HE001 – Home Economics Literacy

Topic 8:

Selecting fabrics for sewing

OBJECTIVES: After reading this module, you will be able to:

1. Define fabric;
2. Know the different types of fabrics;
3. Differentiate kinds of fabric;
4. Appreciate the elements of design

Fabric is cloth made of fibers. Fibers are hair –like strands that are wound to make yarn or thread used
in making our clothes, curtains, tablecloths, sheets and many other item.

Types of fabrics

1. Woven fabric – does not stretch except on the bias. It is made up of fibers which run straight at
ninety degrees angles to each other.
2. Knit fabric – has loops of fiber that allow the fabric to stretch

Kinds of Fabrics

1. VEGETABLE FIBERS

A. Cotton – from vegetable fiber, the world’s most popular fabric. It is cool to wear and easy to wash. It
is versatile, durable and comfortable. Inexpensive but shrinks and wrinkles easily.

 Cotton batiste – A finely woven lightweight cotton, used for blouses, baby dresses and
underlinings
  Broadcloth – fantastic closely woven cotton that has a slight rib, perfect for shirts.

 Cotton shirting – lightweight 100 percent cotton that makes fantastic menswear shirts. Good
for pajamas and boxers.

 Cotton viole – crisp lightweight cotton used for garments. Used in soft furnishings and in
dressmaking.

 Velveteen – either a 100 percent cotton or cotton blend. It has a duller and slightly stiffer look
than velvet.

B. Linen – known as the oldest fiber and used by the Egyptians thousands of years ago. It comes from
the stem of a very pretty plant called flax. Good for women`s and children`s dresses and blouses.

2. ANIMAL FIBERS

A. Silk – collected from the cocoon of silkworm. Strong and luxurious fabric with natural luster,
moderately resilient and resists wrinkling. More expensive than manmade silky yarns.

 Brocade – textured silk with some stiffness, a luxurious fabric made into clothing or wall
hangings.
  China silk – a very lightweight silk used almost exclusively for lining.

 Chiffon – lightweight, very drapery silk. This is the fabric that goes with the flow, and can be
used in all sorts of garment.

 Crepe de Chine – a light to medium weight silk and comes in two- ply to thre ply weights

 Raw silk – rough looking silk with a dull finish made from short silk filaments discarded as
waste but easy to sew and has a distinctive look. This is woven into textile.

B. Wool - made from the sleets of sheep. Outerwear medium – weight clothing springs back into shape,
requires little pressing with great versatility in fabric, perfect for tailoring blankets and upholstery.

 Boiled - made in similar fashion as felt, but much richer and more supple. There’s no need to
finish the seam edges. Used for blankets and jackets.
  Boucle – has a distinctive sweater – like nubby surface created with little loops, perfect for soft
shaping in coats and jackets.

 Challis – medium to lightweight, it is hand washable and doesn`t wrinkle much. Perfect for all
types of garments.

 Crepe – can be composed of wool, silk, cotton or synthetic. It varies in quality and it is
expensive . It is a beautiful fabric that drapes well and is extremely wearable, perfect for making shirts,
scarves, shawls, and bonnet trimmings.

 Merino - a very fine, expensive , closely woven wool made from Merino sheep`s coats. Widely
used in the textile industries.

3.SYNTHETIC OR MANMADE FIBERS

 Rayon – soft, cheap and comfortable fabric absorbent, lacks resilience wrinkles easily. For drapery
and upholstery fabrics, blankets, throw rugs and table coverings.
  Polyester – strong and durable synthetic fabric, dries quickly, with sharp pleat and crease
retention. For wash and wear clothing – often in combination with other fibers especially cotton.

 Nylon – It was first developed as a substitute for imported silk. With exceptional strength,
excellent elasticity retains shape. Used for clothing, upholstery and carpet, rope, tents and fishing line.

 Spandex – stretch and recovery rate is high. Resists abrasion and body oils. With discoloration.
Used for garments, swimwear, surgical hose, ski pants and other sports wear

 Acrylic – resist wrinkling, high bulking power wool –like texture. Very resistant to effects of
sunlight. Used for tailored outwear, knitted wear, pile fabrics, blankets and carpets.

Elements of Design

Design refers to the general arrangement, pattern or planning of lines, shapes, details etc.
 1. Line – creates a visual dimension of length and width. Lines direct the eyes to a certain path of
vision, or it can draw the eyes away from an undesirable area of the body. The following are the
two kinds of lines in garment.

A. Directional line – such as vertical, diagonal, checkered and curved. These affect the height and size of
an individual.

B. Structural line – are found on necklines, armholes, hemlines, darts, side seams, sleeves, collars, tucks,
and pleats garments.

2. Color – is a radiant energy loosely termed light that produces sensation in our eyes. It is the
most powerful element. The color of the dress easily attracts the client`s attention and becomes
her basis in choosing her apparel.

The Color Wheel

The color circle, based on red, yellow and blue, is traditional in the field of art. Sir Isaac Newton
developed the first circular diagram of colors in 1666. It is a schematic hue circle that one uses to guide
color mixing and color design decision.

Hue – is the other name for color. It is the particular shade of color that differentiates one from
another.

Primary colors – are red, blue and yellow. They are the basic colors where different colors
originated.
 Secondary colors – green, orange and violet. These are the colors formed by mixing the primary
colors.

Intermediate colors – stem from the combination of primary and secondary colors.

Tertiary colors – are made by mixing either one primary color with one secondary color, or two
secondary colors.

Neutral colors- are the white, black and gray and are predominantly grayish and brownish. They
are sometimes called earth tones.

Value – is the lightness or darkness of color.

- Tints – is produced when white is added to a color. (Example: pink is a tint of red)
- Shades – is produced when black is added to a color (Example: maroon is a shade of
red)

Intensity – the dullness or brightness of a color. Colors in their full intensity are bright, those in
their lowest intensity are very dull.

3. Space – is the area inside an enclosed shape.

4. Form or shape - refers to the form of a person showing the curves of the body. This includes the
shape of the face, neckline, and the full body or figure.

5. Texture – is the surface quality of an object. Rough, smooth, silky etc.