Fashion & Apparel Sewing

Muslin fabric is a versatile and inexpensive plain weave cotton cloth. It has many practical uses, like bandage wraps and culinary purposes. You can also use it for some décor (theater and photography sets) and apparel projects. While muslin isn't used often for the actual pieces of clothing, it's quite popular for making garment mock-ups.

Charmeuse, Habutae (or Habotai), and Satin are very similar lightweight fabrics that drape nicely. They are most often used for making apparel and decorations. Charmeuse and satin are both satin weave fabrics with a matte backing. The main difference is that charmeuse is shinier. Habutae is also similar, but it's a lighter weight plain weave and is known to be the smoothest of the 3.

The terms "netting" and "tulle" are often used interchangeably because they're used for similar projects like wedding gowns, hats, and tutus.

A wide variety of fabrics are suitable for infant and children's and baby clothes. Safety and comfort should always be top priority when choosing material for children's garments. Ease of care is another consideration. For everyday children's wear, cotton and polyester apparel fabrics are comfortable, safe, and easy to wash.

Tote bags are a fun project that can be made in many shapes, sizes, and materials for carrying all sorts of things. Sturdy fabrics such as canvas, denim, twill, drapery fabric, upholstery fabric, and outdoor fabric are best for tote bags. Since many tote bags seldom require cleaning, novelty drapery and upholstery fabrics can be fun choices. Faux leather vinyl and nylon are a couple more durable options. Cotton fabrics are a perfect choice for a tote bag lining.

Pattern grading is an essential skill to know when making a pattern. The patterns I've been making for DIY apparel projects are uploaded with each tutorial on the blog for viewers to download and print at home. The patterns I've created are usually medium size (size 8-10). Because not everyone is a size 8 or 10, I've decided to break down the three methods of pattern grading. With these methods you can grade a pattern up or down for a size that fits you.

Spandex is a great fabric for garments that need to stretch with your body. It has been a favorite for dance costumes, gymnastics outfits, skating costumes, exercise wear, and swimwear since it was introduced in the 1950s. This fabric is easy to care for, but it requires a little finesse to sew.

Sheer fabrics such as chiffon, voile, organza and organdy can be challenging to sew. Not only to they have a tendency to pull down in the sewing machine's feed dogs, they are also tricky to interface. Facings are the backings used in garment construction. They are most often used in the neck of a garment, but they can be used in other areas, such as the button placket. Special fabric known as interfacing is generally used with facings.

Terry cloth is a cotton fabric with absorbent loops over the entire fabric surface. It has traditionally been used for towels, but it has many other uses as well.