-Lemonade Couture Club - Tip 1: Preparing your fabric
Getting started in sewing isn't easy. Apart from knowing how to use a machine, learning sewing techniques and knowing where to buy each item, there are a thousand tips that we don't always have time to share with you in our tutorial videos. That's why we've decided to bring you a new monthly video format on specific sewing points, and a first video focusing on fabric, its preparation and mistakes to avoid, which you can find at here !
In addition to this video, you'll find below a glossary of terms to keep handy, as well as links to previous articles on materials at the bottom of the page.
LEXICON
Plumbness : a garment must fall perfectly straight like a plumb line to the ground. If the seams deviate in one direction, or the fabric twists or pockets, it means that the plumb line was not respected when the fabric was cut, or that the fabric has become deformed.
Bias : imaginary line at 45° to the straight thread on the fabric. Clothes are cut on this line for greater stretch, but also to change the nature of the fabric's fall, which is often softer on the bias than on the straight thread.
Bord-franc : This is the fringed edge of the fabric where it has been cut.
Cassant : adjective to describe a fairly stiff fabric that will tend to make large folds.
Composition: This refers to the percentage of raw materials used to manufacture the fabric. For example: 100% cotton or 70% viscose, 30% wool. Be careful not to confuse this with the material!
Straight-thread : imaginary line parallel to the selvedge, ensuring that the garment is plumb and does not distort over time. It corresponds to the warp thread.
Endroit : This is the visible side of the fabric when the garment has finished being assembled. It is either the brighter side of a print, or the prettier side of a weave (e.g. jacquard).
Obverse : this is the side against the skin of the fabric when the garment has finished being mounted. For a printed fabric, the reverse will often be duller. For a woven fabric, the pattern is less defined and there are often cut threads.
Felting : This is the reaction of wool to very hot steam. The wool then shrinks and compacts, sometimes becoming rougher. The action may be voluntary or involuntary, but it is irreversible! A felted wool has the advantage of becoming water-repellent or even almost waterproof.
Bulking : adjective to describe a fabric that seems to be filled with air. This fabric will stay up and in place without touching the skin.
Grammage : This is the weight of the fabric, often in grams per square meter.
Width : or more commonly "width" of the fabric. It ranges from 90cm to 150cm. The most common commercial widths are 110cm and 140cm.
Selvedge : edge of the fabric corresponding to the end of the weave. It is often a little stiffer than the fabric, with small holes (which are where the fabric was hung on the loom) and sometimes writing, such as the manufacturer's name or composition.
Heavy : adjective to describe a fabric that will fall against the skin. It is the opposite of a puffy fabric, and note that a fabric can be heavy, but have a low grammage, because here we're talking about the fall, not the weight of the fabric!
Lustrous : Shine on a fabric resulting from overheating. This risk is found in silk and wool, which do not tolerate high temperatures.
Material: The fabric is often named after the material with the highest percentage. For example: cotton, silk, wool... Be careful not to confuse material with weave!
Pattemouille : damp cloth (preferably cotton) for ironing fabric without burning it.
Pocher: A peculiarity of certain materials (mainly silk and viscose) whose threads can stretch in some places more than in others, distorting the weave. This problem is mainly found in bias fabric, where if a garment is left on a hanger, the hem will be longer at the bias point, even if the piece was originally cut properly.
Weaving : This is the technique used to weave the fabric, not to be confused with the material. For example, satin is a weave, but the material can be silk, polyester or cotton. Similarly, a cotton voile, a cotton canvas and a cotton piqué are three different weaves with very different falls!
Tombé : This is the material from which the fabric is placed and "falls" if hung on a mannequin or held in the hand in the air.
Don't forget our masterclasses, which you can find in your subscription area. They're a mine of information, but you can also reread some of our older articles!