Questions tagged [fabric]

For questions about all types of fabric and textiles. Use with the specific fabric material, such as felt, if known.

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Is there a way to make fabric origami at home? [duplicate]

A company called Petit Pli is making some fascinating products using origami tessellated fabrics. They've come up with things like clothing that grows to accommodate six or seven sizes for kids growth ...
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6 votes
3 answers
99 views

How to cut intricate patterns from velvet?

I want to recreate a certain type of costume: Image source and copyright: Heimatmuseum Dahme My specific problem is that the black stripes on the skirt are supposed to be velvet. As far as I know ...
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1 vote
2 answers
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Covering for office chair

I am looking to add some material to the chair seen below that will hold up better than the current material that is covering the chair. The chair is pretty comfortable, so I like to keep it like that....
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3 votes
3 answers
58 views

Durability of fabric glued to wood/plastic

For a kiosk that I am building for a small public library, I am considering options for how to decorate it. The library's palette is rather weird, and I am unable to think of a suitable solid color. ...
6 votes
1 answer
40 views

Friction against the needle sewing coated outdoor (waterproof) fabrics - lubrication?

I'm modifying/repairing a backpack, and have once again encountered a problem that's fairly common with outdoor gear. In this case it's exacerbated by sewing a very thick stack of fabric where seams ...
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2 votes
0 answers
33 views

When to chose jersey binding vs. bias binding

I recently had a problem with binding a rectangle of fabric with rounded corners. The fabric had a slight stretch to it and the corner was rounded off about an inch / 3 cm, so no sharp angle there. ...
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5 votes
2 answers
504 views

What is the name of this kind of mechanism?

What is the name of this folding canopy mechanism where arc-shaped spines are hinged around a central pivot?: I have googled high and low and coming up blank... feel like I'm missing a vital keyword! ...
6 votes
1 answer
131 views

Captain America suit's raised surface pattern?

What is the technique/fabric technology to make raised surface pattern as seen on Captain America suits (see the image below)? At first sight, I thought it was quilting pattern, but upon closer ...
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4 votes
1 answer
62 views

How can I attach fabric detailing to a dress?

I would like to add patches of material to a dress (95% cotton, 5% elastane), however I don't own a sewing machine and it would be a lot of work to sew by hand. Essentially I just want to add shapes ...
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3 votes
2 answers
65 views

How is this fabric stretched without folds?

The picture depicts a speaker protection grille which needs to have the cloth replaced. I managed to source an apparently identical piece of fabric (a cotton/elastane mix according to the seller) but ...
0 votes
2 answers
135 views

Silk clothes for active daily wear - reasonable or not?

I'm interested in making clothing for a rugged, outdoor environment, and using silk for this purpose. I am used to silk being used for luxury goods which are very difficult to maintain. Although I ...
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2 votes
1 answer
922 views

Glue for sticking wool to wool?

Can anyone recommend glue for sticking wool to wool? This is for a small, stationary, non-load-bearing, long-term application for an indoor, non-heated environment. It doesn't need to move around or ...
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3 votes
1 answer
435 views

What is the best way to reinforce/mend a fraying elastic strap by hand?

I would like to mend the elasticized shoulder straps of a dress. The straps are fraying along the edges. The material of the dress is synthetic, with a close-knit weave and four-way stretch. I do not ...
5 votes
4 answers
5k views

Can a pizza cutter cut through fabric?

As can be seen in this video, a CNC machine uses a cutting wheel in order to cut through fabric. That tool resembles a pizza cutter. So can a pizza cutter cut through fabric? If so, what kind of ...
2 votes
1 answer
112 views

Are these fabric scissors?

I am new to sewing. I have a box of old sewing stuff (+ other stuff) from an older relative, which includes the two pairs of scissors below. Sewing tutorials say you need to use fabric scissors to cut ...
2 votes
1 answer
64 views

How I can calculate how much fabric I need to buy?

I am planning the materials I need for the skirt mentioned in my question here. It is a pencil skirt with false cuts and I want to order the appropriate amount of fabric. But I do not know how I can ...
7 votes
3 answers
449 views

What's a good fabric to use for an outdoor canopy?

