Best Fabric For Dresses

If you’re new to sewing, trying to get to grips with all the different types of fabric can seem like an impossible task.

There are so many options to choose from, and unless you already know which ones are suitable for dressmaking, it can be difficult to find the best one. 

You don’t want to get halfway through a garment, only to be “seamstress-ed” when you realize that you’ve chosen a fabric that isn’t suitable.

Even as you progress, it will take you some time to familiarize yourself with each fabric, but once you do you’ll be whipping up garments left, right, and center. 

When deciding on a fabric for your next sewing project, consider the pattern you’ll be following.

The type of dress you’re making should influence what fabric you’ll be working with, otherwise, you can end up wasting a lot of time and money if it goes wrong.

Maybe you already have the perfect fabric that you bought on impulse, and now you’re trying to find out which types of dresses it’s suitable for?

If you don’t already have a fabric in mind, you can use this article as inspiration to help you find what you’re looking for. 

To point you in the right direction, we’ve reviewed 5 of the best fabrics for making dresses that are currently available on Amazon.

Our buyer’s guide will contain some of the most important things to consider when purchasing fabric, such as stretch, pattern, and cost.

If you’re in a hurry to get started on your next dressmaking project, pattern in hand with your sewing machine at the ready, keep reading to see our top pick and to find out how and why we chose it. 

Top 5 Best Fabric For Dresses

Best Fabric For Dresses Buyer’s Guide

You should really start to think about the fabrics you want to use early on in the planning process of your next project, as different fabrics will have different limitations.

Consider the feel of the fabric on your skin, if it will be easy to sew, and how it will fall across your body. 

Velvet, silk, silk chiffon, taffeta, Organza, and satin are all good choices for dressmaking, but there are plenty of other things to consider when you’re making your decision that will influence your final choice.

For example, you can choose what fibers your material is made from, including animal fibers (wool and silk), plant fibers (cotton and linen), and man-made fibers (nylon). 

Basic Guide to Fabrics

If we wrote about every fabric available for dressmaking, we could be here all day!

However, we thought it would be a useful starting point to go through some of the most popular fabrics that are commonly used for dresses to highlight their main benefits. 

• Cotton: Cotton is available in a variety of different styles with the option to choose either a lightweight or heavier fabric. It’s incredibly versatile and can be used for a number of applications, typically at an affordable price.
• Knit/cotton jersey: Knit and cotton jersey fabrics can be used for dresses as well as being a common choice for t-shirts. It offers a good amount of stretch and feels good against your skin, but you may find it’s slightly trickier to sew with compared to other woven fabrics. 
• Silk: Silk is perfect for occasion dresses as it has a luxurious, shiny surface for ultimate opulence. As well as dresses, this delicate fabric can be used for lingerie and blouses, but it can be quite difficult to sew with and it’s an expensive option.
• Linen: Linen is often used in summer dresses, and like cotton, is available in different weights. Commonly blended with cotton, it holds its shape well when constructed into a garment, but it can crease easily and is another expensive choice. 
• Polyester and polycotton: Synthetic woven fabrics such as these two are a lot more affordable, and they’re easy to sew with as they don’t crease while you’re manipulating the fabric through the machine. They tend to be a more light-weight material which makes them perfect for beginners. 

Knitted fabrics (rayon, silk, cotton jersey, or shiny polyester) are often beautiful, but they’re also much trickier to handle while you sew, and are therefore best avoided unless you’re more experienced.

Woven fabric (cotton, linen, or a blend of the two) is ideal for beginners, as it’s easy to sew with and won’t stretch too much as you move it through your sewing machine.

Light-medium fabrics are also easier to work with, as you can manipulate them without much difficulty to suit your design. Heavier-weight fabrics, on the other hand, have a bit of a mind of their own and are tougher to skillfully control.

Corduroy and other stiffer materials are therefore best avoided for your earlier attempts.

Choosing Fabric Patterns

If you’re someone who loves to wear bold clothing that shows off your fun, vibrant self, you might already be scouring the internet and your local haberdashery for fabric with a pattern loud enough to match your personality. 

Even if you prefer a more toned down version, patterns can be a great way to liven up a design. With that being said, patterned fabric can be more difficult to work with unless you’re a more experienced sewer, as it can be tricky to match up at the seams when you sew different pieces together. 

The resulting effect can be jarring and can ruin the whole design of your dress, no matter how well it’s sewn or how beautiful the fabric is otherwise. Typically there will be a pattern repeat which you should take into account when you’re cutting your fabric, taking care to follow the pattern you're using. 

Sometimes you’ll notice irregularities in the pattern which can occur if it hasn’t been printed properly. If this is the case, you’ll find it impossible to correctly line up the fabric when you’re constructing the garment. This usually only happens on lower-quality pieces of material, but it can be disappointing when it does. 

There are different types of patterns for you to choose from, but if you’re a beginner you may find it easier to stick to plain colors and smaller, less intricate prints. More experienced dressmakers may want to experiment with bolder patterns such as stripes, checks, and bigger patterns to cover the whole garment. 

The Cost of Fabric

Different fabrics are more expensive than others, and if you’re using different types, it can quickly start to add up. This is especially true if you’re working on a larger project, so it’s a good idea to set yourself a budget limit for your dress before you start it.

If you’ve fallen in love with a fabric that has a price tag that makes your eyes water, but you just can’t bring yourself to look away from it, try compromising and using smaller pieces of it to accentuate your design instead to reduce the amount you’ll need and the overall expense. 

This will save you from measuring your paychecks in yards of fabric, as you can choose something more affordable to sew the main bulk of the pattern. It’s an easy way to cut costs while still incorporating design elements you love into your garment. 

Final Thoughts 

When buying fabric for your next dressmaking project, there are plenty of other things you might want to consider.

Ask yourself the following questions before you get started, otherwise you’ll end up wishing you did. 

• What type of dress are you planning on making? Form-fitted dresses, for example, would require a material with more stretch, whereas loose, flowing dresses would need a fabric that drapes well. 
• Visualize the finished dress - does the fabric look good with the design? Do the colors look good together if using more than one? 
• Is the fabric easy to sew with or will it end up distorting as it goes through your machine? 
• What are the care instructions for the fabric? Is it hand wash only or can you wash it on a cold cycle in your machine? 

Now you know more about the different types of materials available for dressmaking and what they’ll be like to work with, we hope this article has given you enough information to begin your search for the best fabric for your next dress. Happy sewing! 

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of fabric is used to make wedding dresses?

Wedding dresses are often more elaborate than your average day-dress, so it’s not surprising that they use more extravagant materials in their construction.

Some of the most popular fabrics for wedding dresses include satin, charmeuse, chiffon, organza, tulle, and lace. 

How do I know if the color is accurately described without seeing it?

When purchasing fabric material online, it’s harder to get a true color match as it can be distorted on your computer or smartphone screen. The best way to get an accurate description is to read customer reviews.

Some will even upload pictures they’ve taken so you can see the fabric in different types of light. 

How do I test the shrinkage of the material?

Before you start to cut the pattern, wash your fabric on the same cycle you would use for a normal load.

This will indicate what type of shrinkage you’re dealing with - better to learn now that after you’ve gone to all the effort of making it!