Sewing fabrics: guides to every fabric and fiber
How to cut, sew and press each fabric, from linen and viscose to velvet, knits and faux leather, plus how to buy and identify fabric.
The best fabrics for beginners (and the ones to avoid)
The easiest fabrics to sew as a beginner, with weights in GSM and oz/yd², the fabrics to avoid at first and why, and how to match fabric to your first projects.
Sewing with linen: crisp, comfortable garments
How to sew linen: which weight for which garment, pre-washing and shrinkage, cutting on grain, needles and stitch length, seam finishes and pressing.
Sewing viscose (rayon) without tears
How to sew viscose (rayon) calmly: pre-washing and shrinkage, cutting slippery fabric, needles, staystitching, seam finishes, hems and pressing.
Jersey knit for beginners: T-shirts that do not wave
Why jersey seams go wavy and how to stop it: which knit to buy, the stretch test, needle and stitch settings, neckband ratios and stable T-shirt hems.
Sewing with denim: needles, thread and seams
Sewing denim on a home machine: denim weights in oz and GSM, needle and thread sizes, stitch lengths, thick seams, flat-felled seams and pre-washing.
Sustainable fabric: what to buy and what to reuse
How to choose sustainable sewing fabric: fiber trade-offs, what GOTS, OEKO-TEX, GRS and FSC mean, buying the right amount, and reusing deadstock and scraps.
Reading fabric descriptions: GSM, oz, drape and stretch
How to read a fabric listing: what GSM means and how it converts to oz/yd², weave and knit names, drape, stretch percentage, width and the words to watch.
Upcycling: sew new clothes from thrifted fabric and bedsheets
Sew new clothes from thrifted fabric and bedsheets: what to buy, sheet sizes, checking and preparing the fabric, finding the grain and planning the cutting.
Cotton, linen or viscose: which fabric for a summer garment
Cotton, linen and viscose compared for summer sewing: breathability, drape, wrinkling, shrinkage and ease of sewing, with a recommendation by garment.
Jersey, interlock, rib or French terry: knit fabrics compared
Jersey, interlock, rib knit and French terry compared: stretch, weight, curling, recovery and which to pick for T-shirts, tanks, sweatshirts, cuffs and bands.
Natural vs synthetic fabrics for sewing clothes
Natural fibers (cotton, linen, wool, silk) vs synthetics (polyester, nylon, elastane) for garment sewing: comfort, care, sewing behavior and when each wins.
Cotton vs polyester thread: which to sew with
Polyester thread is the all-purpose choice for sewing clothes: strong, elastic and colorfast. Cotton suits quilting and heirloom work. Which to use when.
Fabrics for trousers compared: twill, linen, Tencel and ponte
Cotton twill, linen, Tencel (lyocell) and ponte compared for trousers: weight, drape, stretch, wrinkling and durability, with a pick for each trouser style.
Sewing with cotton lawn: light, crisp and forgiving
Cotton lawn is a fine 60–90 gsm plain-weave cotton: sew it with a 70/10 needle, a 2–2.5 mm stitch and French seams, pre-wash it, and line it where it is sheer.
Sewing with chambray: the easy denim look
Chambray is a plain-weave cotton with a colored warp and white weft: sew it with an 80/12 needle, a 2.5 mm stitch and flat-felled seams, and pre-wash it first.
Sewing with corduroy: nap, needles and pressing
How to sew corduroy: cut every piece with the nap one way, use a 90/14 needle and a walking foot, and press from the wrong side on a towel to keep the pile.
Sewing with velvet without crushing it
How to sew velvet: cut it in one direction, hand-baste each seam, sew with a walking foot and press pile-down on a needle board so it never crushes.
Sewing with silk: cutting, needles and seams
How to sew silk: cut a single layer on paper with weights, use a new 60/8 or 70/10 microtex needle, fine thread, a 2 mm stitch and French seams.
Sewing with satin: snags, shine and seams
How to sew satin: a new 70/10 microtex needle and smooth hands stop snags, the shine is cut one way like a nap, and French or bound seams hide the inside.
Sewing with chiffon: taming the lightest fabric
How to sew chiffon: stiffen it with starch or gelatin, cut a single layer between tissue paper, use French seams with a 60/8 needle and finish with a baby hem.
Sewing with wool: suiting, flannel and crepe
How to sew wool suiting, flannel and crepe: pre-shrink with steam, not a wash, needle 80/12 to 90/14, press through a cloth over a ham, bind seams, hem by hand.
Sewing with flannel: soft, warm and prone to shrinking
How to sew cotton flannel: pre-wash it twice (it shrinks 5 to 10 %), cut with the nap, use a 90/14 needle at 3 mm, match the plaid and finish every seam.
Sewing with Tencel (lyocell): drape without the tears
How to sew Tencel lyocell twill and sateen: gentle pre-wash, single-layer cutting with a rotary cutter, a microtex 70/10 needle, 2.5 mm stitch and narrow hems.
Sewing with double gauze
How to sew double gauze: pre-wash it (it shrinks 5 to 10 %), cut it single layer with a rotary cutter, use a 70/10 needle, French seams and a double-fold hem.
Sewing with seersucker: the summer fabric that needs no ironing
How to sew seersucker: pre-wash it, cut along a stripe, use a 70/10 or 80/12 needle at 2.5 mm, French seams, and press only the seam line so the puckers stay.
Sewing with cotton poplin: crisp shirts and dresses
How to sew cotton poplin: 70/10 or 80/12 needle, 2.2–2.5 mm stitch, pre-washing for 2–3% shrinkage, French or serged seams, hot steam pressing and what to make.
