What are the materials needed in making a dress?

To make a dress, carefully cut the fabric from a pattern, following traced lines, with an extra ½ inch of fabric around the edges for seam allowances. Follow the sewing directions on the pattern using a zig-zag stitch to secure the front and back of the dress together. For a simple neckline and hem, fold ¼ inch of fabric down and use a straight stitch to hold the fabric in place around the neck and bottom of the dress. For more tips, including how to take measurements and select a fabric, read on!

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To make clothing, start by taking your measurements and applying them to a simple pattern. Then, make a few test garments so that you can tweak the design and get some practice. Once you’ve got the measurements and fit right, you can make the final version of your garment. As you learn and develop your skills, you can move on to more complex projects, like jackets and shirts. For an easy first project to practice on, keep reading!

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Sewing dresses is where a lot of sewers and fashion designers start. They are generally easier to fit and sew than garments like trousers yet offer endless style and cut options to experiment with. This makes a dress the perfect piece of clothing to hone your design and sewing skills on. 

There are hundreds (if not thousands) of different fabrics to choose from for your dress design – so, how do you know which fabric is the best choice? In this article, we’ll show you how to select the perfect dressmaking fabric, as well as give you our top 10 fabric picks for sewing dresses. 

What Makes a Fabric Perfect for Sewing a Dress?

Before purchasing fabric for your dress, you’ll need an understanding of what properties to look for in a good dressmaking fabric. It’s also important to consider your design, where the garment will be worn, and what weather you plan to wear your dress in. All of these considerations have an impact on what type of fabric will be your best choice. 

There are a few basic characteristics you’ll want to make sure that any fabric you choose has. It’s important that the fabric is comfortable to wear, so choose one that is soft or silky against the skin and that has a good drape. You don’t want to be wearing an itchy, stiff dress all day!

You may also want to consider the breathability of the fabric, especially if it’s a summer dress or a casual, everyday dress that will get a lot of wear. 

The weight of the fabric is another important consideration when buying dressmaking fabrics. How heavy the fabric is will impact how it falls and drapes, as well as what season or weather the resulting garment will be best worn in. Generally, choose a heavier fabric for a winter dress and a lighter fabric for flowy summer dress. 

Going into a physical fabric store is the easiest way to ensure that the fabric you choose is the right weight for your project, however there are many more options when you buy fabrics online. That’s why most online fabric stores list the weights of their fabrics – so you know what you’re getting before you purchase. 

Typically, the fabric store will list the weight of the fabric in grams per square meter (gsm or g/m2) or ounces per square yard (oz or oz/yd2). A higher gsm or oz measurement indicates a heavier fabric. 

Here is a guide to understanding fabric weights for sewing dresses:

gsm

oz

weight

types of dresses

<136

<4

very light

silky, sheer, ultra-flowy and super lightweight dresses

136-237

4-7

light

t-shirt dresses, button-up shirt dresses, casual lightweight dresses

237-305

7-9

medium

sweater dresses, structured dresses

>305

>9

heavy

very heavy winter dresses – examples include wool or denim

Choosing the Right Fabric for Your Dress

There are so many different styles of dresses you could make – and the fabric you choose needs to fit your specific design and vision for the project. 

Do you want an airy, flowy dress for summer? A structured, business-formal dress? Maybe a heavy, textured dress to wear with leggings in the winter? 

Ask yourself how you want the dress to drape, how the fabric should feel, and where you plan on wearing the dress. Answering those questions is important in narrowing down your search to the right types of fabrics. 

Top 10 Fabrics for Sewing Dresses

With a solid understanding of what makes a great fabric for sewing dresses – and how to choose one that fits your dress design – let’s take a look at our top 10 favorite fabrics for dressmaking!

We have a huge selection of gorgeous European fabrics perfect for making beautiful dresses. We also focus on stocking sustainable fabrics, many of which have various certifications to ensure their quality and sustainability.

1. Cotton Jersey

If you’re looking to make a casual, everyday dress that’s soft and comfortable to wear – cotton jersey is a great choice. Jersey is a lightweight, soft, stretchy knit fabric that is often used to make t-shirts and other casual knitwear. When made from a breathable and comfy natural fiber such as cotton, jersey is great for everyday wear. It’s the perfect choice for t-shirt dresses and other casual knit dresses. 

We have a great selection of jersey knit fabrics to choose from, including this certified organic cotton jersey that is available in a wide range of colors.

2. Tencel Twill

Tencel, which is a brand of lyocell by the sustainability-focused company Lenzing, is a type of rayon fabric created from ethically sourced eucalyptus wood. Tencel lyocell is a soft, silky fabric that is very durable and comfortable to wear. Tencel twill is woven with a twill weave – which is a long-lasting weave with diagonal lines across the surface of the fabric. 

A lightweight Tencel twill is a great choice for a silky, drapey dress or flowy shirtdress. We offer a 100% Tencel twill in several different colors that is the perfect weight for a light dress. 

3. Cotton Poplin

Poplin is a versatile, plain-weave fabric, usually made from cotton, that is often used in button-up shirts and dresses. It’s also great for other lightweight dresses with details that need a crisp fabric that presses well – like pleats, collars, or full gathers. It’s a fabric that can be used for dresses that will get year-round wear and has a light sheen that adds a subtle, beautiful touch. 

Our lightweight organic cotton piqué fabric would make wonderful luxury t-shirt dresses and other casual dresses that need a high-quality look and feel.

What materials do you need to make a dress?

Which of the following materials is best suitable to make dresses?