KNOW YOUR FABRICS

Know Your Fabrics

     When beginning a sewing project there seems to be confusingly many fabrics for every purpose.  Remember to learn as much as you can about different fibers and their characteristics to help you in choosing which material would be best for your use.  

Learn Your Fibers.  All fabric except plastics and felt are made from spun fibers and woven into material yardage.  The fibers are classified as vegetable, animal and man made.  The number of fibers, the tightness of the twist, the smoothness or roughness, all influence the quality of the material.  

Grain.  Learn to recognize the lengthwise and crosswise grains of the fabrics.  Learn to get a true bias line by folding back a corner at true right angles to the warp and wolf and then cutting the fold.  These directions of fabric threads is called grain.  Proper planning and cutting your fabric affect the hang of the garment.

Fabrics.  Some fabrics after weaving are processed to increase the weight or body of the material, or to prevent shrinkage, give extra crispness, add gloss or to waterproof the fibers.  These special finishes affect the way the material handles, washes and cleans. 

Fabric Care.  Read and follow all care labels.  If you buy your own fabric, make a not of its contents and use only those cleaning agents recommended as safe for it.  Wash or clean all pieces of a matched set together every time for example jacket and trousers or bed linen and matching curtains.  Of course there is an exception, when one piece is a print and the other a print.  

Bleach generally whitens and brightens a washable fabric, but check the label to see whether chlorine or a milder oxygen bleach is recommended.  Permanent-press white fabrics often turn yellow when exposed to chlorine bleach. See our Household Tips for more fabric cleaning tips.