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Choosing the Right Fabric

Before you embark on a sewing project it is important to carefully select which type of fabric you will be using. After all, if you end up using something that isn’t suitable for what you have in mind, your creations may not end up being exactly what you are looking for.

Colour, composition and texture of the fabric are all important aspects and you will need to select something that both matches your aesthetic vision while also being easy enough to manage that you can work with it as you need to. As such, choosing the right fabric is crucial.

Man-Made vs Natural

Perhaps the first choice you will need to make is selecting between man-made and natural materials. As the names suggest, natural materials are those that are made using natural materials, such as plants, whereas man-made fabrics are artificially created.

Natural fabrics include cotton and silk, whereas examples of man-made fabrics are polyester and nylon. Each fabric has its own unique properties and thus must be taken care of in a different manner. Failing to do so properly could lead to your sewing project being ruined so be sure to spend time carefully considering which will best suit your individual needs.

Fibre Content

Generally speaking the fibre content of your chosen fabric will play a large part in determining the garment’s comfort level. As such if you are working on something that is eventually intended to be worn it is a good idea to select a fabric with a higher natural fibre content, whereas if you are creating curtains or something that requires little interaction with human skin you may be able to get away with using something with a lower fibre content.

Check your pattern

If you are new to sewing then it is usually advisable to work from a pattern rather than going it alone and trying to create something out of nothing. Creativity is a wonderful thing of course, however to truly get the essentials of the activity down it is always recommended that you practice. Plus, as you gain experience you will be able to make your own alterations to pre-set patterns until you eventually become confident enough to work from your own designs.

Most patterns will come with details about how to create them and which fabrics are best for that particular pattern. Be sure to read these instructions carefully and, where possible, choose patterns that require the use of various different types of fabric so that you can get a better feel for working with as many varieties as possible.

In the world of sewing the possibilities are endless. More than anything else we recommend that you experiment. Find out what works best for the idea that you are working on.

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