Sewing Velvet - The Sewing Workshop

Sewing Velvet
By Linda Lee
1
Velvet for Everyday?
Originally reserved for
eveningwear, velvet has made
its way into our everyday
fashion vocabulary.
With new techniques available
to the home sewer, the
intimidation factor is gone,
and we can now enjoy velvet’s
beauty and benefits any time.
Erin at work in her stretch velvet Joplin Pullover
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Velvet Vocabulary
Velvet is woven with an extra
set of warp yarns which form
a pile.
Originally made of silk, velvet
is now available in cotton,
rayon, acetate, polyester and
blends.
The cloth may be marked as
silk velvet on the bolt, but
100% pure silk velvet is
prohibitively priced. It is more
likely to have a rayon backing
with a silk pile and is referred
to as rayon/silk velvet.
Rayon/silk Velvet
100% Silk Velvet
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Velvet Varieties
Burnt-out velvet (devoré) is
made using two different
yarns with a pattern effect
produced by destroying one
of the yarns in a printing
process that employs
chemicals instead of color.
Burnt-out Velvet
Crushed velvet is pressed in
different directions to create
a pattern with various color
shades.
Cut Velvet
Cut velvet is woven on a
jacquard loom to create a
distinct pattern in pile on a
plain background.
Crushed Velvet
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Velvet Varieties
Panné velvet is a long-pile
velvet that is flattened during
the finishing process so that
the pile lies in a uniform
direction resulting in a
shimmering, lustrous
appearance.
Panné Velvet
Velour is a fabric that is
commonly knitted, similar to
velvet, but has a thicker pile. It
is primarily used in
leisurewear.
Velour
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Velvet vs. Velveteen
True velvet is made with a
warp pile and velveteen is
made with a filling pile.
When folded with the wrong
sides together, velvet will
“break” on the crossgrain,
and velveteen on the
lengthwise grain.
Velvet will unravel on the
lengthwise grain and
velveteen on the crossgrain.
Velveteen Soho Coat
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Styles and Patterns
Due to the nature of the
velvet pile, stitching lines
tend to show.
Choose styles that minimize
design details such as
darts, seams, buttonholes
and topstitching.
Keep garments simple, from
semi-fitted to loose-fitting.
Crushed velvet Stella Top
Gathers, soft folds and
drapey styles are better
than fitted and contoured.
Shapes Three Fold Vest
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Cutting and Marking
Velvet has a definite nap.
Run your hand over the
fabric. If the nap is going
down, the velvet will look
darker.
Generally, velvet garments
are cut with the nap going
down. But it’s your choice.
Just be consistent! Use a
sliver of soap or a chalk
marker on the wrong side of
the fabric to mark the
direction of the nap.
Tailor’s Chalk
8
Oops! This top was cut with the
nap going in opposite directions.
Cutting and Marking
Lay the fabric as a single
layer with the wrong side of
the fabric facing up, so you
are laying the pattern pieces
on the fabric backing.
Dressmaker’s Pencil
(I prefer white)
Silk Thread
Use silk thread and tailor’s
tacks or dressmaker’s
pencils to mark dots and
other necessary interior
markings.
Make small snips into the
seam allowance for notches
along the pattern edges.
No tracing wheels, please!
Tailor’s Tack
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Sewing Tips
No amount of pinning or
basting will keep velvet
from shifting and moving in
both directions when
sewing a seam. Grrrr!
Here are some of the classic
tips that have been passed
down over time on how to
sew seams in velvets and
other napped fabrics.
But read on ― there’s new
information!
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Sewing Tips
While all of the classic tips are
useful to know, there’s a better
way now!
Use temporary spray adhesive
to hold seams in place before
sewing.
Simply spray a line of adhesive
along the right side of the
seamline of one fabric piece.
Then stitch the seam. No pins!
If you don’t get the pieces
positioned perfectly the first
time, pull the fabrics away from
one another and try again.
KK2000 by Sulky
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505 by OESD
Sewing Tips
Use universal or sharp machine
needles ― sizes 75/11 or 80/12.
100% Cotton Thread
Use good quality 100% cotton
or silk thread.
Always stitch in the direction that
the pile lies down.
Heavy Cord
Minimize bulk by trimming and
grading. Slash darts through the
center to press open.
WRONG SIDE
When gathering, sew two rows
of basting stitches using heavy
cord in the bobbin. Pull the
bobbin cord to gather the fabric.
Two rows of basting
equals soft gathers
12
Seam Finishes
Some of the finest and most
expensive designer garments do
not have a seam finish and are
left raw-edged. This is the
flattest and least bulky.
3-Thread Serging
Experiment with a serged edge.
A three-thread stitch formation
may not grip and tend to “fall
off” the edge. A four-thread
serged edge may work better.
4-Thread Serging
Tulle-wrapped edge
A version of the Hong Kong
finish using tulle mesh fabric to
wrap the raw edges is an option.
Raw edge
13
Edge Finish
When sewing a slippery fabric
to a velvet, it is important to
understitch in order to favor
the velvet to the outside.
Pickstitch
Using a hand pickstitch
(sometimes referred to as
prickstitch) not only
understitches the edge but is
beautiful, too.
Make some silk-lined velvet
scarves using pickstitches
along the edges.
Tulle-wrapped edge
A pickstitch is a variation of the backstitch. The needle
is carried back only one or two threads, forming a tiny
surface stitch with a reinforced understitch.
Raw edge
14
Hem Finishes
Before hemming a velvet
garment, let it hang for 24 hours,
giving it time to relax. Remeasure and re-cut the hem
length if necessary.
A simple hem is best. Turn it up
and stitch using a catchstitch by
hand or a machine blindstitch.
For longer garments, interface
the hem using bias-cut cotton
flannel. Catchstitch the top and
bottom edges of the interfacing
to the wrong side of the velvet
before folding the hem in place
and stitching again.
Applying strips of bias-cut flannel interfacing with a
catchstitch along the hem edges keeps the hem soft.
15
Pressing
Pressing velvet is delicate work.
It is easy to mar the fabric with
an iron, so never allow the iron
to touch the fabric. Steam and
finger pressing only!
A good reason not to let
the iron touch the fabric!
Use a needle board next to the
pile when pressing.
Or better yet, cover your entire
ironing surface with a large
piece of heavy, course fabric
such as mohair, velveteen or
frieze.
Dritz Needle Board
Cotton and wool mohair upholstery
fabric by Donghia.
16
Long Term Care
After wearing a velvet
garment, hang it in a steamy
bathroom. Most of the
wrinkles will hang out.
Use a stiff brush such as a
nap and lint brush to eliminate
the shine caused by sitting.
Tell your dry cleaners to
steam your garment, not
press it.
Silk/rayon velvet Verona Jacket
Sew hanger loops into
waistbands and shoulder
seam to avoid hanger marks.
Nap and Lint Brush
http://www.wardrobesupplies.com/products/
lint-and-nap-brush-brass-and-horsehair-combo
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Sewing Velvet
By Linda Lee
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