Learning to Sew for Beginners Part 4: Choosing a Fabric
Do you know what my favorite part of any sewing project is? The fabric! If I could get a job helping people choose their fabric for their sewing projects, I would be in Heaven. I love fabric so much now; but when I was first learning to sew, fabric caused me a lot of stress. I didn’t know how to pick fabric, I didn’t understand the words used to describe fabric, and I didn’t want to spend a fortune just to hate what I chose. That’s why, new sewists, I’m going to sit you down and tell you all the things you need to know about fabric and about choosing the right fabric for your project. Let’s dig in!
I’m going to simplify this a little because it’s very easy to get carried away into the world of textiles and I’m not trying to overwhelm anyone. All fabric can basically be defined by two things: the fiber content and the weave (or knit). Fiber content is the material that is used to make the fabric, and the weave/knit is how those fibers were put together. Woven fabrics are made using weaving techniques. A basic weave is like a basket- imagine the paper weaving we did as kids: one under, one over, one under, one over, etc. There are other weaving styles that can affect the appearance of the fabric, but (almost) all woven fabric has no stretch.
A standard woven fabric up close would look the same as a basket (pictured).
A large-scale industrial knitting machine creates fabric that is similar to what you might hand knit, just much bigger and with smaller threads.
Knit fabric is knitted, the same way you might knit a scarf, except it is done on industrial machines. Because it is knitted, it is stretchy. Sewing woven and knit fabrics requires different techniques, and it is generally easier to start with wovens and work your way up to knits.
When it comes to fiber content, fabric is made from many things. Some fabrics are made from natural materials: cotton comes from cotton plants, linen from flax plants, silk from silkworms, and wool from sheep and other animals.
Some fabrics can be described as “semi-natural.” They are man-made out of natural materials. For example, rayon is made from regenerated cellulose, typically sourced from wood pulp. Its production entails a chemical-intensive process consuming significant energy and water. Variants such as viscose, modal, lyocell, and bamboo represent distinct forms of rayon.
Lyocell stands out as a rayon manufacturing method significantly more environmentally conscious than its counterparts. It operates within a closed-loop system, wherein nearly all chemicals utilized are recycled. Lyocell and Tencel are the same thing; Tencel® is simply the brand name for Lyocell commercialized by Lenzing AG.
Similarly, Cupro is a cellulose fiber made from cotton waste using a closed loop system. Additionally, the chamicals used to make Cupro are considered to be less hazardous for the environment.
All of the fibers discussed above are biodegradable, so if that is something that is important to you as a sewist, choose from the above.
Finally, we have artificial fibers, generally made from polymers (plastics), for example polyester, nylon, and spandex. These fabrics have their place too! You won’t be able to make swimwear or athletic wear without them, for one. They are responsible for the extra stretch in these fabrics. Keep in mind that these fabrics do not breathe as well as natural fibers and they are not biodegradable, so if they end up in a landfill, they are not going to break down.
Well, that got a bit long very quickly. I’m going to stop here and continue with a second post about how to choose fabrics and the fabrics you might come across in stores.
