solveg
 
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MN USA
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Date: 7/29/12 10:52 PM I love seersucker, and as I'm rolling through all the kwik-sew patterns, teaching myself to sew, I bought like 15 yards of this from Michael's Fabrics for $4.50/yard. It is beautiful, beautiful fabric... but as I prewashed it tonight and re-rolled it on the cardboard, it occurred to me that it is HORIZONTAL stripes. I didn't think such a thing existed.
So is this right, what I'm seeing? The stripes go lengthwise on the bolt, from end to end. The fold is opposite direction of the stripes. If I lay my robe down on it, let's say with the back on the fold, I will have horizontal stripes!!!!!
Soooo.... can I cut things on the cross-wise grain, or will things hang funny? Will it look totally bizarro to have horizontal seersucker? I have a TON of it. What's weird is that seersucker is made by creating slack in the warp yarns, so by definition the stripes would be on grain, right? So maybe seersucker is only made so that the limit in length is 60 inches, and you use it backwards off the bolt?
Is this where I yell "Luuuuuuucy" in a cuban accent?
Here's the link to the fabric I bought, but in a different colorway. Actually, I got this colorway, too, but in a smaller amount and it's the same stripe direction.
seersucker
end of bolt
more zoomed out
-- Edited on 7/29/12 11:43 PM -- |
solveg
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Date: 7/30/12 0:11 AM I'm thinking about this wrong, right?
Seersucker is made with some warp threads tight and some loose. This creates the stripes and the puckers. Therefore, all seersucker is by definition vertical.
However, it is on the bolt horizontal, which means that--- I don't know, I'm confused...I always thought that grain line = length= warp yarn.
I can't find a single reference to this problem anywhere, and not a photo of it on the bolt. I did find a photo of it cut, with the fold line in the fabric visible, and it was horizontal, like mine.
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a7yrstitch
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TX USA
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 1 member likes this.
Date: 7/30/12 0:56 AM Men's Trousers
Looks like this was much sought after by the fellows around 2007, 2008. So, maybe you did buy horizontal seersucker. If it looks like, acts like, it quacks, right?
You have enough fabric to play with. You've already prewashed it. Cut a couple of nice big samples and finish off the edges so you can abuse it a little in the laundry and tug and pull at it to see if the grain easily distorts.
------
I have no idea what Apple thought I was saying so be a Peach and credit anything bizarre to auto correct. |
solveg
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1 member likes this. Well, now I know it exists! But it seems unlikely to me. It was made in Italy, and used by Tom Ford. I don't think he'd go so trendy.
It's very weird looking, isn't it.
I don't like it horizontal. Can I cut on the crossgrain? If that IS a crossgrain. I still think the stripe has to be the length. Oh-wait--that's why you say I should abuse it in the wash... to see if it's safe to cut on the crossgrain...?
I can always sew on the bias, I guess.
-- Edited on 7/30/12 1:37 AM -- |
a7yrstitch
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Date: 7/30/12 2:01 AM Yup, abuse the samples. Wash and dry the samples with rugged stuff. Find a dog and play tug of war with it and wash again to see if the grain will stay straight (when you rotate 90 degrees to cut) and if it will bag weirdly when stretched.
I bet that it is really nice fabric.
Check this, JohannaO has some good comments on rotating the fabric and cutting perpendicular to the grainline. (the longer post at the bottom)
Seersucker ------
I have no idea what Apple thought I was saying so be a Peach and credit anything bizarre to auto correct. |
nancy2001
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Date: 7/30/12 2:20 AM Why don't you simply cut a simple garment on the cross grain and see how you like it. If that doesn't work for you, then just use the fabric for muslins. As a rule, it's best to buy large amounts of fabric only after you've received swatches and know exactly what you're getting. ------
The essence of life is statistical improbability on a colossal scale.
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petro
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FRANCE
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1 member likes this. How about cutting a garment with the stripes going diagonal ( bias cut) or forming a chevron, like a flare would. Or something with a side drape which will pull the stripes into a knot or bow? Diagonals are very flattering. ------
so many patterns, clamouring to be sewn
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arianamaniacs
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AUSTRIA
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Date: 7/30/12 5:48 AM I'd also recommend to bite the bullet and see if you like it by cutting on the cross-wise grain. Go for a small project first like a shell to see how it feels. |
solveg
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MN USA
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2 members like this. Yes, thanks for all the input! I have the fabric, I may as well learn about grain with it. It's also hard to believe it truly is horizontal, so I bet I'll be alright. If not, there's bias, and if I get tired of that, my bedroom at the cabin needs curtains! Expect to see a lot of seersucker in my pattern reviews for a while.
BTW: even if I had ordered swatches, I don't think I would have realized this problem until I got some actual yardage. If it even is a problem. I keep expecting someone who works at a fabric store to say "that's normal" because it's "shirting" material or something. |
grey ann
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NY USA
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Date: 7/30/12 11:49 AM I like Petro's suggestion. It would make a cute summer dress with a flared skirt. |
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