Many of us primarily sew with very stretchy wool fabrics and have never or rarely worked with woven fabrics.
There are a few things to keep in mind - but if you heed them, sewing with woven fabrics is child's play (some even advise learning to sew with woven fabrics first) and the result is almost always stunning.
Here I summarize our collected tips on our super favorite summer fabric - hemp lyocell.
- Sewing pattern
- Sewing with a facing
- Cutting – can it be done in any direction?
- Washing and care
- What is cleaning and why do I need to do it?
Hemp lyocell is a wonderfully light and smooth fabric – it's reminiscent of delicate silk blouses. At the same time, it's surprisingly durable (thanks to the hemp fiber), so even my sweet little whirlwind's much-worn trousers survived last summer in good condition.
This fabric is primarily a summer fabric – perfect for sewing airy tops and especially short and long summer trousers. It feels incredibly light against the skin, offers good UV protection thanks to its high hemp content and the fact that it's woven (resulting in even fewer gaps between the stitches), and is simply wonderful from the very first sip.
But what exactly am I sewing with it?
Regarding 1) Sewing pattern:
For woven fabrics, you need patterns specifically designed for woven fabrics. Yes, even for woven fabrics containing elastane.
Generally, this isn't a problem, as there are plenty of patterns available. You won't find any patterns specifically designed for hemp lyocell woven fabric, as this fabric is only available from us, but you can use any pattern designed for thin woven fabrics like linen or lightweight cotton (I say "lightweight" because there are also thick cotton fabrics like corduroy – that's not what I mean; I'm referring to patterns designed for light, thin fabrics).
Personally, I prefer to look for patterns for linen, as I'm quite sure it will work without any problems and I often really like linen patterns, but patterns advertised with "viscose woven fabric", chambrauy, muslin etc. are definitely a first choice as well.
2) Sewing with a facing
With jersey fabrics, we usually finish the edges with ribbing. What do we do with woven fabrics? Of course, you can sew a ribbing at the neckline – theoretically, that's possible. But actually, with woven fabric patterns, you're more likely to work with a facing.
Don't be afraid of facings! They're easier to sew than you might think at first!
And they look incredibly professional.
A facing simply means that you sew another piece of fabric to the edge of the fabric and then fold it back - often this is even easier than a cuff, I find - at least if you work neatly, because it has to fit exactly and not just be pulled into place, as is sometimes possible with cuffs.
It is important that no lumps form here or that the coating folds over and sticks out, so here are a few quick tips:
1) Fold seams in different directions. For example, if the shoulder seam of the bodice is pressed towards the back, then press the seams of the facing towards the front so that it doesn't become too bulky.
2) Clip the curves: Once you've sewn the seam allowance, you can optionally make small snips in it. This will make it easier to shape and press the curves after turning the garment right side out.
3) Turn right side out, iron, and then topstitch from the right side. Either close to the edge, right on the facing, or a few centimeters away at an even distance from the neckline.
4) If you are not stitching it further away, then be sure to fix it in a few places, e.g. in the shadow of the shoulder seams, so that it does not fold back up.
In many sewing patterns for woven fabrics, the facing is included as a pattern piece; otherwise, you can derive it yourself.
For even more tips, @sewsimple.de has some more advice here: https://sewsimple.de/anleitung-beleg-naehen/
Regarding point 3: Cutting – can it be done in any direction?
It's so tempting – woven fabric isn't stretchy. So can I cut it however I want?
Noooooooo!
You can definitely cut small pieces like a pocket or waistband against the grain, but never larger pieces. Woven fabrics also have a grain and stretch differently depending on whether you cut with or against the grain. In the worst case, you'll end up with a completely distorted garment.
Here at @beswingtesallerlei
https://www.beswingtesallerlei.de/2017/04/Fadenlauf-Fall-von-Kleidung.html
That's explained really well again!
Regarding point 4: Washing and general care
Hemp is generally very easy to care for. Even less so than wool, which also rarely needs washing. Often, simply airing out hemp is enough, and otherwise a quick hand wash is perfectly sufficient.
Since I have a lot of wool clothing, I usually just wash my hemp items with the wool, and that works perfectly. You can also wash hemp in a normal 30 or 40 degree wash, but you must never, ever, EVER use powdered detergent. The powder granules get trapped in the hemp fibers and first ruin the sheen and later the entire fabric.
Spin at the lowest possible speed and close buttons etc. beforehand - ideally, you should wash all clothes inside out anyway.
Please do not put in the dryer or in direct sunlight.
Hemp lyocell dries exceptionally quickly. I noticed this often last summer when I got caught in the rain while cycling in my beloved hemp lyocell pants, and then everything was dry again seemingly just minutes later.
5: Clean up
Cleaning up - what does that actually mean?
Some fabrics fray during washing, while others fray over time due to pressure on the seam. This is especially true for woven fabrics.
We are sometimes asked whether wool-silk fabrics should be serged before washing – this is usually not necessary. Our tip is always: Fold the wool-silk fabrics into a bundle before putting them in the washing machine, making sure the cut edges are on the inside. This is sufficient to prevent fraying.
However, this isn't the case with woven fabrics. If you pre-wash them, it's best to go over the entire fabric with an overlocker or a zigzag stitch beforehand (I don't pre-wash, so I skip that step, eh?).
There are two possibilities when sewing.
1) You sew the pieces together first and then finish the seam allowance. This has the advantage of being faster, but you can't easily unpick the seam later or press it open neatly – I don't recommend it.
2) You first finish the raw edges of each pattern piece individually and then sew them together. Yes, it takes time. It's tedious. But the result is definitely better!
Put on your headphones, listen to a good audiobook, and just start typing away.
Next, sew your pattern pieces together as usual and then press the seam allowances open. For seams that will be subject to stress, I recommend a triple straight stitch; otherwise, a straight stitch.
Oh, and - it's best to use a universal sewing needle.
And the best tip last - don't wait any longer, grab the fabric and get started - I can promise you that you'll experience from the very first time you wear it how much you've been missing this fabric in your life!