Cotton: Cotton is a popular fabric choice for summer as it is breathable, lightweight, and easy to care for. It's also a versatile fabric that can be worn in different styles and patterns- from shirts, dresses, shorts, and pants. Cotton can absorb moisture and keep you cool during hot and humid weather. It's available in different quality grades, from affordable to high-end, so you can choose based on your personal preferences and budget.
Linen: Linen is another popular summer fabric choice as it's known for its airy feel and elegant look. It's made from flax fibers and has a unique texture that adds a natural and earthy vibe to your outfit. Although linen wrinkles easily, it is an excellent absorbent of moisture and dries quickly, keeping you cool and comfy. It's ideal for summer dresses, light blouses, and flowy skirts.
Rayon: Rayon is a man-made fiber that's lightweight, soft, and drapes fluidly. It's produced from cellulose or wood pulp, making it an eco-friendly choice. Rayon has a silk-like feel and is available in different colors and prints, making it versatile and perfect for summer outfits. It's comfortable to wear, making it ideal for hot and humid weather.
Polyester: Polyester is a synthetic fabric that has breathable properties and is moisture-wicking, making it perfect for summer outfits. It's commonly used as a blend with other fabrics, such as cotton, to create a material that's both comfortable and durable. Polyester is also wrinkle-resistant and is easy to care for, making it a practical choice for summer clothing.
Chambray: Chambray is a cotton fabric that's similar to denim but has a lighter weight and finer weave. It has a soft and breathable texture, making it ideal for summer outfits. Chambray is perfect for the traditional and stylish summer look, from blouses, dresses, button-down shirts, shorts, and pants. It's also comfortable and versatile, making it perfect for both casual and semi-formal events.
Summer is all about being comfortable and stylish, and choosing the right seasonal fabrics is the key to achieving both. Whether you prefer cotton, linen, rayon, polyester, or chambray, there's a fabric perfect for your summer fashion needs. So, make sure to choose fabrics that are lightweight, breathable, and moisture-wicking to stay cool and comfy all summer long. Remember, summer fashion should be light, airy, and fun, so don't be afraid to play around with bold colors, prints, and patterns to create the perfect summer look!
Test the colour:
Different shades and colours of fabrics can affect the overall look of your project. Hold the fabric up to your skin tone and see if it looks pleasing on you. The fabric should complement your skin tone, hair colour, and eye colour to bring out the best in you. Be sure to test for colorfastness by washing the fabric to see if the colour fades or bleeds.
Read the fabric label:
Before purchasing a fabric, take a moment to read the label to know what you're buying. The label can provide information about its performance, care instructions, and fiber content. Learning about the fabric's content and care instructions can help you determine whether it's worth purchasing or not.
Conclusion:
Choosing the perfect fabric is essential to create a project that is stunning and worth your efforts. Knowing the purpose of your project, understanding your fabric options, considering the pattern or design, testing for color, and reading the fabric label are critical steps to selecting the right fabric for your project. By following these tips, you can create an outcome that is both beautiful and functional. Happy stitching!
Pleating and Folding
Pleating and folding fabric is a classic technique that can create stunning effects. Experiment with different folding patterns, such as accordion folds, box pleats, or origami-inspired designs. These techniques can be used to add dimension to garments, create decorative accents, or even form sculptural elements in textile art.
Ruching and Shirring
Ruching and shirring involve gathering fabric to create texture and visual interest. Ruching creates soft, gathered areas, while shirring creates parallel rows of gathered fabric. These techniques are commonly used in fashion design to add a touch of elegance and flair to dresses, blouses, or sleeves. They can also be applied to home decor projects like pillow covers or curtains.
Smocking
Smocking is a traditional fabric manipulation technique that creates decorative patterns by gathering fabric in a controlled manner. Often used in children's clothing and heirloom sewing, smocking adds a touch of charm and nostalgia to garments. Learn about different smocking stitches like honeycomb, cable, or wave smocking, and explore how they can be combined to create intricate designs.
Appliqué and Embroidery
Appliqué and embroidery offer endless possibilities for adding embellishments to fabrics. Appliqué involves attaching fabric pieces onto a base fabric to create images or patterns. Experiment with different appliqué techniques, such as raw-edge appliqué or needle-turn appliqué, and explore the use of contrasting fabrics to make your designs pop. Additionally, embroidery can be used to add intricate details, texture, and color to fabric surfaces. Discover various embroidery stitches and explore how they can be incorporated into your fabric manipulation projects.
Fabric Manipulation with Heat
Heat can be a powerful tool for fabric manipulation. Techniques such as heat embossing, heat molding, or heat setting can be used to create unique textures, shapes, and patterns on fabric surfaces. Explore the use of heat tools like heat guns, irons, or hot wax to experiment with this dynamic technique and unlock new possibilities.
