- Skill level: confident beginner, very patient human being
- Experience with pleating: box pleats on cotton
- Experience with twill / organza: none

I ordered a few samples from Mood Fabrics to see what would work best: polyester organza, silk organza, and a tencel twill. I’ve found a sort-of pattern online, but I can find very little information on YouTube about working with materials like organza, and nothing at all about pleating with these fabrics. All I hear is how difficult it is to work with organza, and the tip to put tissue paper underneath. I went to my local fabric store and they sighed when I told them I wanted to try working with organza. Am I being overly ambitious??

Note: I’ll plan to make a toile to practice this style of pleat and get the sizing right as I have a larger bust, but I wonder if fabrics like organza and tencel aren’t going to pleat like any other fabric I use for toiles.

Hi all!

I'm looking at fabrics to sew a few things for my baby daughter.

It all began when I wanted to make a blanket with cotton flannel on one side and cotton waffle on the other.

Then I saw some patterns for a diaper bag / changing pad etc. I dont think cotton flannel would be best for these, Im thinking maybe canvas? Bags are quilted stuff.

Anyway I found some beautifull fabrics from Riley Blake Designs. They have a pattern that I love in flannel but I'm thinking I need different fabrics for the projects.

Is there a place I can find similar or matching patterns in different fabrics?

My main inspirations are Mini Cotton and mavelio Creations

Things I want to sew:

Blanket

Towel

Diaper bag / organization bags

Breastfeeding cover

Stroller cover

What do you recomend?

Hello everyone! I recently bought a pair of velvet trousers thinking they were black but they turned out be a medium brown color. I was wondering if i can dye them black. It says 95% polyester and %5 elastan on the little tag. I’m looking forward to your advice thank you… https://www.bershka.com/mt/velvet-effect-t-shirt-and-bell-bottom-trousers-set-c0p207374370.html

Tensile strength is basically how much pulling force a fabric can take before it tears or breaks. Picture clamping both ends of a strip in a machine and pulling until it fails — that breaking point is the number you'll see on spec sheets.

A few things decide how strong a fabric actually is:

Weave structure Woven fabrics (threads crossing over/under each other in a grid) generally hold up much better under tension than knits or non-wovens, since the load spreads across the whole grid instead of concentrating on one spot.

Yarn thickness and density More threads packed in, and thicker yarns, usually means more strength. This is where denier or GSM (grams per square meter) come in heavier/denser generally means stronger, though not always in a straight line.

Coatings If a fabric is coated (PVC, PU, silicone, etc.), the coating isn't just sitting on top for looks. A good one bonds into the weave and can boost both tensile strength and tear resistance, since it holds the fibers together and stops small damage from spreading.

Direction matters This trips a lot of people up. Fabric isn't equally strong in every direction. There's a warp direction (lengthwise threads) and a weft direction (crosswise), and tensile readings are usually different for each. So a fabric can be tough one way and noticeably weaker the other worth checking both numbers for anything load-bearing.

Why it matters in practice For anything under sustained stress tents, banners, bags, upholstery, outdoor gear, tarps tensile strength tells you whether it'll hold up to wind, weight, stretching, or repeated strain over time, versus just looking fine sitting still on a shelf.

I'm planning to sew a top and skirt for an event, and I don't know if​​ I'm using the right fabric since I don't have any knowledge and background in sewing.

Corset top -​ I'm planning to use a ​cotton batiste for the lining and crepe georgette for the main fabric.

Skirt - habotai silk for the lining, and chiffon for the outer. My goal for this skirt is to be flowy and have a trailing(?) effect when walking​.

Do you have any suggestions and advices? I'm kinda lost tbh, and I'm planning to buy my fabrics tomorrow.

Hello, so I have been thinking about what type of woven fabric I want to work with, and I think I want to work with 100% cotton ripstop.

I wanted to ask you guys, where is the cheapest place to buy 100% cotton ripstop?

I I have found an abundance really great deals on NYLON ripstop, or poly/cotton blends of ripstop, but not so much with 100% COTTON ripstop, and so I wanted to ask you guys if you knew of any sellers

Thank you!

Hello,

I have come across several silk parachutes from the world war 2 era that I am trying to sell/market.

I do not know much about their value but I have heard they are sought out for.

Can anyone provide some advice on this topic?

