Silk Charmeuse Feather Print is a lightweight, luxurious, soft, and shiny fabric generally used in eveningwear, lingerie and bridal/wedding. The name ‰ÛÏcharmeuse‰ translates from French as ‰ÛÏcharming woman‰. The fabric‰۪s gorgeous shine and soft drape make it ideal for bias cut gowns, skirts, and other garments as it naturally clings to the body. Charmeuse can also be used as a decadent garment lining fabric. It can be challenging to work with, but silk charmeuse is a unique and beautiful fabric that just can‰۪t be duplicated.
Content:
100% Grade A Silk
Structure:
44/45" Wide
19mm
Satin weave with long filament fibers ‰ÛÒ this helps give charmeuse its signature shine but also makes it prone to fraying
Hand:
Face side of fabric has satin finish giving it a soft, silky handfeel. The back side is not as silky as the face but still smooth to the touch
Luster:
Face side of the fabric has a high degree of shine, and the back is almost completely matte ‰ÛÒ silk charmeuse is almost always used with the shiny side as the face
Tips and Tricks:
- The high shine of this fabric makes every seam, pucker, and mistake more evident. It is more suited for garments with less structure (which is why it works so well on the bias!) and doesn‰۪t lend itself to tailoring or extensive seaming.
- Use with nap cutting layout (i.e. all pattern pieces laid out in the same lengthwise direction) so all pattern pieces reflect light the same way and shading is prevented.
- Use with nap cutting layout (i.e. all pattern pieces laid out in the same direction) so all pattern pieces reflect light the same way and shading is prevented.
- Cutting charmeuse on the bias will cause the fabric to grow. Let a garment hang for at least 72 hours before finishing the hem so it reaches its full length.
- The fabric tends to move when laid out for cutting. Layer the fabric between two sheets of tissue thin paper before cutting to stabilize. Hold fabric in place using fabric weights or fine, sharp pins (like ouråÊextra fineåÊpins). Keep cut fabric pieces pinned to tissue paper until right before you‰۪re ready to sew
- Use tissue paper as backing when sewing seams together to help stabilize fabric ‰ÛÒ tear away once seam is secure
- Use a new, thin needle when sewing this fabric to avoid snags‰ÛÒ especially when machine sewing
- Use silk or cotton thread to sew
- Lower the stitch size setting on your machine to help prevent snags (8 to 10 stitches per inch is a good estimate, but it‰۪s best to experiment on a test swatch before sewing)
- The best finishes for charmeuse are French seams, very narrow hems (1/8‰ is best), or purl stitch
Care:
Hand wash with gentle detergent in cold water. Hang to dry and iron on ‰ÛÏsilk‰ setting w/pressing cloth. Dry clean if preferred.
