Now you have found your favourite dress patterns, all you need to do is buy the perfect fabrics for bringing your creations to life. But what type of fabric should you look for? To start with, the style of dress that you are going to make needs to be considered. For example, if the dress is going to be a casual, T-shirt dress then cool cotton would work well, but if you want to create a sheer maxi dress, then chiffon is more fitting.
As we’re going into the warmer months, here we have focused on lightweight fabrics that are comfortable to wear and perfect for creating summer dresses from.
Georgette
Free-flowing and loosely woven, Georgette offers a beautiful drape that is perfect for floaty floral creations. It shares many similarities with chiffon but has a more grainy texture. Georgette is also less sheer than chiffon, which is something to bear in mind when creating your design. There are different variations of the fabric around, including Silk Georgette and Georgette that is made from synthetic yarn.
Crepe
Another beautifully light fabric with a distinctive texture is crepe. Crepe de chine is slightly different and refers to a very lightweight fabric with a crepe texture. A simple shift dress, with clean lines made from crepe, is both flattering and versatile. Try keeping it minimal by sticking to one colour, such as a sunny yellow or powder blue, and try an A-line shape.
Linen
Perfect for picnics in the garden and lazy days by the beach, linen is loved for how comfortable it is to wear in the heat. The breathable fabric does not stick to skin and looks stylish in white, muted tones, tan and khaki. Linen is a great choice for a casual but stylish midi dress. Try a loose-fitting design with a simple fabric tie to cinch in the waist.
At Franklins, we offer a large selection of fashion fabrics for dressmaking. We can stock over 2,200 different fabrics at any one time and with new fabrics arriving all the time you can be sure that your creations will be on-trend.