Everything You Need to Know About Sewing With Silk

In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about sewing with silk.
Video Chapters
00:00 - Intro
00:23 - What you'll learn
01:25 - Common types of silk
03:12 - How to care for silk
04:52 - How to cut silk
06:13 - Silk pins and needles
06:36 - Sewing silk
07:20 - Pressing silk
07:50 - Finishing options
Outfit Details
👗 Haley is wearing a silk noil Seamwork Bo: www.seamwork.com/catalog/bo
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ABOUT US:
I'm Sarai, the founder of Seamwork, and I want to help you sew clothing you'll love to wear. Along with our designer Haley, I create videos to help you design your wardrobe, pick the right fabric, master new skills, and increase your confidence - so you can sew anything you want.
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[@lynnshepard7485]

How did I ever manage to make my satin wedding dress in 1976 before rotary cutters, self healing mats, and probably not using the correct needle? 😂

[@jsihavealotofplaylists]

You're probably just that good!

[@patricialeib6565]

Thank you! Very timely podcast for me as I’m considering a shantung silk duster over a dress for a wedding. My baby’s that is. 🙂

[@MsSavvy9]

Loved the little editing details in this video. It made me smile. This is a joke that I have with a basket weaver in NC, "Show me the wool!" 🤭 Yes, you have to yell it like in Jerry Maguire. Sometimes, you meet someone who matches your energy when discussing fiber and that needs to be celebrated. 🤓 The best thing about the fiber arts, is how we share it, at least I think so.

[@SeamworkVideo]

I love that! 😂

[@thekindles1183]

I love these fabric guides. Maybe a polyester blend or sequins for the holiday? Thank you for this! - Kimberly

[@colin101981]

Thank you for this helpful video. I'm self taught (thank you youtube), so I really appreciate the help and guidance from those who know their stuff. Kind regards from Mold in North Wales UK. 🙋‍♂🙋‍♂

[@SeamworkVideo]

Thanks so much for watching! Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@JoyfulFreckles]

Ooh I just got some silk crepe de chine to make a slip under a sheer linen top I'm making for my mum's Christmas present. These tips are great, will need to take some deep breaths before I begin from the sounds of it. Would love to see a linen episode!

[@SeamworkVideo]

Thanks so much for the suggestion! Good luck with your slip!

[@gricelmaldonado4357]

I am train to make hearts pillow for weddings

[@lizziecallaghan4995]

I just bought my first ever sewing machine, I can't wait to use these tips to make my first beautiful silk garment 😁

[@joylittle3917]

Wonderful video as always! Instructions on working with Linen, please!

[@SeamworkVideo]

Noted!

[@tammyellison735]

Thank you for this tutorial. I just got some silk charmeuse and want to make a fancy slip with trims. Can you cover trims and specialty stitches to use on your silk? I love your fabric guide. Sequin fabrics are a good idea too.

[@user-pp2hc7cq2m]

This is sooo helpful!! Thank you!

[@SeamworkVideo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ArlenePMCM]

Super helpful tips.

[@SeamworkVideo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@suzanneevans1771]

A great, comprehensive video, thank you 😊

[@SeamworkVideo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@catjones2684]

Great video Hayley

[@SeamworkVideo]

Thank you!!

[@debsmadethis]

Thanks Hayley! I have a silk/wool blend that I'm about to make a Phen shirt with, so really helpful ! Can I ask why silk organza is recommended as a press cloth if there's an issue with heat ? I've had one for years and it hasn't been adversely affected by heat.

[@SeamworkVideo]

A silk organza press cloth can be used for general pressing because it has a high melting point and can be used at any iron temperature. The fabric is sheer, so you can see through it to place the iron exactly where you need it, and organza's fine texture eliminates weave texture transfer to the fashion fabric.

[@cookiebattle]

Super informative, thank you so much. I have a few technical questions about laundering. Why do we need to use a gentle detergent? What kind of damage would a regular liquid detergent do? Also, why no agitation? I usually wash blouses on a cold delicate cycle, in delicates bags. What kind of damage would that do to silk? Thank you for all your amazing work!

[@SeamworkVideo]

Regular detergents can potentially damage silk, as their higher pH levels strip silk of its natural proteins. You want to avoid agitation because it can stretch or distort the fabric and cause it to lose its shape permanently. Washing on the delicate cycle in bags should be fine, but if you're worried about it I would consider doing a test wash with a swatch first.

[@samanthaschasteen7903]

Thanks for this video! Very helpful and informative. Where do you recommend buying silk?

[@SeamworkVideo]

I don't have a specific recommendation but lots of online shops sell swatches, which is always a good approach to get an idea of the fabric's hand, weight, and overall quality before buying.

[@mortchar]

This is really helpful, thanks! Do you have any tips for colour leakage from silk? I have some red crepe de chine that keeps leaking colour for multiple washes, thanks!

[@lynnshepard7485]

Use color catchers if you don’t already do that. 😊

[@SeamworkVideo]

Color catchers are a great tip. You might trying washing on cold as well, but you may want to err on the side of caution and separate your colors when you wash in case the silk still bleeds.

[@mortchar]

Thanks, I'll look into colour catchers

[@MsSavvy9]

Silk noil and dupioni 💕💞 give me all the slub please 🥰

[@MegOfBroccoli]

Silk isn't vegan. There are plenty of lovely fabrics that don't have cruelty attached to their manufacture.