Beginning Silk - Part 1

I've entitled this post Beginning Silk because I really am not far from being a beginner to silk myself. So, I really wouldn't feel qualified to offer any advice on sewing with silk that goes much beyond that level. Basically, I'll only talk about silks with names that I can pronounce.

Silk is a protein fiber, like wool, or your hair. It's prized for its luster and drape. When you envision a sexy, feminine, goddess-like flowing dress with "simple lines," you're probably picturing silk (probably, bias silk charmeuse * shar-moose.*) In fact, you can probably find something similar to what you just pictured at The Frock. (This site has me drooling on the keyboard...it's almost as good as chocolate!)

To me, silk feels slightly like a spider web. (Which, in a way, is what it is.) Synthetics feel very slick, but silk has a tiny bit of grab to it.

Another thing about silk is the way it shows off color. I'm not sure how quite to explain it, but colors on silk are almost miraculous. They are somehow more vibrant than in other fabrics. I don't know why. Printed silk charmeuse especially is something to behold.

Silk has a reputation as being difficult to work with though that's not necessarily so. Yes, there are some silks that are especially trying, but there are also some that are as easy to use as cotton or linen. The same goes for the expense of silk. It's available at all price points. And as for care...you guessed it...some is machine washable, while some you can't breath at sideways.

I'll just go through some types of silk that I've worked with and things to be aware of if you decide to try them yourself.

Silk Noil
This is perhaps the easiest silk to work with. It resembles a sort of rough looking cotton but is not crisp. There is little luster and because the silk is minimally processed it often still has a "silk smell." (Some say you can get rid of it with vinegar, and you can, but then you smell like a salad.)

Noil can be washed in the machine and dried and it will shrink significantly. I've seen it used in casual slip-on pants, and boxy type tops and jackets. I've also seen it used frequently as a base for art-to-wear painted garments. I would not use noil for very fitted pants as it is not likely to hold up in the seams for very long. These pants are rather loose and I reinforced the crotch seam with tape.



Silk Matka
This fabric is very coarsely woven and substantial in feel. It has a nice luster (unless you wash it, in which case the sheen disappears and the fabric becomes more cottony looking) and a much heavier hand than noil. It's suitable for tailored garments, jackets and skirts. But it does have some drape so you can also use it for boxier styles. It is probably too loosely woven to work well in pants. I have used it for a lined Easter dress and jacket combo (which I unfortunately gave away in a fit of "this-is-never-going-to-fit-me-again-face-it"), and for a loose, unlined, washed cardigan style jacket, left. The washing seems to make the fabric beefier.

Silk Dupioni
Maybe I'll change my mind and say that this, rather than noil, is the easiest silk to work with. No, I think not....because though dupioni (*dew-pee-oh-nee*) sews like a cotton and is easy to press and care for, its crispness combined with its luster make it difficult to ease. Also, it is very light and thin and benefits greatly from being supported by underlining.

I have used dupioni for a mandarin vest, Athena blouse (pattern by LaFred), tulip skirt, and princess dress (see flickr pics.) It was also a component in my LBD. The tulip skirt and princess dress were both underlined, in cotton batiste and silk organza respectively. In the LBD the dupioni was cut bias. The bias was not especially difficult to work with and it even rolled beautifully into a 3-thread serger rolled hem seam.

Dupioni is also often used for heirloom sewing in combination with delicate lace insertions and smocking. (I have some very lightweight white yardage put away for just this purpose....someday...)

This picture shows purple and gold dupioni. The light brown is called Thai silk, very similar but lighter in weight and somewhat smoother. (Given to me by my Aunt who got it from, you guessed it, Thailand!)

You can easily fuse interfacing to dupioni. You can also gently wash and dry dupioni (that is not part of a structured garment of course.) Though some say washing causes it to lose some of its luster, I'd say it's very minimal.

Because of the stress on the seams, I would not use dupioni (or any silk for that matter) in fitted pants without the support of an underlining.

Sometimes dupioni is woven with two different colored threads producing a beautiful iridescent effect, or it may look one color from one direction and a different color from another (note appearance of square armhole in the Athena blouse, below.)

Dupioni may be difficult to ease in the sleeve cap. It may need underlining in the cap area, and possibly interfacing or a soft sleeve head. Alternatively, you could use small tucks instead of easing to shape the cap.

Topstitching looks great on dupioni. It also makes a nice bias bound edge or tiny bias tubes.

Silk Organza
Silk organza is not only a beautiful fabric on its own, it's also an unsung hero behind the scenes of garment construction. I usually keep black and white in my interfacing drawer.

Organza is woven of very fine, tightly twisted threads, is sheer, firm, and strong. Picture a "bouffant" bridal veil with a scalloped edge. That is likely silk organza. It drapes in large, rounded folds. It creates volume but has no thickness and is almost weightless. It's very resistant to wrinkling.

All these properties make it ideal for underlining, interfacing, and reinforcing. For example, it will support tissue thin dupioni, giving it body without making it heavy. It is a great backing for a welt pocket or clipped corner seam b/c of its strength and resistance to fraying.

Organza also makes a great press cloth. You can tear off a piece. It won't fray and you can see through it to the fabric you are pressing.

Organza is easy to work with on its own. You should use a small sharp needle or microtex needle. It lends itself to beautiful serged rolled hems and fishline hems.

Note: There is such a thing as metallic silk organza (right.) It's gorgeous but very difficult to work with. Unlike regular silk organza, it wrinkles. You can press it only with a very cool iron, and you can't steam it. Some people roll out wrinkles with a rolling pin and they still never really come out all the way. Also, it's cut edges are scratchy and should be covered or faced away from the wearer.


Next time - Charmeuse, Crepe, Chiffon, and Velvet.