Working with Handloom Fabrics

Some of our fabrics are a little different than what we're all used to... here are some tips to making the most of these wonderful handloom fabrics.

•  approach lightweight handloom cotton fabric as you might a fine silk - it is delicate and should be treated with care.  However, being cotton, it will handle more easily
• many handloom fabrics are slightly translucent: you may need to line the garment, or underline/back the fabric.  Try using our plain voile for the lining or a separate slip
• use a fine needle and fine (no.60) cotton thread, with a short stitch length
• plan ahead for seam finishes: they are a must.  Consider French seams, bound seams, or a classic turn-and-stitch or pinked-and-stitched seam allowance (on tighter weaves)
• use the very lightest sew-in interfacing as necessary, or (better yet) none at all, finishing edges with bias bands or piping.  Don’t forget to staystitch!
• be sure to make a muslin to check the fit of your pattern beforehand - you don’t want to have to unpick seams, as the fabric is delicate and needle holes may show
• since the fabric is more loosely woven than typical cottons, it works best for more loosely fitted garments so that the seams won’t be stressed
• the fabric may fray a bit or lose its shape slightly after cutting, so handle cut pieces with care before and during sewing

Inspiration and Ideas:

• the weave is usually fairly even, so you can use fabric on the cross grain for creative placement of stripes or motifs
• similarly, decorative or colored selvedges can be used at the hem or edges of a garment, or applied as trim
• indigo looks great with denim!
• use multiple layers of fabric with the design misaligned to create intriguing effects
• many of the super fine, soft cottons will gather well, to create rich fullness
• imagine fine pin tucks and hand work for baby garments and heirloom sewing
• handloom cottons are perfect for making historical garments - this is just what was used for Regency-era gowns!