Complex models of skirts and dresses are made from shape-resistant materials that will preserve the lines of the silhouette. The fabric should be moderately stiff and dense, but not heavy, because a large consumption of material for a full skirt can turn the product into heavy armor.
In addition, rigid mesh fabrics such as tulle are used to create stable shapes. The material acts as a frame, does not allow light tissues to change shape and facilitates the movements of the legs.
Small details that serve as decoration for the model (collars, for example) are additionally reinforced with doublerin or interlining to improve the dimensional stability of the fabric. Let's take a closer look at the materials that will help bring the most daring silhouettes to life.
What kind of fabric
A person who is far from sewing may have a question about what dress fabric is. It should be understood that this is not the name of a specific material, such as viscose, gabardine, tweed or silk, but of a whole group. The name dress fabric means that the material is suitable for sewing dresses and other underwear.
Suit and dress fabrics can be dense and hold their shape well, such as tweed, gabardine, and crepe. Or they can be light, flowing like silk, chiffon, crepe de chine or niagara.
The quality of the material and its properties will depend on the manufacturer. Italian dress fabrics made of cotton, silk, and linen are highly valued. Premium woolen fabrics are woven in the UK.
Offer from Fashion Fabric online store
If you need high-quality materials for sewing dresses, we suggest visiting the dress fabric catalog of the Fashion Fabric store. There you will find linen, viscose, silk, jacquard and other fabrics from famous textile factories with a worldwide reputation.
Advantages of Fashion Fabric product:
- Wide selection of colors and materials.
- Excellent quality guaranteed.
- Delivery throughout Russia.
- Affordable prices.
More information about the assortment of this store can be found at the link or visit them at the address: Moscow region, Podolsk, st. Fedorova, 19 – DC “Europe”, 3rd floor.
Compound
Fibers in dress fabrics can be natural, artificial, or synthetic. The composition of the fabric can be mixed. For example, stretch cotton (with lavsan or lycra), linen + lavsan, wool + cotton or wool + silk + viscose.
Natural materials include:
- Dress linen is a durable, highly breathable material. It has high thermoregulation. Linen dress fabrics wrinkle a lot and are not elastic. It is better to sew loose-fitting clothes from them;
- Cotton is often used to create dress fabrics. The material is pleasant to the body and hygroscopic. Depending on the density, both summer and demi-season items are sewn from it;
- silk is a light, flowing material with a beautiful, delicate shine. It is hypoallergenic, wicks away moisture well, retains heat, and is very pleasant to the body. Both evening dresses and business-style clothes are made from it. The material requires careful care: if washed incorrectly, it stretches;
- Woolen dress fabrics can be either thin or dense. They retain heat well and allow the body to breathe. They require careful care: if washed incorrectly, they shrink or lose their shape.
Artificial fabrics are made from natural raw materials that have undergone special processing. Their properties are close to natural. They remove heat well and allow the body to breathe. They are more elastic, the products do not deform or stretch. The starting raw materials are cellulose from pine, beech, and eucalyptus. Below are the most popular artificial materials:
- viscose - a dress fabric with characteristics close to cotton, but the material is more elastic;
- cupro - similar in characteristics to silk. Although the material is made from wood pulp and cotton floss;
- lyocell is the starting material of eucalyptus cellulose. The material allows the body to breathe and absorbs moisture no worse than cotton.
Synthetic fabrics are made from polymer fibers. They are more durable, but their hygienic indicators are much worse than those of natural and artificial materials.
Historical chronicles
Can you imagine that the first respectable men's suits did not have trousers? The crusaders who went on campaigns wore caftans. Archaeologists suggest that noble warriors in the Bronze Age wore prototypes of modern tailcoats and jackets.
During the reign of Louis XIV, nobles still wore flared caftans called justocors. In Russia they became popular under Peter I and were used as military equipment.
In the 17th century, a caftan appeared, which was sewn from thick cotton or linen. For nobles, it was decorated with gold buttonholes, pearls and precious stones.
Kaftan is a men's straight dress with flap or plain sleeves.
A little later, a tailcoat spread among noble gentlemen, and from the middle of the 18th century - a frock coat. At this time, there was a gradual division of the wardrobe: ballroom, everyday, work. And in the 19th century there was a sensation in the fashion world: the cut of suits changed, non-standard shades, their combinations and accessories appeared. The modern, presentable image is only being improved and transformed in detail. Otherwise, no major changes have occurred.
For women, trouser sets became available at the end of the 19th century thanks to the feminist movement. They were allowed to be worn by those young ladies who rode a bicycle. Officially, the first trousers for girls appeared only after World War II.
Yves Saint Laurent is a daredevil who put into use things for ladies that were originally intended for the stronger half. Pants with a jacket have become part of world fashion. Now these are common wardrobe items for both sexes.
Types and their properties
Classification of dress fabrics; their characteristics and properties depend on the type of weave.
Material with a smooth surface is woven:
- plain weave, when the warp and weft threads are intertwined in a checkerboard pattern. Calico, chiffon, linen, and stretch fabrics are produced in a similar way.
