The beauty of dressmaking lies in the many ways you can attack this hobby. There are loads of fabrics and materials to help you make stunning dresses in various styles and looks. However, if you’re looking for the best dressmaking fabric, cotton has to be right up there. You’ll find different types of cotton fabric to use when making dresses; some are ideal for specific scenarios or certain projects. What makes cotton fabric such a popular choice – and how many varieties are there?
What is Cotton Fabric?
Cotton fabric is the world’s most popular fabric and has been used for generations, dating back to 5000 BC when cotton plant seeds are cultivated for clothing and textiles in India. This fabric is characterised by its softness and is made entirely of organic compounds. Cotton fibers appear fluffy from the plant and are carded into long strands that are spun rapidly to make yarn. Cotton yarn is treated and dyed before being woven into the typical cotton fabric material available at Discount Fabrics Ltd for dressmaking. Read more about why is cotton fabric so popular by – Clicking here
Generally, most cotton fabric types are highly versatile and flexible due to a high degree of breathability, extreme softness, medium stretchiness and easy maintenance. That’s what makes them such excellent choices for dresses!
Overview of Different Types of Cotton Fabric
Plain cotton fabric serves as an option for dressmaking, but it often blends with other materials or woven in different ways to improve its qualities. Various types of cotton fabric offer unique qualities, making them ideal for different dress styles. Here are some of the most common ones you’ll encounter when sewing dresses.
Cotton Lawn for Dressmaking
When cotton is made, the yarns can be tightly woven with a high thread count. This creates what we know as cotton lawn fabric. It’s a unique style of cotton fabric with a much lighter look and feel. There’s a slight transparency to cotton lawn and it maintains the typical softness and breathability of cotton. As a consequence, it’s many dressmakers’ number-one choice for summer dresses. Cotton lawn fabric feels lovely to wear and is very cool (temperature-wise) lending itself beautifully to flowy dresses with a delightful drape.
Cotton Jersey Fabric for Dressmaking
The big difference between cotton jersey fabric and other cotton fabric types is that this is a knitted fabric. This method means cotton jersey fabric is much stretchier than other fabric types and can be more flexible. It’s still soft and breathable, but can now be stretched and returned to the same shape. That makes it a fine choice for wrap dresses or any dress type that hugs your figure. You can also get cotton jersey mixed with elastane for even more stretchiness.
Cotton Linen Fabric for Dressmaking
Cotton linen fabric for dressmaking is a woven blend combining cotton and flax fibres. It’s normally around 65% cotton and 35% linen, though the ratios can vary. This fabric is very lightweight and benefits from impressive moisture-wicking properties. Cotton linen actively wicks moisture away from your body, helping to regulate temperature, making it ideal for dresses in warm climates or for wearing over long periods. Its added rigidity and structure work well when crafting tailored dresses that are designed to fit the body.
Cotton Poplin for Dressmaking
The main difference between cotton poplin and other types of cotton fabric is the way it’s woven. Cotton poplin has a tight weave that creates very fine horizontal ribs in the fabric. This makes it feel a lot more prestigious and high-end. You’ll often see this material used when making dress shirts and it lends well to dyes so comes in lots of patterns and styles. The finely ribbed style means it’s perfect if you want to make a long shirt-style dress but it’s also great for more formal and polished A-line dresses. We think the quality of cotton poplin (mixed with its natural comfort and breathability) makes it perfect for daily work dresses. If you want a dress that looks professional but feels comfortable, you can make a lovely tailored one from cotton poplin.
Brushed Cotton for Dressmaking
Most woven cotton fabrics undergo a finishing process that leaves them as smooth as possible. Brushed cotton fabric changes this. Metal brushes are used to specifically raise the cotton fibres and fluff up the surface. It makes brushed cotton a much softer and fluffier material than all other cotton – akin to cashmere in many respects, but a lot more affordable. Fluffing up the fibres also means brushed cotton is warmer and more insulative. For this reason, it’s best suited for winter or autumn dresses when added insulation helps maintain the right body temperature. It still works well for various dress styles, as it retains the versatility of traditional cotton and is easy to manipulate while sewing.
Cotton Drill for Dressmaking
Cotton drill is heavier than most cotton fabric types and is known for its added durability. This comes from the diagonal weave in the material bringing a new wave of structure to the fabric. It was traditionally chosen for workwear and uniforms but has now become a very popular dressmaking fabric. The robust nature of cotton drill – combined with its fun texture – means it makes great utility dresses or trench dresses. If you’re looking to make any type of structured dress, this could be the fabric for you. We also think the weight of it makes it better for autumn/winter dresses – it’s slightly too heavy to wear during the warmer months and will make you too sweaty.
