As a beginner,you need the ultimate guide on the right fabric to buy for your sewing project.
When you first walk into a fabric store as a beginner,the first reaction is confusion. If that happened to you,not to worry.
You are not alone.
It happened to me too.
That was because I had absolutly no idea how to buy the right fabrics.
I did not know that there were fabrics that were best for certain sewing projects.
This blog post will walk you through different kinds of fabric.
This will ultimately guide you on what fabric to buy for your sewing project. Hopefully the next time you walk into a fabric store,you will be more confident.
WHAT EXACTLY IS A FABRIC.
You probable might not want to go through all this .The reason I want to start here,is because people use fabric and textiles interchangeable.
Most times we think they mean the same thing.I used to think they mean the same thing.
They don’t.
According to Wikipedia ,there are subtle differences in these terms.
A textile is any material made of the interlacing fibres, including carpeting and geotextiles,
A fabric is a material made through weaving, knitting, spreading, felting, stitching, crocheting or bonding.
That may be used in the production of further products, such as clothing and upholstery, thus requiring a further step of the production.
Now that we have got that out of the way,lets find out ;
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF FABRIC.
There are different types of fabric for different sewing projects.
Fabrics can be grouped into 6 major types.Under each type of fabric are subtypes that are particularly good for different kinds of dress making.
WOVEN FABRICS
These are medium weight fabrics.They are generally quite easy to handle.
Because of this characteristics, they are my best recommendation for the beginner.
I know of seven types of fabric that can be classified as woven fabrics.
For each of the fabrics ,I will state how they can be used .
And the best sewing project to use them for.
1.COTTONS.RIGHT FABRIC TO BUY FOR CHILDRENS CLOTHS
These are made from natural cotton.
These fabric has a tendency to shrink.
As a result of this,it is best to preshrink it before using it for your sewing project. You can either wash the fabric or press it with a steam iron.
When cutting cotton fabric for your sewing projects always got on the grain line. This will stabilize your fabric.
2.CALICO COTTON
This is a lightweight fabric that lauders very well as a result it can be used for children’s wear and any kind of casual wear.
3.CHINO FABRIC
if you want to sew work cloths,slacks or pants chino fabric is your best choice.
This is because it is a medium weight cotton with a slight Sheen.
This particular fabric is prone to wrinkles and so get ready to do a lot of ironing when you’re using this for your sewing projects It can also be used for casual male or female top and trouser.
4.COTTON BATISTE FABRIC
This is a lightweight fabric but also substantial enough to support machine or hand embroidery.
This makes this fabric suitable for
handkerchiefs ,blouses and childrens wear.
5.DUPION SILK FABRICS
Also known as dupioni silk. Planning to get married or you know of somebody that wants to sew a wedding gown? Then this fabric is one of the best fabrics for bridal gowns.
It has a wonderful luxurious feel.
Dupion silk is a heavy weight silk made from weft threads Spun from two cocoons which produces irregular horizontal slubs.
6.HABOTAI SILK(CHINA SILK)
when you are through with drafting your suit patterns ,the next step is to sew your suit or blazer.
This is where China silk comes in.
This China silk is what is normally used to line coats, jackets and blazers.This variety of silk is inexpensive lightweight and glossy .
It can also be used to make gorgeous lightweight scarves .
7.SILK ORGANZA
This sheer silk fabric has a fine weight and sometimes quite difficult to handle. It is made up of highly twisted threads that make it very strong ,crisp and with a Sheen. Silk organza is the best solution for making bridal veils.
It can also be used to make formal gowns and other kinds of formal wears.
It could also be ideal as an underlining as it is both thin and strong.
Those are the 7 types of fabrics that are grouped as woven fabrics
WOOL FABRIC
Wool fabric is got from the fleece of sheep .
Sometimes it could be pure 100% wool or sometimes it can be combined with other fabrics .
The most fabric that is combined with wool is normally silk.
Wool fabrics vary ernomously depending on the breed from which the fabrics come. Because of this variety it can be used to make pants ,sweater ,coats and blazers. What you use wool fabric for, depends on the percentage combination of the wool with other fabrics.
This blog post contains affiliate links, which when you click and purchase a product will earn me a commission at no cost to you.Please note that I have worked with this products and that is why I recommend them to you.I have found them to be quite useful in my sewing projects
Woven wool textures tend to have a lot of buik making them good to retain body heat. It is also good to know that wool fabric is naturally stain and wrinkle resistant.
There are 5 different groups of fabrics that can be classified as wool fabrics.They include
1.WOVEN WOOL FABRICS
This is a soft and warm fabric.
