What Type of Fabric Should You Use on Your Project?

What Type of Fabric Should You Use on Your Project?

 

We offer many different substrates (types) of fabrics in our shop and are frequently adding more.  Although there is not one set rule for which type of fabric to use, we hope this will help you make your decision!


 
Here are our most common substrates:

POPLIN
Poplin is our most standard quilter's weight fabric.  It is a medium weight woven fabric.  It is used for quilts, skirts, button-up shirts, pillow cases, sturdier tops, cloth diapers, rompers, and more. Most projects can use poplin. It's a great fabric to start with.

BROADCLOTH
This substrate a little heavier and thicker than poplin but with a softer hand--appropriate for quilting and apparel.  Like poplin, it is a woven cotton. It is great for projects that will be washed a lot.

FLANNEL
Flannel is soft and brushed to have a slight fuzziness that brings warmth and comfort.  This is a great material for lounge pants, bedding, blankets, burp cloths and more.  

CHAMBRAY
Chambray is a plain weave medium-weight cotton material with colored yarn in the warp and a white yarn in the weft.  It creates a denim appearance without the weight.  This is great for dresses, tops, blouses, light-weight skirts, and more!

CANVAS
Canvas is a thick and durable woven material.  It is great for backpacks, shoes, upholstery, caps, tents, banners, handbags, and even as a painting medium.

LAWN
Lawn is a light weight woven cotton, but it has more structure than voile and batiste.  It is a great fabric for tops, dresses, blouses, scarves, and more!

VOILE
Voile is a lightweight cotton fabric. If you hold it up to the light, you will find that it is semi-sheer. Voile is a great option for women's blouses, light summer dresses, and rompers to name a few things.

BATISTE

Batiste is lighter than voile and has a softer hand.  It is great for infinity scarves, handkerchiefs, and lingerie.

DOUBLE GAUZE
Double Gauze is a light fabric consisting of two layers of gauze fabric.  It is very soft and wonderful for baby products, tops, skirts, blankets and so much more!

INTERLOCK KNIT
Knits are stretchy.  Many of our knits are medium weight interlock knits and can be used for dresses, leggings, shirts, tops, robes, bras, diapers, blankets, and even bags!  

JERSEY KNIT
Being a knit fabric, jersey is also stretchy.  Jersey is thinner than interlock and rolls toward the right side of the fabric when cut and then stretched.  This is what most t-shirts are made of, however it can be used for summer leggings that will be worn with a dress or tunic as well as baby rompers and bottoms.

RIBBED KNIT
Ribbed knit has a knit/purl pattern that makes this fabric extra stretchy.  Although some people love making full tops or bottoms out of this textured fabric, it is most commonly used for sleeve cuffs, leg cuffs, waistbands, and necklines.

BARKCLOTH
Barkcloth is a heavier substrate that is a woven fabric that is great for home decor and furnishing.  It makes for beautiful drapes, couch pillows, and more!  It is lighter is weight and has a much softer hand than canvas.  This is due to its looser weave.  This is a less common fabric in the organic world so we only carry it on occasion.


Still not sure?  Send us an email and we can send you some samples!

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