Sew Easy Fabrics for Beginners
Congratulations!
You have already sewn some small projects and are set to move on to sewing your
own garment. Perhaps you are now getting ready to sew your first dress
and looking forward to wearing your first creative sewing expression. And if
you are a bit nervous that it will not turn out perfect, don’t fret. We all
make mistakes but working with certain fabrics for beginners could make your
first sewing project a sure success!
Fabrics for beginners
As you start to go
beyond the invisible border of buying clothes and getting ready enter the
wonderful world of sewing, it is important to know that there are fabrics that
are more adaptable than others. Generally, one of the most manageable fabrics
to work on is cotton. This versatile fabric can be as light as a handkerchief
or heavy like a canvas and is the fabric of choice for shirts, skirts,
trousers, jeans, and dresses.
Fabrics can either
be woven or knitted. It can be also be made from animal fibres, plant fibres or
man-made fibres. Since knitted fabrics stretch more than woven fabrics, this
makes them harder to manage –so let’s start sewing with woven
fabrics first, like moleskin and smooth corduroy, which are almost always
made from cotton. These fabrics are also relatively cheap. Stay away from
cotton jersey though, because it is a fabric that is knitted by machine from
fine cotton threads, making it quite stretchy and not as easy to work with.
Heavy-weight cotton fabrics like denim may also be a bit difficult to
manipulate. Have a look at our article on Tips for Sewing Denim if
you want to have a go.
Tips for Sewing Denim: Easier Than
You Think!
Try woven linen first
Woven linen is also ideal for your first garment project.
It’s available in a variety of weights and is great for summer wear. Take note
that linen, which is often blended with cotton, tends to crease a lot and can
be a bit expensive. Therefore, the best project for beginners using linen
are tunics, sleeveless blouses and loose shirt dresses, pyjama pants.
For a fun and easy
project please take a look at our super easy tunic, the perfect
project to build your sewing confidence.
If you want to sew
a skirt, you can also opt for woven wool for that posh look, but this fabric is
expensive. Synthetic or man-made woven fabrics like polyester and polycotton
are recommended as fabrics for beginners. Crease resistant and
lightweight, they are cheap and manageable. Finally, cotton velvet is stable
and is great for skirts and simple but glamorous jackets.
Move on to knits as your skills grow
Generally, woven
fabrics like cotton, linen, and cotton-linen blend are great choices as fabrics
for beginners because they do not slip or stretch that much. Stay away from
knitted fabrics like shiny polyester, silk, rayon, and cotton jersey for now.
If you really want to have a go with knits, please check out our
article Sewing with Stretchy
Knits for some guidance.
Try to use light-
to medium-weight fabrics too and remember that heavy fabrics with bumpy ridges
are hard to manipulate. And make sure to choose fabrics with plain colours or
small prints since stripes, checks and fabrics with large patterns are tricky
in laying them out. Before you venture into knits, try your hand at
slippery fabrics that are easier to manipulate, at the top of your list should
be challis.
Choose the pattern, then the fabric
It’s also best to
buy your sewing pattern first. Choose your fabric later because patterns will
help you know not only what kind of fabric you’ll need, but also how much
fabric you should buy too. After choosing your fabric, you can then buy notions
like buttons, thread, and zips to match. We have a comprehensive list
of The BEST Online Fabric
Shops if you're looking for fabric.
If you did all
these steps, you are now ready to make your first garment. And before you know
it, you will be wearing your first creation. Have fun sewing!
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