DeCoDiVa
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I can't find the person who commented regarding shine on garments ..but this is from one of my collected vintage sewing texts. Please keep in mind this was for WOOLEN fabric.
Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts & Sciences, by Mary Brooks Picken 1923 TEXT
REMOVING SHINE FROM WOOLEN GARMENTS
"25. Sometimes, in the construction of woolen garments, certain parts, especially seams and overlapping edges, become shiny, or glossy, if they are pressed without the use of a press cloth or if the press cloth that is used is too dry or if too much pressure is exerted on the iron; also, as is well known, any hard or firmly twisted woolen threads that are subjected to wear will become glossy. Shine in any case is undesirable, and the treatment for overcoming it is the same whether a garment is new or old.
Shine that is very prominent on a garment is difficult to get rid of, even temporarily. Of course, in garment construction, the logical thing to do is to avoid shine by exercising the proper amount of care in pressing, and the use of the tailor's brush goes a long way in obviating this difficulty; but for garments that are worn day in and day out the prevention of shine, especially on hard-finished fabrics, is next to impossible. The backs of skirts worn by persons who sit a great deal get shiny much more quickly than other parts, and frequently a garment is practically ruined before the shine is discovered. Shine on this part of a garment can be avoided to some extent by keeping the chair, or seat, that is used most covered with a cushion or a piece of felt, as two fabrics coming in contact with each other will not produce shine, whereas the hard surface of an uncovered chair, or seat, will soon bring out a gloss that will mar the appearance of the garment.
26. Although shine may be avoided to a certain extent, as just mentioned, it is next to impossible to remove the gloss for any considerable length of time after the material has once become shiny. Yet, by being persistent, it is possible to keep shine back enough not to be annoying. No woman can afford to have her skirts appear glossy from wear, and she should take the time to go over her skirts that are in constant use at least once a week in order to keep down any signs of shine that might appear.
With the preceding thoughts in mind, there are here mentioned a few methods of removing shine temporarily. These methods, however, are suitable only for fairly firm materials, for, as has been stated, it is only such fabrics that produce sufficient shine to require any attention. With the soft weaves, as a rule, steaming will suffice, as it lifts the nap enough to overcome any possible shine.
27. One method of removing shine consists in brushing the shiny material with sandpaper of good quality that is not too coarse. This brushing tends to lift the fiber of the nap and thus remove the shine. However, on worn garments, the shine is removed only for a time, and, to be effective, the operation must be repeated frequently. Such treatment as this will eventually cause the threads of the material to break and the garment to wear thin; nevertheless, it is a quick, easy way in which to keep off shine, especially if garments cannot be sponged and pressed conveniently.
28. Another method of removing shine temporarily is as follows, although it is suitable only for dark materials: To 1 pint of warm water add 1/4 teacup of vinegar; then, applying the solution evenly on the right side of the garment and using the sponge brush previously mentioned or a fine wire brush, thoroughly brush the garment on the right side. The acid in the vinegar causes every particle of the nap to lift and to curl slightly, thus making the shine appear less prominent. After applying the vinegar solution, brush the shiny places with fine sandpaper; or, if sandpaper is not at hand, use a scrap of wool of the same color as the material undergoing treatment or of a color that will not fade and make streaks on the garment. A woolen sponge cloth of this kind will lift the nap much better than a cotton one; it will dig-tribute the water more evenly, too, and will avoid the formation of lint.
Instead of vinegar water, some persons prefer to use a solution consisting of 1 part of powdered alum dissolved in 15 parts of water. Such a solution may be applied in the same way as the vinegar water, and it will give practically the same results.
29. Steaming Shiny Garments.—Garments that have become shiny should never be pressed; rather, they should be steamed. To steam a shiny garment, put it on the ironing board as in pressing; also, place the press cloth on in the same way, but have it a little damper than for ordinary pressing. Then hold a hot iron very close to the press cloth, but not on it, until the material is steamed thoroughly and every wrinkle is removed. The iron should be held up all the while in order to dry the steamed material so that it will appear as if pressing had been carefully done, although the iron is not pressed to it for an instant. The frequent use of the tailor's brush will aid greatly in sending the steam into the material and in raising the nap and thus removing the shine."
Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts & Sciences, by Mary Brooks Picken 1923 TEXT
REMOVING SHINE FROM WOOLEN GARMENTS
"25. Sometimes, in the construction of woolen garments, certain parts, especially seams and overlapping edges, become shiny, or glossy, if they are pressed without the use of a press cloth or if the press cloth that is used is too dry or if too much pressure is exerted on the iron; also, as is well known, any hard or firmly twisted woolen threads that are subjected to wear will become glossy. Shine in any case is undesirable, and the treatment for overcoming it is the same whether a garment is new or old.
Shine that is very prominent on a garment is difficult to get rid of, even temporarily. Of course, in garment construction, the logical thing to do is to avoid shine by exercising the proper amount of care in pressing, and the use of the tailor's brush goes a long way in obviating this difficulty; but for garments that are worn day in and day out the prevention of shine, especially on hard-finished fabrics, is next to impossible. The backs of skirts worn by persons who sit a great deal get shiny much more quickly than other parts, and frequently a garment is practically ruined before the shine is discovered. Shine on this part of a garment can be avoided to some extent by keeping the chair, or seat, that is used most covered with a cushion or a piece of felt, as two fabrics coming in contact with each other will not produce shine, whereas the hard surface of an uncovered chair, or seat, will soon bring out a gloss that will mar the appearance of the garment.
26. Although shine may be avoided to a certain extent, as just mentioned, it is next to impossible to remove the gloss for any considerable length of time after the material has once become shiny. Yet, by being persistent, it is possible to keep shine back enough not to be annoying. No woman can afford to have her skirts appear glossy from wear, and she should take the time to go over her skirts that are in constant use at least once a week in order to keep down any signs of shine that might appear.
With the preceding thoughts in mind, there are here mentioned a few methods of removing shine temporarily. These methods, however, are suitable only for fairly firm materials, for, as has been stated, it is only such fabrics that produce sufficient shine to require any attention. With the soft weaves, as a rule, steaming will suffice, as it lifts the nap enough to overcome any possible shine.
27. One method of removing shine consists in brushing the shiny material with sandpaper of good quality that is not too coarse. This brushing tends to lift the fiber of the nap and thus remove the shine. However, on worn garments, the shine is removed only for a time, and, to be effective, the operation must be repeated frequently. Such treatment as this will eventually cause the threads of the material to break and the garment to wear thin; nevertheless, it is a quick, easy way in which to keep off shine, especially if garments cannot be sponged and pressed conveniently.
28. Another method of removing shine temporarily is as follows, although it is suitable only for dark materials: To 1 pint of warm water add 1/4 teacup of vinegar; then, applying the solution evenly on the right side of the garment and using the sponge brush previously mentioned or a fine wire brush, thoroughly brush the garment on the right side. The acid in the vinegar causes every particle of the nap to lift and to curl slightly, thus making the shine appear less prominent. After applying the vinegar solution, brush the shiny places with fine sandpaper; or, if sandpaper is not at hand, use a scrap of wool of the same color as the material undergoing treatment or of a color that will not fade and make streaks on the garment. A woolen sponge cloth of this kind will lift the nap much better than a cotton one; it will dig-tribute the water more evenly, too, and will avoid the formation of lint.
Instead of vinegar water, some persons prefer to use a solution consisting of 1 part of powdered alum dissolved in 15 parts of water. Such a solution may be applied in the same way as the vinegar water, and it will give practically the same results.
29. Steaming Shiny Garments.—Garments that have become shiny should never be pressed; rather, they should be steamed. To steam a shiny garment, put it on the ironing board as in pressing; also, place the press cloth on in the same way, but have it a little damper than for ordinary pressing. Then hold a hot iron very close to the press cloth, but not on it, until the material is steamed thoroughly and every wrinkle is removed. The iron should be held up all the while in order to dry the steamed material so that it will appear as if pressing had been carefully done, although the iron is not pressed to it for an instant. The frequent use of the tailor's brush will aid greatly in sending the steam into the material and in raising the nap and thus removing the shine."
