Help me get a permanent wrinkle out of a sweater

March 22, 2015 9:15 AM

I have a great (100% cotton) sweater that has developed a deep, seemingly permanent crease in the ribbing at the hem (as if it got partially flipped up and set with an iron). I cannot get this thing out. I've washed it, I've tried spraying it with water and smoothing it out and letting it air-dry, I've tried to steam it out with an iron. Does anyone have any other ideas?
posted by elizeh to Home & Garden (8 answers total)

Have you tried flipping it opposite and reverse ironing the wrinkle?
posted by phunniemee at 9:31 AM on March 22, 2015 [1 favorite]

Soak it in water. Roll it in a towel to get rid of excess water. Pin it on a piece of foam core board covered with a towel to dry.
posted by sockermom at 9:45 AM on March 22, 2015 [1 favorite]

Is it all the way around the ribbing, uniformly? Stockinette stitch has a tendency to "curl" upwards, while ribbing does not, so this might just be an artifact of the physical structure of the fabric. If it's 100% cotton, I'd try getting it soaking wet and then ironing it dry -- if that doesn't work then it's probably what i mentioned above.
posted by KathrynT at 11:54 AM on March 22, 2015 [1 favorite]

Try a pressing cloth.. Take a piece of soft finer cotton, like a handkerchief, wet thoroughly with water from the faucet and then wring it out. With your iron on the cotton setting, lay the cloth over the wrinkle and press away. Move the cloth so the wrinkle is again covered with wet, press away. You can lean on the iron, so to speak, so steam and pressure are doing their thing. Repeat as necessary. Hope it works!
posted by Lornalulu at 12:00 PM on March 22, 2015

This method, with vinegar and water and a paper bag, has been talked about in the sewing circles.
posted by umwhat at 12:56 PM on March 22, 2015 [2 favorites]

I've had luck taking something like this to a dry cleaner to press out a permanent-seeming wrinkle.
posted by ersatzkat at 1:14 PM on March 22, 2015

When I was an industrial seamstress, we used vinegar soaked & wrung-out clean cloth. Place it on top of the crease & press using lots of steam & the highest temp the fabric can take. Turn garment inside out is always best too.
posted by RichardHenryYarbo at 1:40 PM on March 22, 2015

Maybe some iron-on material - stiff interfacing or patching - would hold it straight. If the sweater's thin, it may affect the drape of the fabric though.
posted by lizbunny at 2:58 PM on March 23, 2015