I'd like to create my own outdoor canopy for my small deck. This canopy is going to be a large swathe of fabric that will attach to a wall and the deck fence, creating a sloped shade. What are good ...
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3 votes
2 answers
243 views

Gluing fabric or ribbon to walnut shells

I've made a series of small crafts in walnut shells and want to turn them into lockets of a sort by gluing a ribbon (or thin strip of cotton fabric) to the outside so I can tie them shut. I'm having ...
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4 votes
2 answers
597 views

Which is warmer for slipper socks—wool or acrylic?

I've read a bunch of pages for what seems like a simple question but haven't been able to find a definitive answer. My main confusion comes from the (in my newbie mind) conflicting statement, where ...
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2 answers
879 views

What is the difference between poly poplin fabric and cotton poplin fabric?

I am considering purchasing a custom pillow and the poly poplin is much cheaper than the cotton poplin. Since it's online I'm am wondering how noticeable the difference is. I am also wondering if ...
5 votes
2 answers
508 views

What important tools does a small tailoring outfit need?

Please note: this question is intended to give me some ideas so I can start formulating a surprise gift for my wife. The obvious answer here might be: "Just ask her!" but that defeats the ...
7 votes
2 answers
681 views

Blocking Acrylic Yarn

How do you block acrylic yarn? I just finished a beautiful Celtic Cable neck warmer with Lion Brand Heartland Tweed yarn, which is acrylic, and I want to make some for my friends for the holidays, but ...
3 votes
1 answer
135 views

I am trying to identify / describe this wool thread / yarn

This is a commercial fabric, I would like to produce something similar. When I search on the internet the closest I find is lace weight wool yarns for sale (retail or wholesale), which are 2 to 3 ...
4 votes
2 answers
147 views

How do you accurately mark fabric without a pattern?

I’m trying to use a pattern for a bag, courtesy of a friend. The pattern instructs me to “cut two rectangles, 14 by 16 inches from main fabric”. I have sewn for a while now, but never without a ...
0 votes
1 answer
144 views

How to recreate drawstring effect on this dress on homemade nightie pattern

I have 2m of fabric, and I want to make a cotton nightie with it. I want to create drawstrng shoulders and also a front drawstring that ties losely. I managed to find an image similar to what I would ...
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1 vote
3 answers
139 views

Dressmaking and pattern layout: folded vs open fabric?

I've bought the Wilder Gown pattern from the Friday Pattern Company and the layout instructions seem to suggest you don't fold the fabric before cutting the pieces, instead keeping the fabric open/...
1 vote
3 answers
118 views

How much fabric is needed in this instructional?

My wife comes and asks me whether or not she has enough fabric to complete a project. She gives me a square footage of what we have on hand and then a yardage — not square yardage — called for by the ...
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4 votes
2 answers
3k views

What is a linear meter?

I'm just trying to understand the concept of a linear meter. I'm aware that rolls of fabrics can have different widths and depending on the width and need a shorter or longer part of this fabric. ...
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2 votes
2 answers
380 views

Can I create a 'professional level' canvas weave, using a manual loom machine?

I would like to start weaving my own cotton yarn, using a manual loom, to create my own cotton canvas fabric. The fabric will be used to create canvas paintings, which will be stretched over the ...
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2 votes
1 answer
3k views

How can I fully bleach a polyester shirt?

I have a shirt that is 95% polyester and 5% spandex. I'd like to completely whiten this shirt. How can I accomplish this? Related: Fade color in fabric
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7 votes
1 answer
135 views

What knitting/weave style is this?

Here it is used on a simple and light winter hat. Also: is this doable by hand? Front: Back:
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3 votes
3 answers
2k views

How can I secure stiff fabric to wood without risking ripping and without adhesives?

I am planning a project using simple 1" x 2" pieces of wood and attaching a length of textile between the planks. The wood will be about 12 inches long, and the fabric will go from long-edge to long ...
user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
93 views

What fabric can I use for these clothes?

(The picture bellow is from a costume on-line shopping[ https://www.buycostumes.com/products/mens-steampunk-gentleman-costume ]. I don't want the exactly same thing, but it's close enough.) I don't ...
1 vote
2 answers
101 views

What sort of fabric could be used for this costume?