It is usually ideal for winter coats and jackets.The lightweight woolen form is ideal for tailored suits and pants
2.WORSTED WOOL.
This fabric is quite expensive but however with a distinctive smooth surface.This particular fabric is best for pattern styles that require a lot of draping.
CAMEL HAIR FABRIC
This is a very soft luxurious fabric that is ideal for making overcoats.This fabric is a combination of natural hair fibers from the camels soft inner coat with wool.
WOOL TARTAN FABRIC
According to Wikipedia,”Tartan is a patterned cloth consisting of criss-crossed, horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Scottish tartans usually represent a clan whilst Irish tartans usually represent the county or region where a clan originated. Wikipedia
Wool tartan is a great choice for stylish suites ,dresses,and pleated skirts.
CASHMERE
This particular fabric is made from a blend of fine undercoat hairs of the kashmere Goat.
It can be used for sweaters and other knitwear.
Woven cashmere is ideal for coats and jackets
Those are the five types of wool fabrics I can think of.
If you know of any other one ,feel free to comment in the comment box below.
Another very important fabric to be aware of is the knit fabrics
KNIT FABRIC
knit fabrics are made from natural cotton or synthetic or various blend of this three.
Knit fabrics are normally constructed with Loops. Unlike woven fabrics which are constructed with warp and weft threads being woven together.
Doing a stretch test can either confirm whether a fabric is knit or woven.There are five types of fabric that I know of that can be grouped as knit fabrics.
1.TRICOT FABRIC
You know those sexy looking lingerie that cost a arm and a leg online?
Well news flash 📸😉
You can make them yourself using tricot fabric. Tricot can be defined as a soft smooth fabric with very great draping ability.
Tricot is a very delicate warp-knit fabric usually of nylon. The stretch is usually crosswise with no vertical stretch.
2.SWEATSUIT FABRIC ,RIGHT FABRIC TO BUY FOR SPORTS CLOTH.
Love going to the gym?
This is the best fabrics for your sports clothes.
If your sewing projects involves making fitting or loose fitting garments, this fabric is the answer.
Sweatshirt fabric is normally heavy weight. It is also warm and comfortable to wear with a great deal of stretch.
3.DOUBLE KNIT FABRIC
These fabric has moderate stretch. It is available in cotton blend, wool and other fibers. It is referred to as double knit because the weave is the same on both sides.
Double knit fabrics are either light or medium weight. The medium weight double knits are best used for pants and jackets. The lightweight on the other hand are best for dresses. This is because they can hold their shape and also drape very well.
4.INTERLOCK KNIT FABRIC.
I love 💘t-shirts.
This is the wonderful fabric I use to make them.
If you want to make t -shirts for your self or sew and sell them this fabric is best for such a sewing project.
Interlock knit fabric can also be used for casual outerwear and underwear .
This is because it is a fine stable single knit fabric normally manufactured in cotton or cotton polyester blend .
5.SPANDEX FABRIC,BEST FABRIC TO BUY FOR SWIMSUIT
Have you ever tried sewing a swimming suit .
Well I have never tried it.
If you want to make a swimmsuit in your next sewing projects ,this fabric is most suitable for it.
Spandex is highly stretchable. It is not normally used by it self most times it is blended with other knitted fibre in order to promote comfort and stretch.
Even though spandex is not as delicate as tricot fabric it can also be used to make lingerie.
The next fabric we will be looking at are pure animal sourced fabric.
ANIMAL FABRIC
This fabrics have their origin from animal skin.There are three major kinds of fabric that can be grouped as animal fabrics.
1.FAUX FUR
Faux fur is a specialy produced fabric that looks like the real animal fur .There is a lot of expertise involved in producing this fabric. As a result, it is most times not easy to distinguish it from the real fur.
Although it can be used to make jackets and coats, it requires special sewing techniques.
I have not really sewn with this fabric before.
If you have any experience with faux fur fabric, I will really love to hear about.
2.FAUX SUEDE FABRIC.RIGHT FABRIC TO BUY FOR BLAZERS
If you have experience in handling genuine leather suede,then you can work with faux suede.
This fabric is an imitation of genuine leather suede.
Faux suede is ideal for tailored blazers and jackets.
The fabric is both washable and durable.
3.LEATHER FABRIC .RIGHT FABRIC TO BUY FOR JACKETS
This fabric is made from animal skin or hides . They come in different grades.
I have used leather for making handmade bags and even to make some shoes I wear around the house.
