Sewing With Silk Chiffon

How to Sew Silk Chiffon

  Silk chiffon works best for loose tops, flowing dresses and pants. Make sure that you are in control when you work with silk chiffon. This fabric is sometimes hard to handle.  

Pre-shrinking the Fabric

Pre-shrinking is not necessary when you work with silk chiffon. When sewing with this fabric, hold onto top and bobbin threads when you begin sewing to prevent it from pulling down into bobbin. Let fabric feed in naturally.  

Washing Silk Chiffon

Completed garment can be dry-cleaned.   Fabric Tips and Tricks

• When choosing the thread, use silk or polyester thread.
• Press with a dry iron on silk setting. Make sure iron is clean. Steam can cause water spots if your steam iron leaks.
• Test your stitch length on scraps of your fashion fabric cut at the same angle as the seams you will be doing.
• With some fabrics, and especially with fully bias-cut garments, it is best to use a very tiny zig-zag stitch to sew your seams.
• Use directional sewing:  sew from the hem, up to the waist.  If you sew down a seam you sew into the grainline, and stretch it.  If you are using French seams, be sure to use directional sewing for both seams.
• Carefully guide your fabric through the machine.  Make sure not to stretch it as you sew.
• Use French seams on lightweight silk garments.  This help stabilize the seams, and helps keep them from warping.

OTHER REFERENCES

Sewmentalmama: Sewing with chiffon sewmentalmama.blogspot.com9/9/12 This was my second time sewing with silk chiffon and I was surprised at how much more confident I was. ... The dress is also lined in silk, which I sewed separately to the chiffon, then joined at the armholes, neckline and zip. Sewing With Silk Chiffon | Power Sewing www.powersewing.com4/30/11 Silk Chiffon has a mind of its own. Do not attempt to work on this fabric when you are under time pressure. You and the fabric will end up in a standoff!