Here are some fabrics that are commonly used and known to be suitable for fabric manipulation:
Cotton
Cotton is a versatile and widely available fabric that works well for various manipulation techniques. It can be easily pleated, folded, gathered, and smocked. Cotton also holds embroidery and appliqué well.
Silk
Silk is a luxurious and delicate fabric that is often used for fabric manipulation due to its drape and sheen. It can be pleated, ruched, shirred, and manipulated into intricate designs. Silk also takes well to heat manipulation techniques.
Satin
Satin fabric has a smooth and shiny surface, making it ideal for creating elegant fabric manipulations. It can be gathered, pleated, folded, and used for various decorative techniques like appliqué and embroidery.
Organza
Organza is a lightweight and sheer fabric that adds a delicate and ethereal quality to fabric manipulations. It can be used for creating ruffles, pleats, and gathers. Organza also works well for layering and adding texture to projects.
Velvet
Velvet is a plush and rich fabric that creates a luxurious effect when manipulated. It can be gathered, pleated, and used for various sculptural techniques. The texture of velvet adds depth and dimension to fabric manipulations.
Wool
Wool felt is a dense and malleable fabric that is great for sculptural fabric manipulations. It can be easily folded, pleated, and molded into three-dimensional shapes. Wool felt also holds embroidery and appliqué effectively.
Knit
Knit fabric is stretchy and pliable, making it suitable for manipulation techniques that require flexibility. It can be gathered, ruched, twisted, and draped to create interesting textures and designs.
Remember to experiment, take risks, enjoy the process and let your fabric artistry shine!
]]>Lycra has a bit of a reputation as being used for just athletic clothing or swimwear, however with it's stretchy quality it's perfect for creating bodycon dresses, tops and even high waitsted skrits and jumpsuits.
It's perfect for accessories such as headbands or turbans, and since it comes in so many gorgeous colours and prints, it's easy to find the right fabric for whichever garment or accessory you are creating.
Lycra has many practical uses too! You can make fabulous covers for furniture, cloth diaper covers and even lightweight baby wraps and blankets.
If you're feeling particularly creative, you can make something completely unique, from wall hangings, to decorative pillows, there are plenty of ways to add some extra flair with this versatile fabric.
Whether it's a chic dress or a cosy blanket, lycra is one of the most versatile fabrics to work with. So why not get creative and see what you can come up with!
Shop our collection of lycra fabrics by clicking on the link below. We have new arrivals of lycra all the time so keep up to date with our emails!
]]>How is woven fabric made?
Woven fabrics are made using a loom. Threads or yarns are placed and attached together using a warp and weft pattern.
The 'Selvedge' of a plain weave fabric is the woven edge where the threads 'turn the corner'. The Selvedge is usually tighter than the rest of the fabric to protect the edge, so it's recommended to cut your garments a little bit away from the selvedge.
The Warp is the vertical threads and the weft is the threads that are woven across the fabric.
Can Woven Fabric be stretchy?
Typically there is little give or stretch on the warp or weft, but there is a stretchy area on the diagonal called the bias. When cutting on the bias, be careful not the stretch the fabric.
A woven fabric with elastane or spandex will have stretch.
What are the benefits of a Woven Fabric?
Which Fabrics are Woven?
There are many types of woven fabrics such as Cotton, Rayon, Bamboo Rayon, Crepe, Denim, Organza, Georgette, Muslin and Netting.
If you need help choosing a woven fabric, give us a call or come visit us in the warehouse.
]]>1. A great pair of scissors
#1 Rule do not cut anything but fabric with them!
2. A magnetic pin holder
These are so nifty! They make clean up a breeze as they pick up all the pins so quickly.
3. Chalk Pencil
We love using a pencil style chalk to make marks as it's easy to hold and doesn't break if you accidentally drop it
4. Tape Measure
You'll use this ALL the time make sure you've got one
5. Seam Unpicker
Hopefully you won't need this too often, but they are very handy if you make a mistake and need to unpick the thread.
Check out our full range of Haberdashery products here!
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The first thing to note is that all fabrics will have stretch along the bias or diagonal of the fabric, no matter the type.
1 WAY
This will have stretch along either the vertical or horizontal part of the fabric.
2 WAY
This will have stretch along both the vertical and horizontal part of the fabric.
4 WAY
This is the same as a 2 Way, but it just makes reference to the inherit stretch along the bias/diagonal part of the fabric which is part of all fabrics!
So, in conclusion - we refer to fabrics as having 1 or 2 way stretch. If your pattern says 4 way stretch, you need to look for a 2 way fabric.
Here's a little video by Zerrin further explaining this and showing some examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4h49RC9oEU&t=36s
]]>Calico is a popular choice for:
This affordable fabric is easy to sew, can be used with dyes and plant dyes and is a great option for those wanting to screen-print or fabric paint!
