rina
Beginner
TX USA
Member since 6/21/04
Posts: 12 |
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Date: 12/16/12 9:31 AM Good Morning Everyone,
I wanted to know a good website or book where I can learn about fabric?
A recent Dallas transplant and learning all the fabric stores. Just to let you everyone know, Dallas has great fabric stores, i mean awesome. I am still tryng to learn the names of the fabric. The reason i dont know, is because not all the fabric is on panel. there are tables and tables of fabric. Which is great, but its not listed?
I have a good idea of what I am buying, but just would like to get better with my skills.
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Montarville
Advanced Beginner
ON CANADA
Member since 2/22/11
Posts: 109 |
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Date: 12/16/12 10:08 AM I have two books on fabrics. One is Fabric Guide, by Simplicity. It has zoomed-in colored pictures of different fabrics to help identify them. It also has a few tips on how to sew them. For me, it was an excellent starting point to learn about fabrics.
The other is Claire Shaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide. This one has a lot more information. Fabrics are classified by fiber content, fabric structure and fabric types. There is a lot of information on how to care for the fabric, how to sew it, how to use it, etc. I bought this book when I started to sew and knew next to nothing about fabric (I confess, I thought satin was a kind of fiber, like silk or cotton). There was too much information in there, I couldn't use the book well. Now that I know more about fabrics and can identify them more easily (because of above-mentioned book and experience slowly kicking in), I think the book is fantastic. |
CathrynR
 
Intermediate
NH USA
Member since 6/26/08
Posts: 703 |
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Date: 12/16/12 12:52 PM In learning about fabric, you will have to keep two categories separate. 1. fabric type vs. 2. type of weave. i.e. type of weave "twill" but there are silk twills, wool twills, etc. |
Judy Kski
Intermediate
FL USA
Member since 10/26/08
Posts: 1020 |
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 2 members like this. Julie Parker is the author of a Fabric Reference Series:
1. "All About Silk: A Fabric Dictionary & Swatchbook"
2. "All About Cotton: A Fabric Dictionary & Swatchbook"
3. "All About Wool: A Fabric Dictionary & Swatchbook"
You receive the splined book along with fabric swatches that you attach to the appropriate page which lists pertinent data about each one including different types of that fabric, Sewing Difficulty, and Wearability. Other than going to a fabric store and doing your own research, buying these books is one of the best ways to get a "hands-on" education about fabric.
-- Edited on 12/16/12 5:33 PM -- ------
Judy |
Nancy K
Advanced
NY USA
Member since 12/28/04
Posts: 7590 |
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Date: 12/16/12 6:38 PM I have Sandra Betzina's Fabric Savvy book which I like for it's user friendly layout. Shaeffer's book may have more information but I think that, especially for a beginner, Betzina's book is easier to use and understand. There is a lot of very practical information.
If you really want to know fabrics, I'd buy the book and start collecting as many fabric samples as you can. Internet fabric stores have either free or low cost samples available. ------
www.nancyksews.blogspot.com |
KathySews
Advanced Beginner
MI USA
Member since 10/1/06
Posts: 2898 |
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Date: 12/16/12 6:56 PM Also, start making your own reference binder of fabric swatches. Save them from your projects, with notes so you know what you liked and did not like. You can also buy swatches from many online stores to get some samples of fabrics you are interested in. |
SandiMacD
Intermediate
FL USA
Member since 2/8/09
Posts: 1055 |
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Date: 12/21/12 2:51 AM And then there's the PR classes by Sarah V on all the types and variation of wools, knits, silks, slinky, etc. You get the samples of 100's of fabrics between them all plus have lessons galore and Sarah's personal responses. ------
re-living my youth through sewing... |
rosehatten
Intermediate
MD
Member since 9/15/05
Posts: 97 |
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Date: 12/21/12 5:18 AM Hi rina,
You might also want to take a look at FabricMart's Julie's Pick swatch club. They send monthly swatch sets with a considerable amount of information about the fabric, even suggested patterns. That way you can feel the fabrics, test the stretch of knits, and so on.
I think it's about $50 for a year, with a $25 coupon off a fabric order, so not too expensive--about 50 cents a week. There might be some other perks if you are a FabricMart shopper.
Rose |
Karla Kizer
Advanced
FL USA
Member since 4/8/02
Posts: 6989 |
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Date: 12/21/12 8:08 AM Take advantage of any swatch offers you see on line, and examine the samples closely - look at them, touch them, crunch them up to see how they react. Read pattern reviews and look at the pictures of completed garments, making mental notes about the fabrics used. Eventually, you'll be able to make educated guesses about the unlabeled cuts you find on remnant tables. And don't believe everything you read on the bolts at Hancock's and Joann's! ------
“Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig.” -Robert Heinlein and Ann's father. Thanks for the reminder, Ann.
Where are we going, and what am I doing in this handbasket?
Matthew 25:40 (New International Version)
The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
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charid dawn
Beginner
Member since 1/3/13
Posts: 24 |
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Date: 1/11/13 4:25 PM I found this website textile talk. No pictures though. |
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