Cotton dress fabrics are natural cotton fibre fabrics that are most suitable for dressmaking. They are light and bright, a real must-have for summer garments. However, some heavier cottons are perfect for cooler climates.
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When you buy a fabric, everything matters. Its colour and design, the way it drapes and how it matches your skin tone. The choice is tough, be it a textile showroom or an online fabric shop.
In summer , we have seen lots of boho maxi dresses, amazing sheer embroidered gowns and striped shirtdresses made of pure cotton. What’s the news for the upcoming season? Read on to find it out! We will also shed light on cotton properties and types to help you select a proper cotton dress fabric.
Cotton is a 100% natural fibre as it comes from the cotton plant. Used in all life spheres and made at every price point, it is probably the most common fabric. At least 1 piece of clothing you are wearing right now has cotton in its structure.
Cotton fabrics are all-purpose and easy-to-use. They are:
On the other hand, cotton fabrics:
Lightweight cotton fabrics come in a variety of weights from sheer to semi-sheer. You can see lines from the cutting table (or your hand) underneath the sheer fabric. Which means fashionable sheer cotton dresses must be lined with lining fabric. They can also be worn with a camisole or an underbody. Not all lightweight kinds of cotton are sheer. Some darker and/or printed fabrics go with regular lingerie.
Fabrics like cotton gauze and cotton voile fold nicely and make airy dresses with a drapery. A gauze also has some crinkle to it so it is often used for making tunics, tops, swimsuit cover-ups etc. Cotton lawn fabrics are a little more of semi-sheer, closer to opaque. Liberty is probably the most popular and favourite brand. They are super soft and really wearable especially after being washed.
A good example of a shirt weight or light-to-medium weight is cotton chambray. It looks like a denim fabric but with close folds. So it is going to be better for shirts, skirts and our favourite shirt dresses. Quilting cotton and cotton flannel have more body and wider folds than lightweight fabrics. They are used for more structured and fuller garments. A flannel has a brushed finish to it that makes it super-soft.
Don’t forget chino – strong twill fabric with a slight sheen. It is often associated with beige or navy uniforms and work clothes. However, this season safari style is all the rage. Time to wear a chino cotton dress. Khaki is the new black!
The first medium to heavy weight fabric we will talk about is cotton sateen. It has a shiny finish almost like a satin fabric you might use in a bridal gown or a prom dress. It has wider cones or folds, which means that you would want to use it in a little bit more structured garment like a jacket, a sheath dress or a pencil skirt. Due to its shiny finish, it looks casual and elegant at the same time.
Cotton corduroy has cords or ribs going down the fabric. They can be wide or narrow. Corduroy looks good in shirts, trousers and children's clothing. In , it is frequently used for making retro-inspired cord dresses one can wear with a turtleneck. As its folds are much wider, it looks its best when you need more structure.
This chart will give you a quick tip on choosing cotton for your dress project:
We recommend all lightweight cottons to be gently washed and tumble-dried low. Alternatively, you can hang them to dry. It mainly depends on the quality of the fabric. One should remember to handle it with care or it can fray too quickly.
How to care for medium weight fabrics? Because they are a little bit heavier, they can withstand machine washing. In addition, you would like to do tumble-dry or hang dry depending on the quality of your fabric.
Strong, sturdy and durable, medium-to-heavy weight cottons like canvas and chambray can be machine-washed at 40-60°C and hot ironed. Corduroy aka baby cord requires a gentle 40 °C machine wash and warm-hot iron on the wrong side.
There’s nothing more saddening than a dress that doesn’t fit you when you take it out of a washing machine. So please remember to pre-wash and iron your cotton fabric before sewing so it doesn’t shrink.
All the fashionistas looking for an impressive dress that steals the show yet remaining super comfy to wear are highly recommended to check out the range offered by Tissura. At our store, you can buy online cotton dress fabrics by the leading European cotton producers, such as Liberty, Hausammann, Carnet, Cotonificio Albini and many others. To find the desired fabric faster, apply filters by type, print motif, and colour.