Here's some Calico Inspo for you!
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1. Choosing the right fabric
Consider the weight, stretch, opacity and drape that you would like. Each fabric will has different properties, some need layering. Have a look through some clothing inspiration and investigate what fabric is was made out of. Have a look at your fabric description and find out the GSM (weight), whether it has stretch and usually you can see the opacity by the photograph. If you're in person, hold up the fabric so you can see how it falls and drapes, if you're shopping online, kindly ask for a video of the drape if there is no photograph.
2. Prewashing
Each fabric will have different washing instructions. Some will be dry clean only. If you're unsure what to do, just wash a test strip so that you don't ruin your beautiful brand new fabric!
3. Cutting
Use a rotary cutter with a fresh blade along with weights. Do a test run on scrap fabric to get make sure your blade is nice and sharp and you can get a feel for cutting a silky fabric.
4. Pins, Thread and Needles
Use Silk pins and pin on the seam allowance so that holes are not visible on your garment. Use a small, thing needle and make sure it is fresh and sharp. Again, test on a scrap piece of fabric. Use cotton thread. Once it's cut you can baste the fabric to keep it together (make sure again this is in the seam allowance). Using your test piece, pop it through the machine and correct your tension, stitch length and needle quality. If the fabric is prone to fraying (most likely it will be), a popular choice of seam is a French seam.
5. Pressing
Use a pressing cloth, do not apply too much heat or pressure. Once more, use a testing strip and make sure it works with your fabric!
Our new collection of Silky Satin has just landed
]]>Corduroy is a 'cut-pile' fabric, which means the threads are looped and cut.
It features raised ridges that run vertically down the fabric. It looks like a 'cord' .
These come in a range of sizes, from 'baby' corduroy to the regular size.
It's is a soft fabric which has a nap (direction of fibres, run your hand both ways along the fabric and you'll see what we mean!).
What is Corduroy made of?
Generally Corduroy is made from Cotton.
What are some sewing tips for Corduroy?
How to care for Corduroy?
What should I make with Corduroy?
Corduroy is such a versatile fabric, here's some ideas:
Where can I buy Corduroy Fabric?
Shop the full range of Super Cheap Fabrics Corduroy here!
How is pre-pleated fabric made?
A pleat is a repeated fold in fabric, usually pressed into place using heat and pressure and sometimes chemicals.
How do you sew pleated fabric?
Sewing pleated fabric can be a challenge, however the outcome is worth it! The first step is to choose a pattern or design that doesn't feature too many seams and is simplistic. You'll also want to purchase extra fabric as a pleated garment will use much more fabric than a usual piece of fabric.
From there you'll need to lay the fabric flat and cut it so that the pleats are straight and there are no warps. You could even use some painters tape to keep all the pleats in order whilst you cut!
You could also baste the pleats into place to hold them still whilst you sew. When you start to sew, make sure you are sewing in the same direction as the pleats.
What can I make with pleated fabric?
The most popular garments we see are skirts and dresses. However you can create tops, blouses or pants. The fabric can be manipulated into different designs, we've put together some inspiration below!
We've got some gorgeous pleated fabrics featuring an accordion pleat available now online. Just search 'pleated' in the search bar and it'll show up!
Where can I buy Pleated Fabric?
https://supercheapfabrics.com.au/search?q=pleat
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Knitted fabric is constructed from yarn that has been interlinked or interlocked. The size of the stitch will determine how chunky or delicate the fabric is along with the size of the needles and the thickness of the yarn.
What's the difference between a knit and woven fabric?
The knit is constructed with a single yarn which is looped continuously whereas a woven fabric is constructed with multiple yarns which are crossed over at right angles.
Knit fabrics will have stretch as a natural property of the fabric where as for a woven fabric to have stretch, it must incorporate elastane, spandex etc. to have stretch.
So what is Jersey Fabric?
Jersey is the generic word used to describe many types of knit fabrics.
What are the different types of knitted or jersey fabrics?
Interlock Jersey
This is a double-faced knitted fabric, which means it is made from two interconnected rib fabrics. It's plain on both sides and usually a heavier weight.
Single Jersey
This features a plain knit on one side and a purl knit on the reverse.
Sweatshirt Fabric
This features a plain jersey face side and a brushed loop-back reverse which makes it soft and warm.
Rib Fabric
This fabric features a different style of looping which gives it great stretch and recovery. It is commonly used for cuff and waist bands.
ITY Knit
This opaque fabric has been named the 'workhorse' fabric, it's made to be washed and worn many times. It has great elasticity and a soft touch. This medium weight fabric is the perfect weight for tops, dresses skirts and loose pants.
Where can I buy Knit and Jersey Fabrics?
How do I know how much stretch a knit has?