Sewing with twill: trousers, jackets and bags
How to sew twill: 90/14 or 100/16 needle, 3 mm stitch, cutting with the diagonal one way, grading thick seams, pressing with a clapper and what to make.
Sewing with canvas: bags, aprons and heavy seams
How to sew canvas at home: duck weights explained, 100/16 or 110/18 needle, clips not pins, a walking foot, bulk at corners, hems and what to make.
Sewing with French terry: sweatshirts and joggers
How to sew French terry: stretch needle, narrow zigzag or overlock, pre-washing for lengthwise shrinkage, rib bands, twin-needle hems and what to make.
Sewing with rib knit: bands, tanks and fitted tops
How to sew rib knit: stretch needle and stitch, how much shorter to cut neckbands and cuffs (75–90% of the edge), cutting without stretching, and hems.
Sewing with ponte knit: structured and stable
Ponte is a stable double knit with 25–40 % stretch: sew it with a 75/11 stretch needle, a narrow zigzag, 1 cm seam allowances and a twin-needle hem.
Sewing with scuba (neoprene-look) knit
Scuba is a springy polyester double knit that holds a shape: sew it with a stretch needle, a 3 mm stitch and a walking foot, press on low and leave hems raw.
Sewing with fleece: warm layers without a serger
Fleece does not fray, so any machine can sew it: a 90/14 universal or stretch needle, polyester thread, a 3–3.5 mm stitch, raw seam allowances and no iron.
Sewing with oilcloth and laminated cotton
Oilcloth and laminated cotton keep every pin hole: sew them with a 90/14 microtex needle, a 3.5 mm stitch, a non-stick or walking foot, clips, and no iron.
Sewing with faux leather: needles, feet and no pins
Faux leather never closes a hole: sew it with an 80/12–90/14 microtex needle, a 3–3.5 mm stitch, a non-stick or walking foot, and clips instead of pins.
Sewing with lace: seams, hems and linings
How to sew lace without snags or puckers: a 70/10 needle, fine thread, French or lapped seams, the scallop used as the hem, and when to line or underline it.
Sewing with tulle: skirts, layers and gathers
Sew tulle without snags: a 60/8 to 70/10 needle, fine thread, raw edges left unhemmed, gathering over a cord, and how to build a layered skirt on a lined waist.
Can you sew garments from quilting cotton?
Yes, for crisp shapes: gathered and A-line skirts, boxy tops, shift dresses, aprons and bags. Why quilting cotton lacks drape, how it shrinks and how to use it.
How to choose lining fabric
Pick a lining lighter than the shell that washes the same way: cupro or acetate for jackets and skirts, lawn or silk against the skin, tricot for knits.
Interfacing weights explained: light, medium and heavy
Light interfacing for lawn and blouses, medium for collars, cuffs and waistbands, heavy for bags and hat brims: match the weight to the fabric and fuse it well.
Fabric shrinkage by fiber: how much to expect
Typical first-wash shrinkage by fiber: 2–5% for cotton and linen, up to 10% for flannel and jersey, almost none for polyester. How much extra fabric to buy.
Buying fabric online vs in store: how to get it right
Online fabric shops offer choice and price but no touch; stores let you feel drape and color. Read listings by GSM, order swatches, and know when each wins.
Deadstock fabric explained: what it is and where to find it
Deadstock is unused fabric left over from mills, brands and factories, sold by the piece. What to check before buying, how to test the fiber, and where to look.
How to identify a fabric's fiber: the burn test and other checks
Burn a small swatch with tweezers over a sink: plant fibers smell of paper and leave ash, wool and silk smell of hair, synthetics melt to a bead. Safety first.
Right side vs wrong side of fabric: how to tell
The right side is the face meant to show: brighter print, shinier satin, clearer twill, knit Vs on jersey, rough selvedge pin holes. How to tell it and mark it.
How to measure the stretch percentage of a knit
Measure a knit's stretch percentage with a ruler: 10 cm that stretches to 15 cm is 50 % stretch. Test both directions and recovery, then match your pattern.
Browse by topic
From photo to sewing pattern: guides and how-tos
How to turn a photo, a screenshot or a Pinterest or Instagram link into a sewing pattern that fits, and what to expect from the result.
Learn to sew: beginner guides and first projects
Plain-language answers for people starting to sew: first projects, tools, costs, common mistakes and how to build skills step by step.
Fitting and measuring for sewing: adjustments that work
How to take measurements, read drag lines and make the alterations that matter, from shoulder and bust adjustments to trousers.
Sewing techniques: how-tos and comparisons
Step-by-step how-tos for seams, hems, zips, pockets, collars and more, and comparisons of the methods so you pick the right one.
Printing and using PDF sewing patterns
Printing at home, at a copy shop or with a projector: scale checks, assembly, storage and the mistakes that ruin the fit.
Sewing projects: patterns you can make to your measurements
Garment and home projects with pieces, fabric amounts and steps, from a first T-shirt to dresses, trousers and bags.
AI and sewing patterns: what works and what does not
Honest guides to AI pattern makers and assistants: accuracy, limits, how to prompt them and how they compare with drafting by hand.
What to sew: ideas by season and occasion
Capsule wardrobes, seasonal projects and outfit ideas, each matched to a pattern you can draft to your measurements.
Sewing machines: comparisons, buying guides and troubleshooting
Which machine to buy, how brands and types compare, and how to fix tension, skipped stitches, jams and noise.