I want to make a astronaut costume but I have no idea what fabrics I should use. I would like fabrics that resemble rubber, shiny vinyl that has no texture, and fabric that is good for putting lights ...
2 votes
2 answers
71 views

Necessity of Pre-Washing Fabric to Create Folk-Art Shawl

I hear lot about the importance of pre-washing fabric before making a dress to get the shrinking out of it. But what if you want to make a stole, i.e. sew a border, embroider (in my case, I wish to ...
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5 votes
1 answer
483 views

Estimating the amount of wool stuffing needed for a project

I've just acquired a new loveseat for my apartment that's in desperate need of reupholstering. Here's the problem: the cushions are (or were) stuffed with wool. I have some experience with ...
0 votes
1 answer
71 views

Tracking down speckled/marbled upholstery fabric [closed]

I'm working on a project that requires some upholstery work and I cant seem to track down the fabric I'd like. I'm looking for this pattern or something near it The style shown on the website isn't ...
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1 vote
2 answers
138 views

Fade color in fabric

I am trying to fade the color of this cotton cloth: I tried a hot solution of bleach, but very little color comes out. I also tried paint thinner, xylene, a fairly strong HCL mixture (a.k.a. muriatic ...
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2 votes
1 answer
100 views

What do you incorporate into a stuffed animal so that it doesn't permanently deform?

I have a concern with designing a stuffed toy which is that over time, if stuffing gets displaced from a particular region like an arm or a torso, it will be permanently deformed since the only way to ...
2 votes
1 answer
62 views

Rapidly Paint Fabric Flags?

I would like to set up a flag painting station at a festival. I have a bunch of white pillowcases. What kind of paint/painting devices should I use? Ideally, the paint would allow rapid application (...
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6 votes
2 answers
122 views

Permanently mark pin placement for shirt

I have a light blue button shirt with a couple of ribbons that are attached via pins. The placement is very specific and I'd like to mark the exact position of the pins on the shirt. I thought about ...
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1 vote
2 answers
822 views

Very small grommets keep splitting

I've been trying to put some very small grommets, marked size #000, into t-shirts. Since they're going to be resting directly against skin, they need to not split, since splitting creates sharp edges. ...
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5 votes
1 answer
5k views

Which glue should I use for fabric-shaping?

I'm after a glue to stiffen some fabric into a specific shape. I have tried a couple but they do not stiffen the fabric enough as I'm after a fairly solid finish. It needs to be reasonably resistant ...
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3 votes
1 answer
1k views

Dyeing Pashmina

Is it possible to dye a store bought Pashmina? If so, is there anything I should to do it before putting it into a regular dye-bath using RIT dye? Any recommended process that would help “fix” the ...
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4 votes
2 answers
199 views

What type of weave is this?

It's a super durable shirt and I want another like it, but I bought it over 10 years ago. It's 100 % cotton and is a Reebok NBA "Hardwood Classics" shirt.
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5 votes
3 answers
79 views

What is the best way to sew knit/stretchy fabrics?

I’ve done my research and actually tried some of them but the end results are the same: wonky. I’m using needles specifically for knit fabrics, I have used a knit foot. I have tried adjusting the ...
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2 votes
2 answers
165 views

What is this texture called?

What is this type of texture on a fabric called? I've seen knit fabrics with these tiny specks with a contrasting colour.
2 votes
3 answers
5k views

From what material/s I need to create a mold so that I can pour in it safely any kind of molten plastic?

I want to create a mold, so that when I want to make for example, planet Earth in plastic in 3D, then I can pour the molten plastic into mold. So that I can give a form. Not only this, but… when I buy ...
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3 votes
2 answers
215 views

How to make a cloth brim hat?

I would like to make a hat that looks roughly like this one but I'm clueless on how to go about with it. I need it to be from a material that does not keep heat much (compared to, say, felt) and ...
3 votes
1 answer
82 views

Can a damaged sleeve of a suit be replaced?

I have a suit which has a hole in one of it's sleeve. Most of the time, the suit was stored in a dark place, which unluckily was also the reason for the hole. Is it possible to replace a whole sleeve ...
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