Guide to Fabric | Types of silk fabrics | Kinds of silk fabric

The third in our Guide to Fabric series videos where we take an in-depth look at all the different types of silk fabrics. We talk you through all the different kinds of silk fabric for dressmaking in this video.
In this video we discuss the different types of silk fabric with names -
Silk Chiffon 2:30
Silk Organza 5:00
Silk Crepe 7:35
Duchess Satin 9:25
Dupion 11:00
You can find the other videos in the series here -
Guide to Fabric Terms - • Guide To Fabric | How ...
Guide to Cotton - • Guide to Fabrics | Typ...
Guide to Silk - • Guide to Fabric | Type...
Guide to Wool - • Guide to fabrics | Typ...
Guide to Synthetics - • Guide to fabrics | Typ...
Guide to Knits - • Guide to fabrics | Kin...
Please note that we are not fabric experts (unless you count hoarding and stroking!) but rather fabric enthusiasts. Everything we say in this series of videos is based on our own research and is aimed at the home dressmaker who wants to know more about fabric. We have not been able to cover all fabrics, weaves and fibres in these videos but we hope that what we have covered is of some help. If we have made any errors, please feel free to message us and let us know.
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[@sewingjaney7085]

Hi ladies these videos are Brilliant thank you. 😍 I shall be creating a playlist for these because they are going to be a great reference which I can see me using a lot I still have 3 to watch but I must make the dinner 🤨 x

[@StitchSisters]

really well done getting that far Janey ! They are well over 2 hours all together

[@marlenelaban1961]

Hello, ladies. Wonderful video and really great series for Minerva. Well done! Using the silk organza for interfacing is something I have never thought or heard about, so thanks ever so for that bit of information. What I have been doing for years is always having a small piece of silk organza as a pressing cloth. It's strong as can be and in white or off white, you can see through it and gently stem many fibers that would wither and die without some sort of protection, which is amply provided by the strong silk. Hope this helps someone! Thanks again from your friend Marlene in Albuquerque, NM, USA!!!

[@PsychicKathleen]

One of my favourite fabrics is silk and very early into my return to sewing in 2014 I jumped right into silk. I agree that it's not much different to sew than cotton - some of the wiggly ones can be challenging. I found a video that showed how to lay out a plastic table cloth (the ones lined with flannel) and placing the flannel side up, lay out your silk and pin your pattern pieces through all thicknesses. When cutting out your pattern just cut through the pattern and silk. This works fabulous! It holds everything steady. You have to place your pins well inside the seam line. I made a traditional blouse with dupioni and wear it all the time. All my silk I just throw into the washer and dryer :) Silk is much tougher than it feels.

[@MsSherrydarling]

I just read the instructions to use silk organza to help in adding body to the hem of a sheath dress : )) Great series so far!

[@addiekl]

I am enjoying this series, as I always like to learn more about fabrics. It's interesting that you consider silk delicate because it's one of the strongest fibers. Other than chiffon and organza (which need hand washing) I wash my silk in a mesh lingerie bag in the regular washing machine and then hang to dry. I have silk camisoles, PJ pants and blouses that have lasted for at least 10 years. Depending on the type of weave, they may get a sandwashed look, but they are perfectly strong. Also, silk blended with cotton or linen makes for a wonderful durable fabric that washes and wears very well. It can be hard to find but is well worth it when you do. The first silk I ever sewed with was dupioni or shantung (similar). It was so easy to work with, virtually like cotton. You can use silk thread too if you are making something special! Oh yes, silk is wonderful!!

[@StitchSisters]

Addie K-L thanks Addie. You are very luck to have used silk, I’ve never sewn with it but I’m definitely going to !

[@addiekl]

Stitch Sisters Yes, I am lucky to have lived in the San Francisco area where we have a lot of imports from Asia where the silks are more affordable than those from Europe. I also always look for it on sale. If you find Robert Kaufman Radiance in the UK it's a great first sew as it's a cotton and silk blend that is easy to work with.

[@Chi9ja]

I have been waiting for this type of video for such a long time. I love it. thanks ladies

[@deidrabenson361]

Thanks sooo much for sharing!!❤️❤️❤️

[@stillhuntre55]

I feel sorry for younger people now that don't have silk in their everyday life. I graduated high school in 1988, and (at least here in Canada) it was normal to go down to the mall and pick up a long sleeved button-up blouse in silk for a normal, average price. Most high schoollers had a few silk shirts and blouses. I got an ankle length purple silk spring coat in the early nineties at the mall for the price of a nice pair of jeans. I still have three long sleeved oxford style silk blouses - in the looser style of the 1990s - in the luscious soft, peachskin style of silk. Machine wash and dry with all my other clothes. No special treatment. So hard to imagine growing up with silk "out of reach" ! It was so ordinary!

[@tanyaellis5433]

Love the silks just gorgeous !!

[@amberbaker8033]

Another awesome video ty… one suggestion plz for us Americans can u do the conversations of meters to yards, pounds to dollars etc… plz it would b much appreciated ty

[@sewagnes6706]

oh yeah, silk is gorgeous. I get how you both feel about it. I'm definitely going to make something special this year in silk. Thanks as always ladies for another great and informative video xx

[@Ben-kv7wr]

I love silk, it’s why I learned to sew, it’s so strong too you can pry my silk sewing thread from my cold dead hands! Taffeta is kind of stiffened so if you wash it it loses that crispness but it has an AMAZING and unique drape, one of those learn the rules to break them properly thing. Makes some beautifully swishy slacks!

