Canvassed suit drenched

Originally Posted by Lowndes

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Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

Since you said sounds like I assume you've not done this. I have or I wouldn't have recommended it. But there are many ways to rectify the problem. Mine is just one. Did I mention I love the rain?

Do not clean the suit first - the problem is given by the fact that the canvas was drenched, not the fabric. A well made chest piece on a suit is the result of various manipulations, including shrinkage, so that only a good tailor will know what to do. If you feel that there was also some dirt from the rain, go for a sponge and press. FYI only a tailor will press correctly a suit (lesson from my late grandfather and his (also my first) late tailor).

Originally Posted by koolhistorian

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FYI only a tailor will press correctly a suit (lesson from my late grandfather and his (also my first) late tailor).

Yes, but that presumes I, or you, or anyone here knows zip about ironing. I don't know all the stuff a real mechanic knows, but I can change the oil as well as he. Ditto with the suit pressing thing. No disrespect to your late grandfather. (BTW, is he dead or just tardy?)

Originally Posted by Martin Stall

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In the end, rain is just water, you know.

Not if you live in L.A.

Originally Posted by Peak and Pine

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Yes, but that presumes I, or you, or anyone here knows zip about ironing. I don't know all the stuff a real mechanic knows, but I can change the oil as well as he. Ditto with the suit pressing thing. No disrespect to your late grandfather. (BTW, is he dead or just tardy?)

Dead, unfortunately. But reshaping a suit (I assume that is the result of drenched) is more like changing the cam belt rather than the oil., jut to keep the analogy with the car - theoretically I know how it's done, I just let the mechanic to do it (as well as the oil change). Ironing is not "touching up" suit, is really a part in which you put back into shape the inner parts (canvas and shoulder) of the suit - it involves some artisan knowledge that is better to be left to those who have it.

+1 for Parkway Cleaners.

I started using them over 15 yrs ago and they are the best! They are not your typical neighborhood dry cleaner. They know more about caring for fine, high-end garments than most (staff members with specialty backgrounds in textiles, etc). And this is one cleaners where you don't have to explain how special each garment is as you nervously hand them across the counter. The folks who work there actually know the difference from one label to another.

Pricey sure....But your garment will come back as nice or nicer than when you left it, assuming there's no permanent stain or unrepairable tear. Even in those instances I've known them to do the seemingly impossible. They've successfully removed ink stains out of expensive trousers for me. And once, many years ago, I brought in a $1000+ Versace shirt, black with white, scalloped inlays. I had gotten a nasty wine stain in one of the white inlays. Parkway took the shirt apart so that they could treat the cotton inlay without messing with the rest of the black shirt...and then they put the shirt back together. Amazing!

Removing special/rare buttons from a shirt prior to cleaning and then sewing them back on afterwards is typical fare. And when they've finished cleaning your jacket, expensive shirt, coat, etc. you'll love the way they "stuff" the inside so that it won't get wrinkled on the way home. There's an overwhelming sense that it's been handled by people who know and care.

Can't say enough good things about them.

Dennis

The Parkway Cleaners that Osprey is recommending sounds like a top-notch place (tho I'm equally impressed that he owns a $1,000 shirt), but still, what has happened to Louche is not wildly uncommon; he got caught in a down pour in a suit. I think Gene Kelley once had that happen and he danced and sang his way through his mishap. Why not just let it dry on a good solid hanger first and see what happens. No one here seems too receptive to my idea of ironing and steaming the thing back into shape. Okay. Would I be adding crazy on crazy if I told you that I've also washed a couple of suits in warm sudsy water and they came out just fine? Probably.

Originally Posted by Peak and Pine

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The Parkway Cleaners that Osprey is recommending sounds like a top-notch place (tho I'm equally impressed that he owns a $1,000 shirt), but still, what has happened to Louche is not wildly uncommon; he got caught in a down pour in a suit. I think Gene Kelley once had that happen and he danced and sang his way through his mishap.

Why not just let it dry on a good solid hanger first and see what happens. No one here seems too receptive to my idea of ironing and steaming the thing back into shape. Okay. Would I be adding crazy on crazy if I told you that I've also washed a couple of suits in warm sudsy water and they came out just fine? Probably.

Its not so much that people don't believe it can work, but if you've spent money and effort gathering good clothes most people aren't blasà enough to have at it with a steam iron.

Maybe you've got balls like watermelons, or you've got money to burn, but I for one would rather a pro try and fix an issue than DIY it based on an internet forum.

UPDATE

Got the suit back from my (respectable) cleaner the other day. It looks fine other than a funny portion on the inside of each quarter, below the bottom button/hole where the edge of the fabric with pick stitch didn't press correctly. I took it to a local bespoke tailor to see if he would press this out and he said that it appears the canvas may have shrunk a touch, that pressing wouldn't correct this. He has it now and will be opening it up to see what can be done. I hope it turns out OK.

what happens when a FUSED suit get drenched then?
does the glue come apart?

Originally Posted by junior varsity

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what happens when a FUSED suit get drenched then?
does the glue come apart?

pretty much, among other things.

Originally Posted by Viral

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pretty much, among other things.

so you cant go to a tailor and get it taken apart and restitched back with real lining?

Originally Posted by junior varsity

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so you cant go to a tailor and get it taken apart and restitched back with real lining?

I don't think removing fusible is quite that easy. If it's not been attached well it can bubble, but it will still not just peel off without possibly damaging the fabric.

Originally Posted by Viral

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pretty much, among other things.

Unless the interlining is made of paper, I would not think so. The fusing is not water soluble. I mean, every decent quality jacket with some fusing inside can even take a number of dry cleanings without de-laminating.

Yours,
Mr. Tweed

Originally Posted by Sanguis Mortuum

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I don't think removing fusible is quite that easy. If it's not been attached well it can bubble, but it will still not just peel off without possibly damaging the fabric.

I machine washed a fused suit jacket once (for Second Life for a Suit), normal program 40 degrees Celsius. It was as fused after as it was before.