Yesterday, I talked about working with silky fabrics and today I'm going to tackle crisp fabrics. According to the handbook: "While the bodice is lined in a crisp fabric that gives the upper portion structure, the skirt can be made sharp and stiff. You could make a fancy version in shining silk dupioni for a special occasion. The fabric you choose is what really makes this dress."
Sarah Gabbart's beautiful silk dupioni Truffle is a perfect illustration on how fabric choices affect the look of the dress. Her beautiful navy dress is crisply tailored, yet has an overall feminine feel. In contrast, the white Truffle dress as seen in the handbook is soft and flowing. As Sarai says, the Truffle is the ideal project for experimenting with different fabric choices.
Batiste
Batiste is the first choice mentioned in the handbook for achieving a more 'architectural' style dress and is defined as follows: "[it]is the softest of the lightweight opaque fabrics. It is made of cotton, wool, polyester, or a blend." (source)
Cotton Sateen
Cotton Sateen is woven in such a fashion as to have a shiny, satin-like 'right' side, and matte 'wrong' side. It is an economical alternative to silk. It has a stiffness to it that makes it ideal for achieving tailored looks, yet drapes as beautifully as its lighter weight counterparts.
Silk Dupioni
To me, silk dupioni is an elegant and luxurious fabric. It has its own challenges and Emma One Sock has prepared an excellent cheat sheet on preparing and working with this beautiful fabric, which I found very helpful. Liesl Gibson, of Oliver + S and Lisette fame, adores sewing with silk dupioni and has these words of advice:
"I love dupioni. It's quite easy to sew, really. Use a new needle (I use all-purpose needles, which really are almost all-purpose except for very fine or very heavy fabrics) and remember that the dupioni frays quite a bit. It also shrinks, so pre-wash your fabric. I always wash silk by hand and almost never dry clean it, especially for kids' clothes. Seams can slip a bit, meaning that if you pull on the fabric at either side of a seam little holes can develop at the seam line. There are a few ways to combat this: You could use French seams where appropriate, select a loose-fitting pattern that won't be very tight anywhere, or stitch a second seam line just inside the first one and press the seam allowances to one side where appropriate.
In general, just give yourself a chance to practice with the fabric a bit before you get started. And be sure to finish your seam allowances as you go (or even before you start, if possible) to avoid all that fraying." (source)
Dupioni is similar to shantung and comes in a rainbow of colours, including the decadent 'shot' silks, which have an almost chameleon-like appearance, depending on the light. Shantung would also be an excellent choice for the Truffle.
Taffeta
Taffeta is a wonderful fabric and was a prominent figure in my dream dresses whilst growing up. I wore a lavender taffeta gown (handmade!) to my graduation and felt every inch a queen. The delicate rustle as the fabric moves calls to mind a feminine elegance best remembered from Gone with the Wind and Mammy's red silk taffeta petticoat. It is available in silk or polyester blends, making it accessible for any budget.
Sewing with taffeta is much like sewing with silk dupioni: it frays, it slips, and it shows every pin and needle hole put into it. Slow and steady is the mantra for using this fabric. It does, however, yield a gorgeous garment and a Truffle sewn from this fabric would certainly be memorable and luxurious.
When sewing with these fabrics, be sure to use a new sharp needle, pattern weights instead of pins, and pinking shears if the edges unravel before you can finish the seams.When ironing, be sure to use a low heat setting and a press cloth.
What fabric will you chose for your Truffle dress?
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Have questions? Please feel free to post here, in Erin's blog, or in the sew-along Flickr group.
Have questions? Please feel free to post here, in Erin's blog, or in the sew-along Flickr group.
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