a little without it affecting the dress, so that's probably what I'll do.
 
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I have found with this type of silk, that when it starts to shatter, there is no way to stop the progression. The more I would touch it, the more it would shatter.
I dont even try at this point after many many years of bad experience.
It breaks my heart, but i usually end up throwing the garment out.
Also, the thread disintegrates.
I wish you the best on your project
 
Have you considered selling the jacket and dress separately --as in. Price the dress very cheaply and advertise that you could use to make a skirt or trim--whatever. As a collector, I garments with alterations and in very poor condition, but I don't want patches unless it is truly exceptional.
 
anothertimevintageapparel said:
I have found with this type of silk, that when it starts to shatter, there is no way to stop the progression. The more I would touch it, the more it would shatter.
I dont even try at this point after many many years of bad experience.
It breaks my heart, but i usually end up throwing the garment out.
Also, the thread disintegrates.
I wish you the best on your project
Click to expand...

Actually found out it is rayon (tested it). Can rayon shatter?
 
Weighted silk - silk that has been treated with chemical salts by the fabric manufacturer - is notorious for shattering.

Unweighted silk and rayon can shatter too. although less overwhelmingly. Storage conditions - heat and humidity - can weaken fabric. So can body heat and sweat - underarms and upper back are the most likely problem areas in my experience.

Suzanne is right that some garments cannot be saved. Before you consider starting a repair, make sure you have a clearheaded idea of the size of the problem, and consider the goals of your repair - appearance or wearability?
 
Hm, I will post results. I think a lot of the shattering area can be reinforced with just stitching the shatters together - they kind of look like rips, rather than shreds. But if it will put people off then I think I'll just let them decide what to do
 
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