How to Wrinkle Silk Taffeta Curtains

Use wrinkled silk curtains for a high-end look.

Designers often charge a fortune for wrinkled silk, but it is possible to recreate the look at home, without any specialized equipment. Any silk that has not been pre-washed or pre-shrunk before the curtain was constructed should not be heat-dried, and it is always wise to test any of the below procedures on a small, inconspicuous place on the curtain to make sure the color does not run or fade.

Things You'll Need

• Tub
• Water
• Laundry starch
• Rubber bands
• Pantyhose
• Home perm kit
• Hair dryer or space heater
• Oven

Instructions

Broomstick Method: Easy

1. Fill a tub with water, and add laundry starch. Brands vary, but the starch label will give the proper amount.

2. Immerse the silk fabric, making sure it is soaked through.

3. Remove fabric from water and wring it out.

4. Twist the curtain firmly until it curls up on itself.

5. Secure the twisted silk curtain with rubber bands and let it dry in a cool, well-ventilated place. If the curtain has been pre-shrunk, it can be stuffed into a pantyhose leg and tumbled dry.

6. When dry, untwist and gently tug the fabric until the desired wrinkled effect is achieved.

Perm Method: Permanent

1. Twist the dry curtain tightly, but not so tightly that the solutions don't penetrate to the center. Soak the twisted fabric in the perm activator.

2. Dry with heat for 30 to 40 minutes using a hair dryer or space heater. Rinse in clean water, keeping fabric twisted.

3. Soak twisted curtain with perm neutralizer, using only 2/3 of the bottle. Dry with heat for 30 to 40 minutes, keeping fabric twisted. Allow the fabric to cool.

4. Untwist the fabric, and apply the rest of the perm neutralizer. Dry with heat for 10 minutes. Allow it to cool.

5. Rinse the curtain again in clean water, then re-twist. Place it in a warm oven for 2 hours. Remove it from the oven and allow the curtain to air dry in a cool, well-ventilated place.

6. Untwist the curtain, and gently tug to achieve the desired effect.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use heat with silks that have not been pre-shrunk.

• Do not dry perm-solution-soaked curtains in the clothes dryer.

References

• Fabrics.net
• Padawan's Guide
• LOTR Costume