Lame & Metallics

Your Beginners Guide To Lame Fabric

Lame fabric is an option not everyone is familiar with. However, lame is quite an intricate choice that can deliver interesting results for crafting projects. If you are new to lame fabric and would like to discover this material, be sure to read on.

What Is Lame Fabric?

A lame fabric is a unique type of fabric, which can be either woven or knit. The unique property of lame fabric is that manufacturers use metallic fabric fibres in thin ribbons, creating the unique look and feel of the final fabric.

Lame fabric can be made with a number of metallic fibres, this includes silver and gold. While gold and silver and the most common, there are some copper options available these days too.

Is Ironing Suitable For Lame Fabric?

Spotlight does not recommend ironing lame fabric, this because the heat of your iron could actually destroy or melt the metallic fibres intertwined in the material. Therefore, you should also keep lame away from other sources of heat such as sunlight and warm washing machine cycles.

Of course, there can be instances where a lame fabric needs to be straightened because of wrinkles or creases. To straighten out wrinkles, you must determine which is the wrong side of the fabric. Then, place an iron on the lowest setting possible and iron the wrong side of the fabric to straighten it out. To avoid the heat from melting metallic fibres, you should also use a pressing cloth between the iron and the lame fabric.

Where Did Lame Come From?

The use of metallic fibres can be traced back all the way to the twelfth century. Metallic fibres were used across the world and were definitely popular with the upper classes.

Of course, lame in the olden days was not affordable for the lower classes. Since the material contained precious metals, only the elite could afford such wonderful garments. So, anyone who owned garments with some metallic fibres immediately radiated they were of upper class and living a life of luxury.

How To Sew With Lame?

While you might believe that lame is more difficult to work with, the fabric is actually quite similar to working with satin. However, the only exception is that lame does not unravel, which means it is a little easier to work with than lame.

When it comes to sewing with lame, there are different types available and some can be more difficult to handle. If you are unsure, check the skill level of your crafting pattern to ensure you have the right fabric for your particular skill level.

How Is Lame Fabric Cleaned?

Lame is one of those fabrics that should never be placed in a washing machine or in hot water. As explained earlier, lame fabric contains metallic fibres that are susceptible to heat.

Spotlight recommends simply rinsing your lame fabric with clean water from time to time, this will remove any salt deposits that can accumulate on the material over time. If you wish to clean the material as well, use a mixture of a mild detergent with a little bit of ammonia and water. Please note not to add too much ammonia, as this can damage the material. Also, use gloves when washing the material in your chosen mixture.

How To Clean Vintage Lame Fabric?

As you may have noticed from the previous section, lame fabric can be rather delicate and can get damaged if washed incorrectly. If you have a vintage fabric that needs to be cleaned, then it is best to leave this to a professional. Ideally, you need someone with experience in cleaning vintage lame fabrics, as incorrect handling could cause irreparable damage to the material.

While it may cost a little more than your average home cleaning solution, getting lame vintage fabric cleaned professional does come with additional benefits. In fact, lame fabrics that are professionally cleaned look much brighter. So, it can solve issues such as yellowing and other issues associated with older fabrics.

The Lame Fabric Collect At Spotlight

When it comes down to lame fabrics, you will find countless possibilities at Spotlight. The lame fabric collection is also one of the most affordable around, perfect for crafters who expect premium quality but at a lower price.

Of course, Spotlight's range of lame fabrics comes in all sorts of colours and patterns. Our lame fabrics are also made from different kinds of fabric fibres, ranging from polyester and nylon. Check out the collection today and benefit from our low prices on lame fabrics.