5 years ago
A Dream Fabric
Every person who sews has a dream fabric. The fabric you want to work with, but it intimidates you. I am going to take a leap and say that for most people it is silk. Regardless of the type of silk, it falls into the category of luxury and you don’t want to mess up with a luxury fabric. There are steps you can take to turn that dream into a goal and, ultimately, a successful reality.
You Can Get There
The first step is picking a simple, yet interesting pattern. This blouse is a great example. The bodice is classic and easy to put together. There is a gentle dart for the bust and a simple keyhole opening at the center back seam. The sleeve makes a statement, but it isn’t too complicated to put together.
The second step is to pick a fabric for the pattern that is like the goal fabric. Let’s use this blouse as our example again. This incredible fabric is Liberty London Kensington Silk Crepe de Chine in the color Navy. You can start with a poly crepe de chine to get familiar with sewing crepe de chine. You can use this budget-friendly fabric to work through learning the construction and behavior of the fabric. This is your training exercise.
Take the Leap
Once that learning project is complete and your confidence is boosted, you can take the leap into the world of sewing with silk. Why not make it the most amazing Liberty silk while you’re at it!
Let’s take a moment to address the cost. The two fabrics I mentioned above have a large cost difference. The polyester crepe de chine is 25% of the cost of the Liberty silk. Is it worth the cost difference? Yes, absolutely! The list of what makes it worth it will vary in rank of importance depending on the individual. Here are a few reasons that make it worth it to me. It is light, breathable, drapes perfectly, soft against the skin, a natural material that will return to the earth many years from now (including the shell button), and it is an incredible Liberty print.
*This fabric was gifted to me by Minerva, but I have purchased expensive silk before for the reasons I shared above. Definitely worth it!
Some Helpful Tips
One thing about crepe de chine is it has a crisp, slightly textured feel to it and that makes it easier to work with. It doesn’t slip around when you are sewing like a satin would.
Sharp pins and needles will be needed. It just makes the job easier and neater. Even with fine pins I try to keep my pinning in the seam allowance. That is to avoid making pin marks in the visible part of the fabric.
Use a silk organza pressing cloth. This protects the fabric you are pressing. Silk organza can handle the heat well and it is transparent so you can easily see your project.
I save the silk thread for basting in couture projects and use polyester thread for seams. If you want to keep the project completely natural then I would suggest cotton thread over silk. Silk thread breaks and wears down easier. Try breaking polyester, cotton and silk thread by hand. You’ll feel the difference but be careful with the poly thread. Don’t let it cut your skin.
Watch the video tutorial to see a great method for sewing a narrow hem. Simple breakdown: baste ¼” away from the raw edge. Fold on that basting line and iron. At the sewing machine fold ¼” again and stitch right along the basted fold.
Take your time. Don’t sew when you are tired. Enjoy working with such a beautiful fabric.
Details About This Blouse
This pattern is the Harmony Woven Top by Style Arc. It is a fantastic pattern. Rated as a “medium” level of difficulty (out of easy, medium, challenging, and experienced sewer). The only change I made was shortening the bodice by one inch at the hem. The fabric is a perfect silk crepe de chine by Liberty sold by the wonderful Minerva. This fabric is everything you would hope for and expect. The colors are vivid. The fabric feels like smooth air against the skin. Seriously, I feel like I am wearing air with flouncy sleeves. It is the best blouse! I can tell you with certainty that I will be using both the pattern and Liberty silk again!
YouTube Sew-Along for this blouse: https://youtu.be/G5Iun-4Tk0s
My website: paigehandmade.com
Every person who sews has a dream fabric. The fabric you want to work with, but it intimidates you. I am going to take a leap and say that for most people it is silk. Regardless of the type of silk, it falls into the category of luxury and you don’t want to mess up with a luxury fabric. There are steps you can take to turn that dream into a goal and, ultimately, a successful reality.
You Can Get There
The first step is picking a simple, yet interesting pattern. This blouse is a great example. The bodice is classic and easy to put together. There is a gentle dart for the bust and a simple keyhole opening at the center back seam. The sleeve makes a statement, but it isn’t too complicated to put together.
The second step is to pick a fabric for the pattern that is like the goal fabric. Let’s use this blouse as our example again. This incredible fabric is Liberty London Kensington Silk Crepe de Chine in the color Navy. You can start with a poly crepe de chine to get familiar with sewing crepe de chine. You can use this budget-friendly fabric to work through learning the construction and behavior of the fabric. This is your training exercise.
Take the Leap
Once that learning project is complete and your confidence is boosted, you can take the leap into the world of sewing with silk. Why not make it the most amazing Liberty silk while you’re at it!
Let’s take a moment to address the cost. The two fabrics I mentioned above have a large cost difference. The polyester crepe de chine is 25% of the cost of the Liberty silk. Is it worth the cost difference? Yes, absolutely! The list of what makes it worth it will vary in rank of importance depending on the individual. Here are a few reasons that make it worth it to me. It is light, breathable, drapes perfectly, soft against the skin, a natural material that will return to the earth many years from now (including the shell button), and it is an incredible Liberty print.
*This fabric was gifted to me by Minerva, but I have purchased expensive silk before for the reasons I shared above. Definitely worth it!
Some Helpful Tips
One thing about crepe de chine is it has a crisp, slightly textured feel to it and that makes it easier to work with. It doesn’t slip around when you are sewing like a satin would.
Sharp pins and needles will be needed. It just makes the job easier and neater. Even with fine pins I try to keep my pinning in the seam allowance. That is to avoid making pin marks in the visible part of the fabric.
Use a silk organza pressing cloth. This protects the fabric you are pressing. Silk organza can handle the heat well and it is transparent so you can easily see your project.
I save the silk thread for basting in couture projects and use polyester thread for seams. If you want to keep the project completely natural then I would suggest cotton thread over silk. Silk thread breaks and wears down easier. Try breaking polyester, cotton and silk thread by hand. You’ll feel the difference but be careful with the poly thread. Don’t let it cut your skin.
Watch the video tutorial to see a great method for sewing a narrow hem. Simple breakdown: baste ¼” away from the raw edge. Fold on that basting line and iron. At the sewing machine fold ¼” again and stitch right along the basted fold.
Take your time. Don’t sew when you are tired. Enjoy working with such a beautiful fabric.
Details About This Blouse
This pattern is the Harmony Woven Top by Style Arc. It is a fantastic pattern. Rated as a “medium” level of difficulty (out of easy, medium, challenging, and experienced sewer). The only change I made was shortening the bodice by one inch at the hem. The fabric is a perfect silk crepe de chine by Liberty sold by the wonderful Minerva. This fabric is everything you would hope for and expect. The colors are vivid. The fabric feels like smooth air against the skin. Seriously, I feel like I am wearing air with flouncy sleeves. It is the best blouse! I can tell you with certainty that I will be using both the pattern and Liberty silk again!
YouTube Sew-Along for this blouse: https://youtu.be/G5Iun-4Tk0s
My website: paigehandmade.com