Full grain leather is now available in different fashion colours. Leather can also be used to sew jacket and skirts.wallets and purses.
Remember that leather requires special techniques when handling it.
apart from all these fabrics I have listed above there some other kinds of fabrics that I will call special fabrics
SPECIAL FABRICS
These are fabrics constructed from varieties of fibers in a variety of ways.
Special fabrics are normally used for special occasions wear sewing projects.
These kinds of fabric are usually expensive and luxurious .
Lets look at a few special fabric.
1.CHIFFON FABRIC
Chiffon fabric are wonderful and very beautiful.
They are unfortunately very difficult to handle.
The hems of chiffon evening dresses are best sewn by hand.
This ultra light fabric is produced from silk threads.
The cheaper versions of chiffon are normally made from polyester .Because This fabric has good draping,it can also be used to make formal and dinner wears.
2.LACE FABRIC .RIGHT FABRIC TO BUY FOR BRIDALS
All kinds of lace materials are absolutely amazing. This fabric can make all kinds of fabric
Ranging from evening to bridal wears,lingerie and even night gowns..
In Africa,Nigeria to be precise,lace materials are the right fabric to buy to make buba and wrapper. Or blouse tops and long elegant skirts.
A typical lace fabric is made from synthetic fibers , cotton or silk threads.Some however are also made from embroidered threads or cords on a net back ground.
Lace on the other hand,is used on the edges of garments for trimming..
3.SATIN FABRIC
Right fabric to buy for bridal dress
Black satin
poly cotton satin fabric
If you are looking to go for an important evening occasion,this is the right fabric to buy.
Satin is woven in cotton, silk and synthetic fibers with a shiny surface
Most brides and bridesmaids look heavenly in satin.
The expensive heavyweight duchess satin can also be used for formal evening wears.
4.TAFFETA.
Taffeta is one of those rare fabrics you cannot wash at home.
It is usually dry cleaned only.
This fabric is a silk crisp fabric produced from polyester and acetate.
Because of its crisp nature,it is famous for the rustling sound it makes when you wear it.
Although taffeta can be used for adult wears,it is the right fabric to buy for children’s fancy dress parties.
5.TULLE
Right fabric to buy for baby shower
tulle for wedding and decorations
right fabric to buy for skirts and other craft decorations
This is a support fabric.It is made up of a fine net or nylon with a stiff feel.
The stiff underskirt to support bridal gowns is made from Tulle .It can also be used for wedding dresses and baby birthday shower.
6.VELVET FABRIC.
stretch velvet
gold velvet fabric
Royal velvet plum fabric
This is another special fabric from cotton, rayon and synthetic fibers.
Velvet is a type of woven tufte fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed, with a short dense pile, giving it a distinctive soft feel.
By extension, the word velvety means “smooth like velvet”. Velvet are made from either natural or synthetic fibers. Wikipedia
The fabric reflects rays of light cast on the slant of the pile in varying shades of colour .
Extra care must be taken when using this fabric for a sewing project.
Always lay all your pattern pieces in the same direction.
This is so that the end garments will have a uniform colour.
Special pressing techniques are also needed for this fabric.That is it about the different kinds of fabric that you can use for your sewing projects.
For a perfect finish to your sewing project, however,you will need some specially created materials.
These are internal fabrics that are normally not visible on the outside.They are normally designed for the internal construction of clothing.
INTERNAL FABRICS
As I said earlier these are fabrics that are used to stabilise sewing projects.
These can be divided into
INTERFACING
There are different kinds of interfacing.They are normally used to line and support the shape of garments.They can however be grouped into three kinds
Fusible interfacing either woven or bounded are available in various weights.
The particular one to use is dependent on your fabric and or your sewing project.
Fusible fabric are best used to shape necklines and collars. for instance,I sometimes use fusible fabric when making my blazers.
STABILIZERS.RIGHT FABRIC TO BUY FOR SUPPORT
There are a wide variety of stabilizers available in the market today. Most importantly,Stabilizers for fabric are used to support fabrics in order to carry out embriodery projects.There are ,essentially three different types of stabilizers in the market today.
1.Cut away normally used for embriodery work.
3.Wash away.
These are all available in varying weights.The particular one you choose depends on your sewing project and the fabric you use
HERE IS A DRESS PATTERN DESIGN EBOOK JUST FOR YOU
CONCLUSION
Thats my ultimate guide to buy the right fabric for your sewing project.
I hope it will help you the next time you want to start any sewing project.
If there is any fabric I have not mensioned,please comment below,
Thank you for reading the blog post.
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