When you see Gingham Fabric, it's instantly recognizable with it's distinguishable checkered pattern and soft, lightweight feel. Gingham is one our favourite fabrics, easy to sew and lovely to wear. Here's some tips on working with Gingham!
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:
- Pre-wash your fabric to allow for shrinkage
- Layout your fabric, right side up
- Layout one piece of the pattern, right side up, placing the grainline along the grainline of the fabric
- Anchor your pattern
- Cut the single piece
- Take away the pattern and use the fabric piece for your second cut
- Lay the fabric piece face down (so it is a mirror image), matching the fabric pattern along the horizontal lines
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