[@kefkapalazzo1]

I have two silk shirts from a brand called Supreme but they’re not shiny and silky. They still say dry clean only for whatever it’s worth. I just saw a silk shirt from Macy’s that was machine washable. Needed to know more

[@kiamanawatini9512]

Wow!!! 🔥Yep sourcing out the best fabric to create a dramatic project thang. New learnings 👌 150% excited for sure now ...❤️ umm silk organza and/or Dupion. Thank you muchly! xo

[@carolanndodge7139]

If you are going to be experts you should tell your viewers that silk comes from a special silk worm that grows on the mulberry tree. This worm grows in China Vietnam and Thailand.

[@ara-mq1zc]

hello i thrifted a dress and it says 100% silk and i accidentally washed it in the machine and the overlay which is the silk shrunk and is very dull 😭 i’m trying to figure out what kind of silk it is and based on your video i think it might be chiffon silk any ideas on how to fix it or repair it?? pls thank you

[@truckmann1762]

Got some silk that has a velvet or swede like feel to it. What is that kind of silk?

[@lingy74]

Silk can be cared for by spraying it down with vodka and spot treated with diluted hydrogen peroxide. Also, hand washing silk is fine if you don’t mind the Sheen dulling over time, which I don’t because it’s still comfortable to wear. You just have an evolving garment 🤭

[@willowharris9233]

Is a silk polyester blend a good fabric and is it good for your skin? Please help, thank you

[@varun009]

A silk polyester blend is honestly just a waste of silk. Often with these blends, the weft is made of polyester and the warp is made of silk. This gives you a fabric that looks a lot like silk. If you're going to taint it with polyester, consider using a polyester satin. Polyester doesn't usually cause allergies but you'll have to see how you like it. The amazing thing about polyester satin is that its cheap and comes in amazing and luxurious colors and tones. The problem is its breathability. It doesn't let moisture pass through as well as a natural fiber like silk or cotton. A good compromise is viscose. It's a cellulose fiber and was originally called synthetic silk. It breathes and drapes well, but it very susceptible to moth infestations like real silk and wool. Hope this helped.

[@_themodernnatural]

What is the name for satin fabric made from silk? I want to buy satin fabrics made from silk but I'm struggling.

[@StitchSisters]

Search for Silk Satin

[@_themodernnatural]

@@StitchSisters Thank you

[@johnhopkins6260]

Thank you for our video; although from a few years back, perhaps one of your viewers can answer my question: A few years ago, I bought a shirt at a second-hand shop. The label said “100% silk” (may be true or not). The texture was very heavy, with a coarse weave… no sheen typically associated with silk…somewhere between linen (although considerably thicker and heavier than linen)… and almost as rugged as canvas. The material was virtually indestructible… regular washing at 30 degrees C had no effect. It may have been originally white but had taken a light beige/cream color. It did stain relatively easily that would not wash out. It was the perfect shirt for wearing under my leather motorcycle jacket… warm, even when wet/damp but never too hot indoors…. Here’s hoping… thanks for any info

[@peggyblackburn9981]

Again Thank You

[@denbeesewswhat9841]

Big thumbs up! just been on Minerva checking out their silks, I think you will be enabling a LOT of people LOL LOL

[@Ali-xr9qd]

Nice

[@CK-eq6fr]

Thank you for this helpful video!

[@StitchSisters]

You are very welcome

[@junegarford5144]

Thanks for this. I am making a ball gown type skirt in satin crepe and am looking for something to give it volume. Silk organza, apart from being expensive, is a little too much. What would you suggest please?

[@StitchSisters]

June Garford you could use Nylon Organza instead. Lots of synthetics were created to imitate silks but a lot cheaper, so the Nylon Organza would be a lot cheaper but have a lot of volume !

[@addiekl]

It's my ballet background rather than my sewing experience I am speaking from here: layers of tulle will give a ball skirt any amount of volume from a little to a lot.

[@TorchwoodPandP]

For difficult to cit fabrics: spray starch

[@robertajager]

What is a weight of the crepe fabrics you are showing?

[@rasheed1andrew]

what is the website?

[@StitchSisters]

Our website is www.thestitchsisters.co.uk

[@cherriesnhoney]

oh those samples are gorgeous and especially love the silk satin...not sure if you can answer this but the prices seem to have a big range...im curious if 8.99 'no name' is same as quality as 45.00 designer brand name or if it comes down to what price the shop got from supplier. i cant tell by touch or look

[@StitchSisters]

cherriesnhoney Hi, it is hard to tell and there are so many factors. The price can be affected by the quality of the fibres used, where it was produced, whether it is cultivated silk or natural, and sometimes it is just on sale!! I've heard that silk had a Momme count (like cotton has a thread count system) and that anything with a momme count 12 or higher is considered high quality. How easy it is to find that out from a supplier, I really don't know!! Hope that helps x

[@cherriesnhoney]

Stitch Sisters thank you, yes that totally helps. i figured all those factors come in play but i didnt know about thread count, will definitely keep that in mind when shopping...great videos, explanations are great and learning lots:)

[@elissascotland6100]

I want to dance every time I hear your theme music - it's so fun! This series is great. I am curious as to why you chose the titles to reflect fibres (eg cotton, wool, silk) rather than fabric (eg.....seersucker, twill, challis, taffeta, jersey etc (Not silk as silk is not a fabric but a fibre)).

[@StitchSisters]

Elissa Scotland we needed a way to section out the fabric and videos and we felt these were the most commonly used terms for garment making. Then splitting them into sections was easier for us.

[@StitchSisters]

oh and we dance to our theme tune too...dont tell anyone !

[@juliadroy1179]

Great video loving this series.