How to Choose, Cut and Sew Fabric

Choosing fabric is one of the most important parts of any sewing project.

It is very easy to fall in love with a beautiful colour, an interesting print or a luxurious texture. But fabric is much more than colour and appearance. Every fabric has its own character.

Some fabrics are firm and stable. Others are soft and flowing. Some are easy to cut and sew, while others move, stretch, fray or slip away from your sewing machine.

This does not mean that a difficult fabric is a bad fabric. Quite the opposite. Some of the most beautiful fabrics simply need a little more care.

Whether you want to make a linen cushion, a quilt, a table runner, a decorative cover or a garment, understanding your fabric will make your sewing much easier.

Why does fabric choice matter?

A successful sewing project is usually a combination of three things:

The pattern, your sewing experience, and the fabric.

A sewing pattern may recommend a particular type of fabric. You can often change the colour, print or even the exact fabric, but the weight and behaviour of the fabric are important.

For example, a pattern designed for firm cotton may not work well with a very soft and flowing fabric.

The same is true when making home accessories.

A cushion cover can be made from many different fabrics, but the result will be very different if you use linen, velvet, lightweight cotton or heavy jacquard.

This is why it is useful to ask not only:

“Do I like this fabric?”

but also:

“Is this the right fabric for my project?”

Start by looking at the fabric properties

When buying fabric, especially online, look carefully at the description.

Ask yourself:

• Is the fabric light, medium or heavy?

• Is it woven or knitted?

• Does it stretch?

• Is it firm or soft?

• Does it drape or hold its shape?

• Does it fray easily?

• Does it have a nap or direction?

• Is the surface smooth, textured or raised?

• Can it be washed easily?

• Is it suitable for the item I want to make?

These questions are often more important than the colour.

A beautiful fabric that is unsuitable for your project can become frustrating very quickly.

Linen: beautiful, natural and practical

Linen is one of our favourite fabrics for home decoration.

It is natural, breathable and strong. It also becomes softer and more beautiful with use. Linen works wonderfully for cushion covers, table runners, curtains, bags, napkins and decorative textiles.

Linen is generally pleasant to sew because it is stable and does not stretch like a knitted fabric.

However, linen does have one characteristic you should know about: it wrinkles.

This is not a fault. It is part of the natural beauty of linen.

For a relaxed home, a little wrinkling can actually be part of the charm.

Linen can also fray at the cut edges, so finish your seams properly. If you are making a cushion cover or another item that will be used often, a neat seam finish will make the project much more durable.

Cotton: one of the easiest fabrics to begin with

Cotton is a wonderful fabric for beginners.

A medium-weight woven cotton is usually stable, easy to cut and easy to sew. It is therefore an excellent choice for cushions, quilts, table decorations, bags and many other home accessories.

There are, however, many different types of cotton.

A light cotton can behave very differently from heavy canvas.

So when someone says “cotton is easy to sew”, remember that cotton is a whole family of fabrics.

Canvas and heavy cotton

Heavy cotton, canvas and similar sturdy fabrics are excellent when you need strength.

They are particularly useful for bags, storage baskets, sturdy cushions, aprons and home accessories that need to withstand a lot of use.

The difficulty is not usually cutting the fabric. It is the thickness.

Several layers of canvas can become very thick, especially at seams and corners. Your sewing machine therefore needs to be able to handle the fabric.

Use a suitable needle and do not force the fabric through the machine.

Let the machine feed the fabric at its own speed.

Velvet: beautiful but directional

Velvet is one of those fabrics that can look absolutely stunning but needs careful handling.

The surface has a pile, sometimes called a nap. When you stroke velvet in different directions, the surface looks lighter or darker.

This means that all your pattern pieces must normally be cut in the same direction.

This is particularly important when making cushions, bags or decorative pieces.

Imagine making two cushions from the same velvet, but cutting one piece with the pile going up and the other with the pile going down. They may look like two slightly different colours.

Always check the direction of the pile before cutting.

Velvet can also move while sewing, so take your time. Pin carefully and, for important seams, consider basting by hand first.

The extra few minutes can save a lot of frustration.

Bouclé: wonderful texture, loose threads

Bouclé is famous for its beautiful, irregular surface.

It can be made from different fibres and can have a very loose, textured construction. This makes it wonderful for cushions, decorative textiles, jackets and other projects where texture is important.

Bouclé can also fray. Sometimes it seems to fray simply because you looked at it!

If you are working with a loose bouclé, handle the fabric carefully and avoid unnecessary cutting. Finish the seams well and consider using a lining or backing when appropriate.

The beautiful texture is worth the extra care.

Jacquard and brocade: look at the pattern before cutting

Jacquard and brocade fabrics often have beautiful woven patterns.

The design is part of the fabric rather than simply printed on the surface. This gives these fabrics their rich and luxurious appearance.

But there is something important to remember:

The pattern may need to match.

If you are making a cushion, for example, you may want the central motif to be positioned carefully.

You may also need more fabric than you first expected because you cannot always use every small piece efficiently.

This is one of the reasons why buying a little extra fabric is a good idea when working with patterned textiles.

Silk and satin: not the same thing

Silk is a natural fibre, while satin describes a type of weave.

This is an important distinction.

Silk can be woven into satin, but satin can also be made from other fibres.

Smooth, shiny fabrics can be difficult to control because they move easily while cutting and sewing.

If you are making your first cushion cover, a stable linen or cotton may be much easier.

If you love the look of silk, make a small test piece first. It is always better to discover how the fabric behaves before cutting your main project.

Chiffon, voile and other very light fabrics

Very lightweight fabrics can be difficult because they have almost no weight of their own.

They can move while cutting and may be pulled into the sewing machine during stitching.

For these fabrics, use fine needles and fine pins. Cut carefully and avoid handling the fabric more than necessary.

These fabrics are beautiful for delicate decorative work, but they are not always the best choice for a beginner.

Stretch fabrics

Stretch fabrics are another category that requires some knowledge.

A normal woven fabric and a knitted stretch fabric behave very differently.

If your project needs stretch, you cannot simply replace the stretch fabric with a non-stretch fabric.

The fabric must be able to move with the design.

For home decoration, however, many projects do not need stretch at all. A stable woven linen or cotton is often a much easier and more durable choice for cushions and other decorative items.

Thick fabrics: check your sewing machine

When working with thick fabrics, the fabric itself is not necessarily the problem.

The problem can be the number of layers.

A cushion may look simple, but seams, piping, corners, zippers and several layers of fabric can quickly become surprisingly thick.

Before starting, make a small test.

Sew through the same number of layers you will have in the real project.

If your machine struggles, do not simply use more force. Try a suitable needle, a longer stitch length or a different construction method.

And remember: sometimes hand sewing is the best solution.

There is no rule saying that everything has to be done by machine.