Working with Handloom Fabrics

jamdani fabric detail

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!