Working with Chiffon

I'm ready to start on my next project: A summery sundress made with a cotton fabric with a chiffon overlay. Only problem is, I've never sewn with chiffon before, and it looks like it will be tricky.

Any tips on washing/working with chiffon fabric?

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Reply to
MrsBrown7
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I'm in the middle of making a chiffon gown. Mine is polyester shot chiffon: very pretty.

I find that chiffon is one of the trickiest fabrics to play with.

Lay it out on a large enough table that the WHOLE GOWN can be laid out in one go without moving the fabric. If you have any single layer pieces, lay the fabric out and cut those first, before folding for the rest... Once laid out and squared up for the straight grain, let it rest for an hour.

Lay the pattern out and use weights rather than pins if you can. And if you have a large enough cutting area of mats, cut with a rotary cutter rather than scissors.

Once cut, handle as little as possible. Stay stitch curves or mount pieces on their linings, hand basting the edges and keeping the pieces as flat as you can while you do so.

For chiffon skirt layers and ruffles, I use a ROLLED SEAM on my overlocker. Two or three thread and a nice fine polyester thread is good for both silk anbd poly chiffon. I try to use rolled hems, but you REALLY need to leave chiffon to drop for a week if you possibly can befor finalizing the hems.

Here are some sheer fabric seam techniques:

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Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

Hi Mrs.Brown7,

Sorry, I meant to respond to this two days ago and got distracted.

I made my wedding gown from poly chiffon, uh, 17 years ago. Of course everything Kate says is right. Furthermore, one of the most helpful tricks was using a "hot knife" for cutting it out. The polyester melted and essentially seared the edges of the pieces. This prevented most of the insane fraying that chiffon is prone to and was a godsend. Don't know if hot knives are available where you are.

Depending on your pattern, you could also use the heirloom sewing "roll and whip" hem (by machine). That worked great for me.

I'm wondering whether your chiffon overlay is loose over the dress or close, because I'm concerned about the chiffon clinging to your cotton lining. Kate, do you have any feeling about this? I seem to remember a terrible problem with static electricity with my dress and having to spray the chiffon with a static-release product.

Pora

Reply to
wurstergirl

The anti-static lining (Bremsilk is good) and anti-stat spray are both good if your chiffon clings. Because silk chiffon tends to be lighter,, I find it clings more than the poly.

Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

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