Silks and satins are luxurious fabrics. They have a lovely feel, a beautiful look and can make even the most basic garments look glamorous. The downside to them however is that it can be quite difficult to work with. In this article, we look at some of the common issues that occur when working with silk and satin how to overcome them.
Problem: the
silk fabric is too slippery when cutting and sewing
Solution: fabric stabiliser
A fabric stabiliser is used to stiffen fabrics and give them traction. Using a fabric stabiliser on your
silk will make it much easier to work with. There are various types of fabric stabilisers available including both liquid and fabric forms. Liquid stabilisers usually come in a spray bottle and are sprayed directly onto the fabric. The most common fabric stabiliser is spray starch. Spray starch is reliable and doesn’t have a tendency to mark or stain fabric. However, as with any kind of fabric treatment, be sure to perform a patch test on a piece of scrap fabric first. Spray starch can build up and will need to be washed off before you can wear your garment. Fabric stabiliser sheets are also helpful for sewing silk. It is recommended to use a water soluble stabiliser that can be rinsed away after you have finished sewing your fabric.
Fabric stabiliser sheets are pinned onto your fabric similarly to interfacing. Like liquid stabiliser, they provide traction and give your fabric a more rigid feel that makes it easier to work with.
Problem: pinning the pattern to the
silk fabric has created visible pin holes that won’t go away!
Solution: fabric weights
Due to its close-knit weave, silk and
satin fabrics are very resistant to stretch. This means that when you pin your fabric, long after you take the pins out, holes can still remain as the fibres won’t relax back into place. This can be particularly bothersome if the pin holes are visible on your finished design. One way to avoid this is to use pattern weights. As the name suggests, pattern weights are designed to hold down your pattern as you cut your fabric, removing the need for pins. If you have no experience using fabric weights, practice using them on a piece of scrap fabric before using them on your final design. Fabric weights are fairly easy to use but unlike with pins, you will not be able to lift the fabric from the table if you need to. You will also need to remove your pattern when sewing meaning that markings such as darts and fold lines will need to be made with a water soluble marker.
Problem: fraying seams
Solution: french seam
French seams are the logical solution to working with fabrics that are prone to fraying. A French seam is a type of finish which encloses the raw edge of the fabric within itself. French seams are not always practical however, especially if the seam is curved. In these situations you may want to use a mock French seam instead. Mock French seams are created by first stitching a plain seam, before folding in each side of the seam allowance and securing with another stitch, so that the raw edge is still protected.
Problem: Fabric is puckering when sewing
Solution: Adjust machine settings and use a silk thread
Tightly woven fabrics such as
silk are renowned for puckering during sewing. While puckering isn’t usually down to one problem, using a silk
thread and a very sharp
needle will help to reduce the likelihood of puckering. Choosing the correct thread tension is also an important factor in preventing fabric puckering, but before you do this, it is advisable you give your sewing machine a check up to make sure nothing else is hindering it’s performance. To get your machine settings just right, practice sewing on a piece of scrap silk (the same material you will be using for your garment). You will probably find you need to reduce the tension of your machine and shorten the stitch length.
Another reason your fabric could be puckering is if your bobbin is wound too tightly. Tightly wound thread (especially polyester) slackens as you sew and relaxes in your stitch causing the dreaded puckering. When winding your bobbin, take care to do it slowly and try not to hold the thread taught.
When sewing, remember to take your time, go easy on that foot pedal and feed the fabric through slowly.