Striped Cotton Fabric for Dressmaking
With striped cotton fabric, you’ve got a traditional cotton material with different types of stripes woven into it. These can be pinstripes, thicker stripes and so on. The stripes can be curved or straight and it gives the fabric a very unique look. As a result, it’s one of the best types of cotton fabric for dressmaking due to the fun designs you can create. If you want a pinstripe formal dress for work or an evening dinner, this is a brilliant choice. Alternatively, you can make some very bright and colourful striped summer dresses. The striped cotton fabric looks gorgeous when used to make a traditional A-line dress in the midi or mini-length. One other benefit of striped cotton fabric is the way the stripes play with the wearer’s figure. Horizontal stripes give the optical illusion of a much slimmer and taller body. It’s highly flattering and great when you want a confidence boost!
Cotton Velvet for Dressmaking
We stock wonderful cotton velvet dressmaking fabric in the UK and it’s one of our favourite textiles. Like many different types of cotton fabric, cotton velvet uses a special weave to give it intriguing properties. This material uses a pile weave which creates the typical “velvety” look and feel you know and love. It has a luxuriously soft finish with a smooth sheen and drapes wonderfully when used for dresses.
Cotton velvet dressmaking fabric is a fabulous choice for loads of projects. The thickness and softness lend themselves to winter or evening dresses very well. We recommend it for Christmas party dresses as dark green or red velvet looks perfectly festive! You can also use velvet fabric to craft beautifully bespoke dinner party dresses when you want to look quite formal and classy. That’s the key appeal of this fabric; it makes your dresses look more luxurious and opulent. If you want to turn heads, velvet is the way to go.
How to Choose the Right Cotton Fabric for Your Dressmaking Project
As you’ve now seen, there are many types of cotton fabric for clothing and dresses. Each one is unique in its own way and this makes it excellent when used to make different dresses. How do you choose the right cotton fabric for your dressmaking project? We’ll preface this by saying there aren’t any right or wrong answers here – it’s largely down to what feels the best for you and what’s the most comfortable. With that said, you can follow a few simple tips to filter through the fabrics and land on the ideal one for your next project:
Decide what the dress is for
What’s the purpose of your new dress? Are you making it to give as a present to a family member’s child or is it an evening gown you need to wear to a fancy dinner party? Is there a wedding coming up and you want a nice dress to wear or are you simply creating something casual to wear every day?
All of these questions determine which cotton fabrics are better by default. For example, if you’re making a dress for a child, it needs to be durable, comfortable and pretty flexible. Cotton jersey is perfect for this as it stretches and won’t rip when the child is running around climbing on everything. By contrast, a luxury cotton velvet dress is better for evening gowns while you may prefer the lightness and breathability of cotton lawn for a daily summer dress.
Evaluate the seasons
The previous point bleeds into this one; what season is the dress for? If you’re starting a project for a winter dress, you need fabrics that are comforting and keep you warm. Brushed cotton, cotton velvet and cotton drill are the best-in-class for these properties. On the other side of the spectrum, you’ve got cotton poplin, cotton linen and striped cotton to go with cotton lawn for the best summer dressmaking fabrics. All are very lightweight and easy to wear – cotton linen especially is great at cooling you down with its moisture-wicking properties.
Understand the style of your dress
Lastly, know what style of dress you intend on making. Those of you looking to create a structured dress that holds its shape should pick cotton drill or cotton poplin. Anyone who wants a dress that conforms to the body will be better off choosing cotton jersey fabric. Cotton velvet and brushed cotton are more suited to cosier dresses with a lovely drape, almost like gowns. The style tells you a lot about which fabric properties you need, which helps you work out what to pick.
Common Questions About Cotton Fabric for Dressmaking
We get questions about cotton fabric types all the time, so here are a few you might want to know the answers to:
Soft Cotton Fabric is also called
Soft cotton fabric typically called brushed cotton. It is much softer than regular cotton because the fibers are brushed to raise them, creating a fluffier texture. Soft cotton also appears in muslin, although it typically isn’t used for dressmaking.
What Type of Fabric is Cotton?
People often ask what fabric type is cotton and we can describe it as a natural cellulosic fibre. It’s commonly classified by fabric experts as a staple fibre and remains completely organic since it comes directly from the cotton plant.
In conclusion, you’ll have lots of different types of cotton fabric for dressmaking to pick from. Each one exhibits its own set of properties and benefits that could make it better for some projects and worse for others. Refer to our earlier tips to know which one is the best for your next dressmaking adventure. Think about why or where you’ll wear the dress, consider what season it will be and ponder the style you’re hoping to achieve. You’ll end up with a specific list of properties or characteristics you need from your cotton fabric, which will immediately tell you which ones are the right choices!
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