By Sew to Speak Staff
Diving into the world of garment sewing is an exciting milestone for any maker. You might feel a wave of inspiration when scrolling through beautiful handmade wardrobes online. To keep your excitement flowing, choosing the right fabric for garments is critical, and to your sewing success.
It also guarantees that your final project looks exactly like the vision you have in your head. Picking the correct material is just as vital as selecting the perfect sewing pattern. The exact same pattern will look, feel, and fit completely differently depending on the substrate you use.
Fabric choice directly affects the fit, drape, comfort, and longevity of your handmade garments. By mastering a few basic concepts, you will give yourself a massive head start on your garment sewing journey. Here are the four key items you need to look for when planning your next project.
1. Woven vs. Knit: Choosing the Right Fabric for Garments
When you purchase a sewing pattern, the designer will clearly indicate whether the pattern requires a woven or a knit fabric. You must match your material choice to the designer’s recommendation. This ensures your final garment functions properly and looks like the beautiful sample inspo photos you have on your Pinterest board.
Woven fabrics are sturdy, whereas knit fabrics have a comfortable stretch. Choosing the right fabric for garments depends on the look and feel you want each piece to have.
Woven Fabrics
Woven fabrics offer a distinct structure. They feature little to no stretch and hold their intended shape exceptionally well. Manufacturers create these fabrics by weaving threads over and under each other on a loom. A few popular examples include linen, denim, cotton lawn, and rayon challis.
Because they lack stretch, woven fabrics are ideal for tailored or structured garments. You will typically use wovens for button-down shirts, fitted dresses, trousers, structured skirts, and jackets. Learning how these fabrics behave will help you dial in the best choice for your specific pattern.
Knit Fabrics
Knit fabrics are stretchy, incredibly comfortable, and breathable. Instead of a grid-like weave, machines create knits using interlocking loops of yarn. This looped construction gives the material its signature stretch and wrinkle resistance. Common varieties include jersey, French terry, interlock, and rib knit.
Knit fabrics are fantastic for T-shirts, loungewear, cozy sweaters, and form-fitting clothing. When shopping, always check the stretch percentage of your fabric to ensure it matches the pattern's requirements. If you want to dive deeper into this stretchy substrate, check out our tips for sewing knit fabric.
2. Determining Silhouette: Structured vs. Fluid Drape
The drape of a fabric describes how the material hangs and moves when placed on the human body. The absolute easiest way to gauge a fabric’s drape is to unroll a bit of the bolt, hold it up, and let it hang from your hand. Observe how it falls and moves.
Should your garment’s fabric be crisp and rigid, or fluid and flowy? Consider the level of drapery or movement you envision for your piece when choosing the right fabric for garments.
Structured Drape
A more structured fabric features less drape and holds its shape away from the body. Substrates with a crisp drape include canvas, denim, twill, and crisp cotton poplin. These rigid fabrics are absolutely perfect for structured garments. They excel when used for tailored jackets, A-line skirts, and heavily detailed architectural pieces.
Fluid Drape
A fabric with a fluid drape falls smoothly and clings closer to the body. Beautiful examples of drapey fabrics include rayon, silk, and cotton voile. These pliable fabrics are perfect for flowy, romantic garments. You will love using them for loose blouses, wide-leg pants, and softly gathered dresses or skirts.
3. Understanding Fabric Weight Categories
Fabric weight provides another excellent metric for choosing the right fabric for garments. Manufacturers usually list the weight on the fabric bolt label. You will see this measured in GSM (grams per square meter) or ounces per square yard (oz/yd2).
Sewing patterns generally split fabric recommendations into three main weight categories: lightweight, midweight, and heavyweight, depending on the fabric’s GSM or oz/yd2.
Lightweight Fabrics (2-4 oz / 100-200 GSM)
Lightweight fabrics feel airy, delicate, and often slightly sheer. They breathe exceptionally well, making them ideal for warm weather. These fabrics are great for summer blouses, delicate dresses, and sheer overlays. Common lightweight options include chiffon, voile, organza, and silk habotai.
Midweight Fabrics (4-8 oz / 200-300 GSM)
Midweight fabrics are the workhorses of the garment sewing world. They offer a perfect balance of durability and comfort. These highly versatile fabrics are perfect for everyday shirts, skirts, and trousers. You will frequently encounter midweight options like linen, chambray, and standard quilting cotton.
Heavyweight Fabrics (8-14+ oz / 300-400+ GSM)
Heavyweight fabrics are thick, highly durable, and excellent at trapping heat. They provide exceptional structure and protection from the elements. These sturdy fabrics are ideal for winter jackets, heavy jeans, and utility garments. Typical heavyweight substrates include denim, canvas, corduroy, and wool coating.
4. Considering Fiber Content for Comfort and Care
Fiber content is often a matter of personal preference, but it dramatically impacts how your garment wears and washes. Keep in mind that a single fiber can create fabrics with vastly different weights and drapes. For example, 100% cotton can become a lightweight voile, a midweight quilting cotton, or a heavyweight canvas.
Learning the basic characteristics of different fibers will help you choose exactly what works best for the garments you have in mind. Think about how the fabric will feel when worn, as well as its durability.
Cotton and Linen
Cotton and linen are fantastic natural fibers that breathe beautifully. They press easily with a hot iron, making them an absolute joy to sew. This makes them highly recommended for beginners.
You can find these versatile fibers everywhere, often blended with other materials to adjust their drape or elasticity. Choosing organic options also helps reduce your environmental footprint. You can learn everything you need to know in our guide, all about linen fabric.
Rayon and Blends
Rayon is a semi-synthetic fiber made from wood pulp. Manufacturers process it into many different blends to create incredibly soft, drapey garments. Rayon fabrics feel cool against the skin and mimic the luxurious feel of silk. They can be slightly slippery under the presser foot, so they are often better suited for makers with a bit of sewing experience.
Wool
Wool is a phenomenal natural fiber that excels at temperature regulation. It is brilliant for tailored garments, keeping you incredibly warm while remaining breathable. High-quality wool lasts for generations when cared for properly. It is the absolute perfect choice for that tailored winter coat or cozy sweater you want to stitch up.
Find Your Perfect Fabric at Sew to Speak
Choosing the right fabric for your garment makes the sewing process much smoother and vastly improves the wearability of your finished project. Now that you understand the mechanics of wovens, knits, drape, weight, and fiber content, how do you put this knowledge into practice?
At the beginning of your sewing journey, the absolute best way to learn about fabrics is to feel them in person.
Stop by Sew to Speak and touch a wide variety of substrates. Bring your sewing pattern with you so you have a clear idea of what the designer recommends.
Once you understand the base fabric you need, you can have fun picking out your favorite colors and prints. Our team loves pointing makers in the right direction. We will gladly help you compare the drape, weight, and fiber content of different bolts until you find a perfect match.
About the Author
At Sew to Speak, we are all about collaboration, and this blog post is no different! These words are a group effort with thoughtful input from our team.