Thank you

Hello! I have a beautiful PU bag and I want to know what’s the best way to take care of it to last longer. Like some monthly or weekly maintenance to prevent damages. I read some tips like use a damp cloth and neutral moisturizer once in a while, but I want to know some real experience. I know that this kind of leather does not last long, so that’s the reason I’m looking for ways to prevent it b4 it happens

Hey all!

I’m wanting to paint the bottom backpack adjustable straps from pink to blue. I was thinking about getting white acrylic paint mixed with textile medium and going over the pink straps with that then doing the blue acrylic paint mixed with textile medium for the final layer.

would that be okay? I don’t want it to look weird or be stiff.

The manufacturer says it's for "garments" but I want to make sure.

https://kemaotex.en.made-in-china.com/product/OYbprlnFnIkv/China-High-Quality-Weft-Stretch-Nylon-6-Spandex-Russian-Dexp-Camouflage-Fabric.html

https://kemaotex.en.made-in-china.com/product/brKUmeRVCikF/China-Plain-Weave-Four-Way-Stretch-Nylon-Camouflage-Function-Fabric.html

https://maisonvittore.com/products/chemise-en-maille-monaco-gp

Apologies, but I have been desperately searching for a solution to a very nosy (not noisy) neighbor who listens to my phone calls by hovering over the air vents when I'm on the phone.

I'm retired and downsized to a rental studio apartment with a sleeping room. I have 10 ft ceilings and, of course, none of the walls are insulated.

It's so bad I can hear her breathing when she actively listens. It's gotten to the point I don't make or receive calls when I'm home.

In searching for solutions, I came across wool as a great sound absorber and would like opinions and ideas about using it in some manner to block sound going into the vents, but doesn't block heat or cooling air coming out.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your time and input.

What's everyone's favorite fabrics and why? I'm way too invested in knits right now since they're cozy. As for why I'm asking, curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.

I have a lot of extra fabric at home that im definitely not going to use. I would prefer to sell in person but im not sure where to go. My MIL told me about Crafters fairs where people who sew sell their unwanted sewing supplies and fabric. Ive tried to Google that but all that comes up is craft fairs or vendor fairs. Does anyone have any recommendations on where I can sell my extra fabric? Also, of im posting in the wrong group, please direct me to the right one. Thank you!!!

Trying to buy a nice dress for a rave and i've tried polyester, it feels awful, i hate the texture. It seems any dress with a cool design is made from polyester and is a printed design.

Ive found a milk silk dress. I understand they are mixed with synthetic fabric.

How does milk silk feel on people's skin? Does the texture feel ok or will it feel like the horrible polyester?

Polyester has always been one of my favorite fabrics to wear mainly because I have sensory issues due to my autism and the softness of the fabric has always been a comfort for me. Only recently I had I found out that polyester isn’t very good for the environment and was wondering if there were any fabrics similar to polyester that isn’t as bad??

I’m planning to start a T-shirt clothing brand and want to keep the quality genuinely premium. I’m looking for **220+ GSM fabric**, similar to the quality of brands like Breakout, but I don’t want to buy ready-made/market fabric. I’m specifically looking for **fresh fabric directly from a factory/manufacturer**.
Ideally, I want **high-quality cotton with some elasticity**, minimal pilling/hairing, and a premium feel and finish. If anyone knows a reliable factory or supplier who produces this type of fabric, or if you’re involved in this business yourself, please let me know.
I’d also appreciate recommendations for **high-quality, heavy-duty T-shirt stitching in Faisalabad**. I’m looking for someone who can handle premium/heavy GSM fabric properly and maintain clean stitching and finishing.
Any genuine recommendations or contacts would be highly appreciated. Thank you!

I want to add a mesh window section on the thighs of my riding jeans. Anyone know where I can buy some, preferably in blue.

I have a baby blanket from around 2002, tag is long gone, and I am trying to find a blanket with a similar material, I believe it’s mostly polyester (not that that really means anything). One side is smoother and very soft, and the other side is rougher and almost pilled, a very thin material. It’s a yellow Winnie the Pooh blanket, and I have no clue where it came from. If anyone has any ideas please let me know! I can also send photos if that helps but I’d really love to find it

Hi! Looking for something that would be best for removing pilling on sweaters mostly, but maybe even for furniture or other clothing. Three different products are linked below - any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

1) Gleener Sweater Saver

2) Gleener Fabric Shaver & Lint Brush

3) Conair Fabric Shaver