Sewing with Silk: Design Compatibility
In this episode of the video series Sewing with Silk, instructor Katrina Walker continues exploring how to test fabric for design compatibility. (She begins this discussion in “Auditioning Silk Fabrics.”)
You’ll learn about the relationship between a fabric’s drape and the sort of garment it is suited to. Katrina discusses design and wearing ease—excess space in a garment for comfort and style.
The “pinch test” is a way to evaluate the textile’s drape. Fabrics with more drape, such as crepe, hang more closely to your body. Stiffer fabrics, such as taffeta, stand away from the body, and Katrina recommends using stiff fabrics for fitted or structured garments. Alternatively, use it for something geometric and deliberately boxy.
After checking a fabric’s drape, Katrina recommends looking at how easily the silk textile can be shaped with heat and steam. She makes mock sleeve caps to see whether the fabric can be smoothly eased.
May I know why I could only see 9 parts in this 20-part workshop?
We are issuing two episodes per week, through the beginning of June 2022.
Carol Fresia
Editor, Threads Magazine