Fusible backing/hem tape or whatever

[Dragonfly]

Okay....
So I have this beautiful brocade dress that was ruined by ironing on some double-sided hem tape or something liek that on to it so I could attach backing for some antique lace that was sewn on later...
My mom through a hissy fit, made me take it off because the antique lace was from her grandmother's wedding dress (brocade dress was MY wedding dress) and she was pissed iwas being frivolous and wearing it to the Ren Faire. Looong story.
So...because I had to rip the BEAUTIFUL trim off my dress, there's these long strips of stuff down the front of the gown.
I now have in my hands some beautiful accent ribbon, and some more iron-on hem tape or whatever it's called and I am going to attempt to cover the mess up by ironing over it and putting the ribbon down.
Now...obviously, this creates a few concerns.
1.) Isn't there a way to just get the stuff OFF the dress so I can wear it before I do all this?
2.) Is the older tape going to burn when I try to iron the new stuff on.
3.) Is oit going to be a goopy mess under the ribbon when I'm done?
4.) What happens if the ribbon comes loose from THAT? Then I have twice as many strips of iron-on tape stuck down the front of my beautiful dress!! Any ideas on how to be sure that doesn't happen?

You're talking to a girl who is happy she's figured out how to sew a square pillow so it's actually SqUARE...so...tell me the answer slowly and like i"m in 2nd grade, please!

[Rhia]

Hopefully someone else has better news for you - but to my knowledge there's really no way to get hem tape off anything - the older it is, the worse it is.

You can reheat it and unstick things, but the adhesive stuff is there for life.... I'd hate to experiment with brocade either...

I'd probably use pins or just fingers to hold the new trim in place and sew it down , but I wouldnt risk even more hem tape.

sorry

[Ysobelle]

Sew it. Don't iron it on again. Hand-stitch if you have to, but sew the new stuff on.


You'll be much happier in the long run.

[Katy Didde]

I found this information on the Prym website:

If I have incorrectly placed it, how do I remove it?
Stitch Witchery is designed as a permanent bond but you can attempt to remove any unwanted residue by following these steps:

Heat iron on a dry cotton setting or as hot as your fabric will allow.
Place a scrap piece of a cotton terry towel over the residue.
Reheat the area with the iron for about 10 seconds.
Immediately pull away the heated scrap - the reheated residue should pull away from the fabric and adhere to the scrap.
Repeat this process until the residue has been completely removed. Be sure to use a clean area of the scrap fabric each time.

Now, before trying their method (which I have used, and it works pretty well), use a seam ripper to scratch off any stuff that's still white and hard. Better to get it off before it's been remelted into the fibers of your fabric.
The towel ironing method, done slowly and carefully, should allow you to get the worst of the residue off.
If your brocade is wettable, you can dab it carefully with Goo-Gone on a white cotton cloth to remove any little bits that are left over. (test this on an inside seam to make sure it's not going to melt your fabric or leave a ring when it dries!)

If you still need to put new trim on, SEW IT, as Ysobelle has suggested. Even somebody who can't make a square corner will be able to whipstitch lace onto fabric satisfactorily, since the lace is going to hide most of your stitching anyway.

good luck.

[Jeannie Fitzgerald]

If your brocade is wettable, you can dab it carefully with Goo-Gone on a white cotton cloth to remove any little bits that are left over. (test this on an inside seam to make sure it's not going to melt your fabric or leave a ring when it dries!)

You can help avoid leaving a ring by gently drying the area with a blow type hair dryer.

[Dragonfly]

Thank you ladies! I'll be all gussied up and pretty again in no time! :D
Mostly...I want that crap off the front! Trims can be interchanged...that junk though...*sigh* So thank you for suggesting how to get rid of it!!!!