Below, we have placed photos of several fabrics from our range to give you a general impression of Tissura collection. To see the entire cotton dress fabric selection, click on the button under the pictures:
Cotton Muslin Fabric — 38.50 € (46.90 US$) per one running metre;
Cotton lawn fabric — 33 € (40 US$) per one running metre;
Fil coupe cotton jacquard — 55 € (67 US$) per one running metre;
Loose weave means there is more space beetween the threads, so these fabrics have a more airy, open structure, and they are more likely to drape, hang, and float on your body. They are also more breathable. A great example is gauze. You can see with your naked eye how the fibers are loosely woven together.
Tight weave means the fibers are woven close together, making it more durable and less stretchy. These fabrics are more likely to maintain their structure when you wear them. Twill, tweed, and satin often have a tight weaves.
Can see any differences in the way these two fabrics hang on a dress form? The one on the left is medium weight with a lot of drape. It's a linen and rayon blend, and the rayon adds drape. The one on the right is medium weight without as much drape. It's 100% cotton.
Weight and drape are two crucial terms to understand when you’re shopping for fabric online. We have an entire detailed article dedicated to them here: How to Buy Fabric Online: Know Your Terms | Weight and Drape.
The weight of a fabric is how much it weighs—how light or heavy it is when you hold it. You will see fabrics described casually as lightweight, medium weight, or heavyweight.
Every fabric also has a specific, numerical weight measured in ounces per square yard (OYS) or grams per square meter (GSM). You’ll find details about all these terms in the article linked above.
So, what do these numbers mean when shopping for fabric for a specific sewing project? Here are some general examples of how you can think about weight for your sewing project:
Drape describes how the fabric hangs on your body—how it falls and folds. It’s often confused with weight, which makes sense because the two are highly correlated.
In other words, heavy fabrics often have less drape, and light fabrics often have more drape.
However, this is not always the case, and the relationship may not be proportional. For a bunch of examples, be sure to read the article mentioned above.
Before shopping, describe the drape you want for your project—you can even write down a few words.
Pick words like fluid, flowy, or clingy if you want a good drape, something that hangs naturally and elegantly, following the contours of your body without clinging or appearing stiff. You'll find good drape in fabrics like silk and rayon.
For less drape, look for words like structured, stiff, tailored, voluminous, crisp, and note that it should have body.
There's another helpful term: body.
In sewing, "body" in fabric means how firm or structured it feels. Fabrics with more body, like denim or wool, hold their shape well and give garments a more defined, sculpted look. Think of a sturdy pair of jeans or a tailored blazer—they keep their shape even when you’re not wearing them.
On the flip side, fabrics with less body, like silk or chiffon, feel lighter and flow more with your body, making them perfect for softer, drapey styles.
If you're looking for a fabric that isn't really drapey but will also hang nicely without looking like quilting cotton, look for the phrase "moderate drape."
Both of the blouses pictured above are the Aims pattern. The one on the left is sewn in a viscose rayon, which has a lot of drape. The one on the right is sewn in a crisp linen, which has less drape.
For more information, please visit Cotton Dressing.
The blouse on the left hangs off the shoulders and the folds of the fabric are more delicate. The blouse on the right shows off the gathering on the shoulders more, because the fabric is sitting away from the dress form. The folds in this shirt are more defined and structured.
You can find clues about a fabric’s drape if there are pictures of it folded, hanging, or gently crumpled on a surface. If you see small, soft folds, the fabric likely has more drape, like in the picture above. This means any garment you make will likely skim your body.
Conversely, if you see large folds—or no folds—the fabric likely has more body and less drape. The folds might also appear more stiff or peaked. This means the fabric will likely maintain its structure and sit away from your body.
As you look at fabrics, ask yourself:
Will the fabric have enough drape to flow the way I want? Are the folds soft and delicate?
Will the fabric have enough stiffness to give the structure and crispness I want? Are the folds more defined, so the fabric has enough body?
If you’re working with knits, stretch and recovery are the most important things to consider.
