A Guide to Picking Fabric for New or Non-Sewists

Whether you’re an experienced seamstress or have never sewn a stitch, picking fabric for a dress can be daunting. There’s so much to consider. Here’s a step by step guide to make the process easier, and maybe even fun.

1. Decide what you’re making: This could mean picking a pattern or choosing a customizable dress online, like the Mikaela. Regardless, having at least a basic concept of what you’re creating will make your next steps much easier. What you’re making will impact the kind of fabric you get, how fast you need it, how much you want to spend, and more!

2. Determine what you’ll spend and how quickly you need fabric: Fabric can be priced anywhere from from a couple bucks to over $100 per a yard, so having a budget will be instrumental in guiding your search. In the current climate, I have found a budget between $10-$15 a yard will give you many high quality options. Certain fabric contents like silk and linen will be difficult to find at that price point, but if you have no idea what to budget, it’s a good place to start. The amount of fabric you need will also impact your budget. As a point of reference, dresses like the Mikaela take about 6 yards. When deciding between urgency, your biggest decision is whether you need your fabric in the next day or two vs. waiting 5-7. I’ll discuss this more below when talking about where to shop.

3. Determine the parameters of your fabric: Print, color, weight, texture and fabric content are the big items to narrow down before heading to the store. To give you a really clear guide I’m going to talk through them one by one:

   1. Print: Not all prints work on all garments. Highly directional prints like plaid only work on certain silhouettes and are difficult (or sometimes impossible) to match at seams. If you are in doubt, I recommend choosing a print where the pattern appears more random and non-directional. This means the print can be mismatched at the seams without the garment looking wrong. The white and floral version of the Mikaela is a great example of this kind of print. If you’re REALLY worried about matching your print, you can also keep it safe by choosing solids only.

   2. Color: This comes down to preference and can be left open ended. However, if you know you want a certain color take note of that as it can be helpful in focusing your search once you start shopping.

   3. Weight: This is the most important parameter to understand about your fabric before purchasing. Not all garments can handle all fabric weights. For example, if a mid or heavy weight fabric was used on the Mikaela dress, the gathering at the waist would look puffy and unflattering; the normally flowy skirt would be stiff and overwhelming. Patterns will typically list what fabrics work well for a garment that you can use as a guide. For instances like the Mikaela where the appropriate fabric weight is referenced, you can use the measurement GSM. Most sites list the GSM for every fabric and a quick google will tell you what GSM is lightweight, midweight, etc. For example, anything with a GSM of 150 or less is considered lightweight and is likely appropriate for the Mikaela dress.

   4. Texture: Like color, this is mostly a personal preference, but knowing it will narrow your search. If you want something shiny you can look at satins and organza. If you want something very soft you might look at velvets and corduroy.

   5. Fabric content: You can choose to leave this open ended, but some people know they want to stick to only natural fibers, while others prefer to keep it cheaper with synthetic. If you know you fall into a certain camp make note of that preference so you can narrow your search.

4. Plan for your supporting fabric and notions: I recommend picking your primary fabric first, then searching for your accent fabric and notions. This is easier than trying to simultaneously pick two fabrics you love that go together. That said, it’s still good to know how much accent fabric and what notions you’ll need before heading off to shop. When it comes to accent fabric you should know what parts of the garment you’ll be using it for so that you can decide the amount needed and fabric weight. Similarly with notions, know where they're being placed, what amount you’ll need, and any sizing restrictions. For example, if you’re picking buttons you’ll want an idea of what size of button you need. If you need to include trim, what’s the range of widths you’ll consider?

5. Pick where you’ll shop: If you urgently need your fabric then you’re shopping in the store. If you can wait 5-10 days then the world of online fabric is opened up to you. Shopping online opens up a breadth of options and price points that aren’t available when shopping in person. A perk of shopping in person is getting to see and feel the fabrics up close. This can be helpful in learning weight, texture, and scale of print. If you’re matching two fabrics together, it is much easier to compare colors in person. In short, both in person and online have their advantages. If you’re shopping in person, big box stores like Joanns and Hobby Lobby are still a go-to for a reason. Local shops often offer great quality, but they will have a smaller selection and higher prices. Some cities have good deadstock fabric stores which can be a great option if you’re looking for a deal. If you’re shopping online I have some favorite shops that balance quality, selection, and price. Hawthorne Supply, Vogue Fabric Store, Mood’s sale section, Fabric Wholesale Direct, and Fabric Depot are all on my go-to list.

6. Get shopping: Whether you’re in store or on-line, use your fabric criteria to narrow your search. Stores will have fabric divided into sections by type. Online you can use many criteria to search. Remember, choose your primary fabric first, then pick up your complimentary items.

7. Make your purchase: Once you’ve gotten to this point, you’ve navigated all the tough decisions! The main pitfall that can happen when purchasing is buying pre-cut yardage. Whenever you’re purchasing fabric for a garment you always want to buy continuous yardage. Many sites call this out clearly when you add the fabric to cart or begin checking out. For example, they’ll say something like “fabric will be shipped in a continuous piece”. If material is listed as pre-cut, steer clear.

Once you’ve gone through all these steps you’ve successfully made it through, woohoo! While this process may seem like a long step-by-step, I hope the list makes it feel a little less intimidating so you can enjoy the search of finding something you love.! If you’re trying to find fabric for one of Right Side Out’s garments and struggling, just send a quick note using the “contact us” button. I’m always happy to chat about fabric. Happy shopping!