- satin - the front side is shiny, and the back side is matte (satin, satin).
- twill (diagonal) - a thin scar is formed on the surface of the fabric, running at an angle of 45° (gabardine, tweed, denim).
Finely patterned fabrics are woven crepe weave. Twisted threads are used, so the front side of crepe dress fabrics is rough (crepe georgette, crepe de Chine, barbie).
Material with a large pattern on the surface is obtained jacquard weave. Usually evening dresses are made from it. The most famous jacquard fabric is brocade.
A separate group is pile materials. These are soft dress fabrics, velvet, velor. They are used to make both evening and casual wear.
The color of dress fabrics is varied (red, white, electric, black, blue). Many materials allow you to apply various prints to their surface. These can be floral, geometric, fantasy ornaments. Timeless classic dress fabric in check or stripes, polka dots.
Velvet fabric. Photo
Dress fabrics for children are classified into a separate group. The quality of the raw material, its environmental friendliness and the safety of the dyes are important to them.
Advantages
Dress fabrics made from natural or artificial materials are comfortable to wear. They provide good heat exchange and are breathable. Artificial fabrics stretch well, while retaining the shape of the product.
Mixed materials with a percentage of synthetic fibers of no more than 20% are more wear-resistant. They wrinkle less and are not deformed when worn.
Softly draping, thin and light dress fabrics made from silk or viscose create flowing silhouettes. Wool fabrics hold their shape well.
Application area
Depending on the composition and texture, you can sew an evening dress, a formal office dress, or a simple everyday dress from dress fabric.
The fabric for the dress is selected based on its model. Office clothes are made from gabardine, barbie and other thick suit materials. Poplin is suitable for casual summer wear.
Dress knitwear is used for sewing tight dresses, turtlenecks, T-shirts, and thin sweatshirts. It usually contains a small amount of synthetic fibers and holds its shape well.
Pencil pants and skirts are made from stretch. The material stretches well, but does not deform. With a small percentage of synthetics, it allows the body to breathe.
For winter dresses, tweed, angora, and mixed woolen fabrics are used. They retain heat well and are pleasant to the body.
Dress fabric for children's clothing must be 100% natural. Most often, cotton fabrics, wool + cotton, cotton + viscose are used to sew it.
Care
Features of care for dress fabrics depend on their composition. Before washing, you should carefully study the information on the label. If this is not possible, you should adhere to the general rules:
- Dyed linen items are washed at a water temperature of no higher than 30°C. Unpainted – 40°С-60°С;
- Cotton, depending on the density of the material, is washed at a water temperature of 30°C to 50°C;
- viscose fabrics need careful care: wash at 30°C, spin gently;
- Wool is washed only at 30°C in a special mode. Strong rubbing and twisting when hand washing is prohibited. Dry the products laid out on a horizontal surface;
- Silk is washed by hand or dry-cleaned. Machine washable on delicate cycle. It is prohibited to press the products by machine; I press them lightly by hand. Dry things laid out on a horizontal surface;
- for silk and wool, it is necessary to use special detergents; it is better if they are liquid;
- synthetics are washed at a temperature of 30°C;
- When caring for mixed products, you need to focus on the fiber that is more abundant in the composition.
Linen and cotton are ironed with a well-heated iron. For wool and silk, delicate modes are used. Products made from natural fabrics should be stored hung on hangers. It is better to wear special cotton covers on top.
Synthetics are ironed at low temperatures. Things are hung or neatly folded.
Dear readers of the Tkan.Club website, if you still have questions on this topic, we will be happy to answer them. Leave your reviews, comments, share stories if you have dealt with this material! Your life experience may be useful to other readers.
Linen
Linen is one of the most ancient natural fabrics known to humanity. In Ancient Egypt, only very rich people could wear it.
The main flax producers are Russia, USA, Canada, Italy, Ireland, Belgium. To obtain fibers, the fiber flax plant is grown.
Linen threads are very thin, almost airy, so the fabric turns out to be light and weightless.
Its features:
- "Breathable" hygroscopic material.
- Linen products are durable.
- After washing and drying, it completely retains its color and shape.
- Does not cause allergies or irritation.
- Has an antiseptic effect.
Despite the fact that linen fabric does not require complex care, when washing it is necessary to strictly follow the recommendations listed on the label.
Choose only the delicate mode - low temperature and speed no more than 800 per minute.
Washing conditions
Place the clothes in a cloth bag so that they do not come into contact with the drum. Heavily soiled items can be soaked in stain removers. Boiling is allowed, but with caution: flax can shrink greatly. It is recommended to dry the dress by hanging it on hangers. If linen is too dry, it will be very difficult to iron.
Summer dresses for every day are made from natural linen. They are not suitable for business wear, because linen wrinkles quickly and by midday the dress will look untidy. If you bought a piece of linen fabric, keep in mind that it does not stretch, so it is better to choose loose-fitting models. You will not have any problems with cutting and sewing.