Many fabric shops will list a stretch percentage for a fabric. This percentage tells you how much the fabric can stretch beyond its original length.
For example, if a fabric has 50% stretch, it means that a 10-inch piece of fabric can stretch an additional 5 inches.
Watch this video: How to Determine Stretch Percentage in Fabric.
This information is crucial, especially for projects like leggings, fitted tops, or activewear, where you need fabric that moves with your body. If your pattern specifies a certain stretch percentage, make sure the fabric you choose matches it to achieve the best fit.
Spandex—sometimes called elastane—is an important fiber for your knit fabric because it provides the elasticity needed for stretch and recovery.
Recovery means that the fabric will not only stretch to fit your shape but will also bounce back to its original form without sagging.
An ideal spandex percentage for good recovery in a knit fabric is typically between 3% and 8%. You’ll have enough elasticity for the fabric to stretch comfortably while ensuring it snaps back into shape.
For activewear or garments that require a lot of stretch and movement, fabrics with a higher spandex content, around 10% or more, will give you optimal recovery without popping at the seams.
When shopping, look for knits that have the right stretch percentage for your project and enough spandex or elastane to give you good recovery.
Not sure what kind of knits you like to wear? Go check your closet. Most of your garment tags will give you fiber contents and percentages.
Since knit fabrics are knit together, not woven, it can help to familiarize yourself with the different knit patterns. This is similar to the weaves mentioned above for woven fabrics.
If you’re a knitter, this part will be easy for you!
Some examples include jersey, which is a single knit. Rib knit, which has ribs from alternating knits and purls, interlock, which is thicker and more stable. You can also find jacquard knits, which like their woven counterparts, have intricate designs.
When buying fabric online, understanding how color and pattern scale appear on screen versus in real life is more of an art than a science. Or rather, it depends on the quality, lighting, angle of the photos, and your screen’s ability to show you the truth.
Computer monitors and screens can alter colors, so it’s important to account for potential discrepancies.
It can be tricky to determine the scale of a print when you’re shopping for fabrics online.
Some stores will include coins or a measuring tape to show you the scale. If not, you can try zooming in to see if the texture or weave of the fabric will give you clues.
You can also sometimes find the dimensions of a print or motif listed in the description. It can help to draw this out so you can visualize it better.
For larger purchases, only a swatch will reveal the pattern’s true size.
One of the best ways to make confident online fabric purchases is by ordering swatches. It’s an extra step and a small extra expense, but it’s safer than spending a bunch of money on yardage that doesn’t work for your project.
Many online fabric stores offer swatches for a small fee or even for free with certain conditions.
When your swatches arrive, check for:
Use swatches to compare different options and decide which one fits your vision best. Take notes on each swatch to remember how it looks and feels—this is especially helpful when you order multiple samples.
Much like book or movie reviews, fabric reviews are often very subjective.
Someone might find wool to be itchy while you might love the texture. You might love the stretchy, comfy feeling of rib knits for leggings, while someone else prefers a strong, stable double knit.
Use fabric reviews the same way that you would Yelp reviews for a new restaurant: take the tips and pointers and leave the extremes.
Look for how other people describe the durability, the color accuracy, how easy it is to work with, and if the fabric shop’s description matches reality.
If you notice consistent feedback, like “the fabric frays easily” or “the color fades after washing," it’s a sign to proceed with caution.
If you’re ever in doubt about any fabric you find online, reach out to the shop. Fabric shops are staffed by people who love sewing as much as you do, so you’ll most likely meet another fabric nerd who can’t wait to help you pick out what to get for your project.
Here are a few other fabric shopping tips that might help you.
Shopping for fabric online can feel overwhelming, but with the entire world’s fabric inventory at your fingertips, it’s an incredibly valuable skill to develop.
Remember to start small, experiment with swatches, and trust your instincts. With time, you’ll build the skills needed to navigate online fabric stores like a pro.
By the way, if this information got you ready to go fabric shopping right now, hop over to this article with a worldwide list of our favorite indie fabric shops. We update it every year!
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