by Carrie Schutrick

Created on: April 07, 2011

When you've chosen your pattern and you're ready to start sewing, choosing the right fabric is pretty simple: read the back of the pattern envelope.  It'll tell you what kinds of fabric are good, and if you don't know what some of the words mean there'll be someone in the fabric store who can explain.  And that's great, if what you're in the mood for is a quick solution.  If you want to know a little more about the reasoning behind what the pattern envelope says, either for curiosity or so you can branch out a bit, read on.

When you're picking fabrics, probably the most important quality to consider is drape.  Think about the difference between the wool of a heavy winter coat and the wool in a summer suit, or how a slinky silk dress is different from stiff silk organza ruffles.  That's drape.  The easiest way to test drape is to pick up a length of the fabric and see what happens.  Does all the fabric hang straight from the points you're holding?  Does some of it stand out a bit, especially if it's near an edge?  The more structure you want in your finished item, the less drape your fabric should have.  Very drapey garments will tend to cling to the body beneath...which is great if the body's worth clinging to, but most of us have at least a few figure flaws we'd like our clothing to conceal.  Less drape is also generally a bit cooler for summer items, since the fabric will stand away from the skin a bit while still providing shade from the sun.  Look at the picture on the pattern, and consider whether the fabric seems to drape or not.

Speaking of summer, let's consider fabric weight.  Sure, we all know that wool is for cold weather and cotton is for warm weather.  But consider again that summer suit: it's wool, all right, but the fabric's so thin it's practically gauze.  Meanwhile, your nice warm flannel robe is probably cotton.  (Thick fabrics also tend to be less drapey, but this isn't a universal rule; velvet, for example, is quite thick, but it drapes really well.)  Thicker fabrics are usually tougher, so if hard wear is a consideration you'll want thick.

Fiber content?  This is a bit complex to go into in a short article, so we'll leave it at this: the more natural fiber your fabric contains, the more comfortable it's going to be.   Animal fibers like wool and silk are generally drapier; plant fibers like cotton and linen are stiffer.

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