Thread Question on Vintage Dress - all the thread is shattering...

A

AnyDayNow

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Why would that happen? Late 40's/early 50's I Magnin Slubbed Silk Shirt Dress. I was cleaning it and noticed that one of the seams was loose and when I picked it up it just came apart. The dress seems fine but all the seams are disintegrating. Why would this happen?
 
That happens sometimes..I dont knowwhy. Just had an 80's dress start to do that.... (I really hate whenthat happens.

-Chris
 
It's probably silk thread and the dress was perhaps stored somewhere where temperature extremes got to it. If the fabric of the dress seems fine - tug on it to check - then you can just resew the seams with modern thread.
 
The fabric of the dress seems fine. My first thought was that the dress would rip as well so I tugged all over it and nothing. The seams just literaly fell apart. The hem fell down, all the side seams came apart, the seams at the back of the waist the bust darts even came apart. It is like I have a cut out pattern at this point. I'm going to test the fabric on the dress again because if it is silk like the thread it should be falling apart as well.. right? I might have flubbed that burn test and maybe it is a silk blend or even rayon blend.
 
Yes, thread can dry rot if it is stored in poor conditions. It doesn't even have to be silk thread.

Friends often give me spools of old thread, but I rarely use it on new projects because of the danger that it has weakened and won't stand up to the sewing machine or wearing the garment.

Laura
 
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