pinkraygun had written this in response to
http://www.sewgirls.com/textiles/Fav...hing-4212-.htm
:
SlimmerCat wrote:
I'm sixteen, and a huge nerd for the local Renaissance Faire, so last
summer I taught myself how to sew on my grandmother's ancient Bernina
so I
could make my own costumes. I've since then bought a machine and now I
costume just about all the time, but I still know next to nothing about
fabrics. I'm awful at picking out fabrics-- even when I'm in the store,
feeling it between my fingers, the fabrics I choose tend to act the
exact
opposite of what I thought they would while I was in the store.
Cotton's
about the only fabric I feel works for everything! (Oh Cotton, you're
my
BFF)
The only fabrics I know by name/touch/appearance are brocade, jacquard,
and cotton (along with the general "knit" category). I'd love
to know
better how different fibers behave so that I might be able to order
fabrics online instead of having to go down to the local Joann's or
Hobby
Lobby to find what I'm looking for.
Does anyone have some wisdom to share? Things like what different
fabrics
or fibers feel like and how they breathe, wrinkle, wick, stretch, all
that; or any favorite types of fabric that you especially like to use
in
garments.
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It depends on the type of garment that you're making. There are a lot of
options for Renn wear, if you're not hung up on being historically
accurate. For dressier things, I like working with poly shantung - it
looks like silk shantung, but is much less expensive and easier to clean.
It's a sturdier fabric - not as flimsy as satin and not as heavy as
brocade. Good for structured looks. I stay away from satins because I'm a
klutz - it always ends up with pulls and looking really cheap.
But, if you're comfortable with cotton and want to try something
different, I've got a couple suggestions. Joann's has a line of
linen-looks that might work for you. Linen-look is as manageable as
cotton, but it can have a bit more weight and has an interesting texture.
For lighters things with more drape, try a crepe. Crepe is pretty flimsy,
but not as flimsy as silk or chiffon, and doesn't go sliding all over the
place.
Hope this helps!
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