Monday, November 12, 2007

About Welt Cord

In your DVD, "So you want to make a slip cover", (1 of 3 that I bought awhile which was very much worth the cost), you say that you use 'cellulose' cord to make your welt cord.

You said this doesn't shrink like cotton will when the slip cover is washed.

Is 'cellulose' cord the same as 'tissue cord'?

I have been using the tissue cord and recently heard from two sources that tissue cord is never to be washed.

Thank you for any help.

Gene Janney Fabric Elegance, LLC

3 comments:

K from WA said...

Ha and who were your sources?

I have used cellulouse cord for years, as well as the polyester cord.

And your sources were?

Let me know, then I can try to explain their answers..

always
Karen

Anonymous said...

Good morning and thank you for your reply.

So 'tissue' filled welt cord is the same as 'cellulose' welt cord, correct?

I buy my tissue filled welt cord from Sunshine Foam here in Cincinnati.

I don't remember the person from the first reference. It was a video on brightcove.tv. That site says it is underconstruction this morning and I did not bookmark the home page web site. A lady introduced an upholsterer who showed how to reupholster a dining room chair seat. He said tissue welt cord cannot get wet. If that site comes back up I'll send you the url.

Earlier this week I was buying more tissue welt cord from Sunshine Foam and the lady there happened to mention that tissue welt cord 'unravels' when it gets wet. She said that's what others have told her. She also said cotton welt cord would not shrink when washed. So, I don't think she was talking from personal experience.

Both comments obviously caught my attention.

I do furniture upholstery, custom fit slipcovers, and cornice boards. I have been telling customers that I use tissue welt cord in slipcovers because it doesn't shrink when it gets wet.

Thank you again.

Gene Janney

K from WA said...

For years I used cellulose welt cord, which has a tissue type material on the inside of a mesh webing which covers it.

If you wash or put this welt cord in water not inside continuous bias it will may fall apart. So you would not want this to get wet. I personally would not guarantee a product if I did not test it. I know that when I use celluouse welt cord inside of continuous bias, the cord inside when washed on a slipcover does not shrink. I would however suggest you test your welt cord, as it could be different from what I use.

As for cotton, I have seen it shrink. I have had it shrink when customers wash their products. The weltcord shrinks inside the the continuous bias, thus the finished weltcord has that puckers look, not smooth. If the welt cord is polyester then it most likely will not shrink, but cotton? If you use cotton, I suggest you test this product also.

Welt cord is seems to be a continually changing items these days. There is no control over this product. My recommendation is for professionals to know and understand the products they are working with by testing and usind the product.

Hope this helps
always
Karen Erickson
www.slipcovernetwork.com