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Member since 4/21/07
Posts: 14
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Posted on: 4/30/07 6:12 AM ET
I'm about to embark on the madness that is finding fabric for(and eventually sewing ) a one seam convertible dress. I've yet to actually shop but I'd like to know if there's a way to tell how much stretch a fabric has by touch. Or is it marked on the bolt?

At some point I might make more of this dress and if I see something really pretty online I'd like to know what I'm getting in terms of stretch based on the fabric's online description. Also if anyone's made this dress with stretchy fabric, what % of stretch would you recommend?
-- Edited on 4/30/07 6:13 AM --
  
Member since 3/2/04
Posts: 2073
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Posted on: 4/30/07 7:52 AM ET
I'm not familiar with the one seam dress, but I can help with the knit %.

If you're looking at fabric in a store, you can take it to the cutting table. Measure 10 inches, then pull to see how far it will comfortably stretch. If it will stretch to 15 inches, the knit has 50% stretch. If it will pull out to only 13 inches, it has 30% stretch. See how using 10 inches makes it easy to determine the percentage?

Sometimes knits have their % of stretch marked on the bolt, but not always.

Online shopping...I'd drop them a note and ask what % of stretch the fabric has, if it doesn't say.

Patterns that require knit fabric, really should say on the pattern envelope what % of stretch is needed.

HTH :)

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Ardis

the lefthanded daughter of a lefthanded mother
  
Member since 3/2/04
Posts: 2073
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Posted on: 4/30/07 8:10 AM ET
p.s. generally speaking, the stretch of a knit fabric is usually about the crossgrain stretch [from selvage to selvage]...that's because the crossgrain corresponds to the width of the garment. The width of the garment allows for stretch across the shoulders, and around the bust/waist/hips, for comfort.

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Ardis

the lefthanded daughter of a lefthanded mother
  
Member since 4/11/02
Posts: 10809
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Posted on: 4/30/07 8:12 AM ET
One seam dress
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"I base my fashion sense on what doesn't itch." — Gilda Radner
http://stitchesandseams.blogspot.com
  
Member since 10/18/04
Posts: 484
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Posted on: 4/30/07 9:01 AM ET
In reply to SewVeryTall
What a great tip to stretch 10" of fabric! So much easier to calculate the % of stretch that way.

Anne
  
Member since 4/21/07
Posts: 14
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Posted on: 4/30/07 9:26 AM ET
Oh yes, that makes a lot of sense to me, and helps alot! Thank you:)
  
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