5 Tips on How to Choose the Right Fabric for Your Project

When you’re sitting down for a crafting project, choosing the right fabric is one of the most important steps. The wrong fabric can completely take away from your project and result in a reworking. Luckily for you, there are usually several fabrics that will end up working perfectly for your pattern. Whether it’s making a clothing item or a piece for a quilt, we’ve laid out some important tips on how to choose the right fabric for your project.

Follow Suggestions

If you’re a beginner, your best bet for a successful project is to get a pattern and follow it to a T. It’s best to stick with the fabric that your pattern designer calls for since they’re the expert. The various fabrics that the pattern calls for will have significant qualities (stretch, drape, and weight) that work best for the pattern. Choosing a fabric outside of that realm can result in a patchy project.

Understand Your Skill Level

It’s incredibly important to recognize that every fabric is different in its difficulty level. A fabric like satin will require more advanced sewing skills as it’s not as durable as something like cotton. Therefore, if you’re a beginner, it’s best to choose cotton. It’s 100% biodegradable and typically inexpensive, thus making it great for beginners who may not be sure if this fabric is right for them.

Utilize All Your Senses

When you’re in a store looking for fabrics, make sure to take them in with all of your senses. It may sound strange, but frequently people will get a fabric because it looks pretty, when in reality, it’s scratchy or it makes a curious noise when rubbed together. If you’re searching online and find a fabric you adore, go into a nearby store and see if they have one similar so you can decide if it’s a good match for your project.

See What It’s Made Of

Depending on your personal preference, you’ll want to check and see what makes up the fabric. Something may feel like cotton but may end up going through a chemical treatment. This may not necessarily affect the quality of the project but is important to keep in mind as you go forward with other projects.

Consider What the Fabric is For

When you’re trying to decide on a fabric, you need to constantly be thinking about what you’re making the piece for. When it comes to garments, you’ll want to consider the weather the piece you’re making will encounter. If you want to make a winter sweater, then fabrics such as wool would work better than cotton. A sundress, however, would call for a lightweight fabric.

For projects that will remain indoors, you’ll want to keep a few other aspects in mind. Consider who the project is for, what room it will reside in, and if it needs to follow a specific design scheme. For example, if you’re making a special Canada-themed quilt for your grandmother, this would call for a special fabric—Oh Canada quilting fabric would be an excellent choice.

There are a few different things you’ll need to consider as you begin your crafting project. To ensure you’re off to a good start, head to our fabric collection.