Use a stretch percentage ruler, this will indicate the stretch length and give you an idea of how much the fabric will stretch. If you're buying from Super Cheap Fabrics and it's not listed you can send us a message.
What can I make with Knitted or Jersey Fabrics?
You can sew a range of clothing, most common are long sleeve tops, jumpers, cardigans and dresses. There are also summer knits which are a lighter weight, breathable type of knit which is suitable for warm weather. Here are some sewing patterns and inspirational images to help!
How do I sew with Knit and Jersey Fabric?
When looking for fabric to use for embroidery, the best type is one that is a medium weight, tightly woven and has a lovely even surface. Some commonly used fabrics include Cotton, Canvas, Linen, Denim and Rayon. Fabrics that have stretch can cause your design to distort, so it's best to stay away from stretchy fabrics such as knits.
The weight (GSM) weave and stretch can all have an impact on your design. It's important to note that although you do need a tightly woven fabric, there still needs to be room for the needle to pass through.
Here are some tips for working with your fabric:
Here's some of our favourite fabrics for Embroidery:
]]>We asked our community for all the best places to get sewing patterns and we hope that you find this of value!
]]>We asked our community for all the best places to get sewing patterns and we hope that you find this of value!
]]>A Boiled Wool garment is a wardrobe investment everyone should make! Boiled wool is characterised by the 'fulling' process it goes through, which gives it the distinct look and feel.
How is Boiled Wool made?
First the wool is knitted, then it is soaked in a solution where the fibers start to compress, compact and it gives the wool a tighter feel and appearance. The 'fulling' process creates trapped air pockets which are a fantastic buffer against the windy and cold.
Why is Boiled Wool great to use for sewing garments?
What can I make with Boiled Wool?
Here's some great blogs to read on Boiled Wool
How do you look after Boiled Wool?
Where can I buy Boiled Wool?
Shop our collection of Boiled Wool
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From workwear to a dress for the races, Cotton Sateen is a versatile fabric that we are sure you'll love.
What are some of the benefits of Cotton Sateen?
What is Cotton Sateen best suited to?
What are some tips for working with Cotton Sateen?
Where can I buy Cotton Sateen?
Our latest arrival of Cotton Sateen is a beautiful weight with a gorgeous range of colourful prints.
Shop the full range here:
https://supercheapfabrics.com.au/search?q=cotton+sateen
We're excited to share this blog with you, every month we will be sharing some of our communities latest creations as well as some inspiring garments that you can create with our newest arrivals. If you'd like to be featured in our upcoming blogs, please send your photos to shae@supercheapfabrics.com.au or tag us in #createwithscf
#CREATEWITHSCF
Sewist: @Kristysewsalot
Fabric: Cotton Sateen
Pattern: Esther Shorts, Tessuti
Happy Sewing,
Super Cheap Fabrics
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What can I use Muslin for?
Muslin is great for dresses, skirts, blankets, lining, bedding, tanks, summer dressers, shorts, loungewear and is really trending for baby clothing, blankets and bedding.
How do I sew with Muslin?
Muslin is such a wonderful fabric to work with and can really add some beautiful textures to your garment or even home furnishings.
We've got a gorgeous range of Muslin available now.
Shop it here: https://supercheapfabrics.com.au/collections/muslin
What is Gingham?
Gingham is a Cotton or Cotton Blend that is lightweight and usually woven with two colours to form a checkered pattern, it can also be printed. The checks can come in a variety of sizes and it is a popular choice for sewers due to it's low cost and ease of use.
When you're choosing your sewing pattern, make sure you look for one that works well with a patterned fabric. An easy way to do this is find one that features a patterned design on the cover. If you are a beginner, go with something that is a little looser and simpler as it can be tricky to layout and match the print.
How do you cut Gingham?
Cutting is one of the most important parts of putting together your garment. When you're working with a print such as the Gingham Checks, you'll need to make sure you align your prints so that you get a beautifully balanced effect.
When you're working with a directional print, you will need to allow for this and buy additional fabric, generally it's around 1m, however the amount required will depend on the pattern and complexity of the design. A more complex design means more seams to match and more fabric required! Also remember, cutting on the bias will produce a slanted effect.
Here's a step by step guide to cutting:
How do I sew Gingham?
Gingham is easy when it comes to the actual sewing part, however there's still a little more preparation work involved before you get to the sewing machine. As you are working with a directional pattern, you'll probably need to use quite a few more pins to ensure that you're matching along the seam appropriately. You may also find it easier to baste and correct so that you can adjust along the way.
Where can I buy Gingham Fabric?
We've got a gorgeous range of Gingham Fabrics in stock right now!
Shop here: https://supercheapfabrics.com.au/collections/cotton
We'd love to see what you create with your Gingham Fabric, so either email or tag us in your creations! @supercheapfabrics #createwithscf