Hi: I am a weaver and definitely NOT a seamstress. After 34 years of weaving I am finally making a blouse for myself. This time I even sampled (made a dish towel to try out pick up patterns and different wefts). My problem is that I am too far into the blouse to tear it out and after washing the towel I have realized that the fabric is going to be drapier than I want. I am using Sally Fox 10/2 naturally colored cotton as warp and weft (except pick up). Sett at 24 epi. The warp is sticking and I'm having to keep the warp tension very high and still can't get more than 20-21 ppi. This was supposed to be simple, like a huipil and I definitely am not lining anything ever again as long as I live (Post traumatic stress from Home Ec nearly 50 years ago). It occured to me that there are all kinds of iron on fusible interfacings. Question: Has anyone ever worn one of these interfacings next to their skin? Are they rough, or do they make you sweat? As always, if anyone has any good ideas I'd love some help. Thanks- Kate .

Comments

Sat, 02/14/2015 - 15:47

sandra.eberhar…

Fusible interfacing is designed to be enclosed by fabric (like inside a collar).  It doesn't stay stuck down well, and it is scratchy.  The fuse is more to keep it in place during construction than a permanent bond.   I take it that your fabric is more transparent than you would like for a blouse.  You can add an interlining.  This is very iight fabric cut with the same pattern pieces as the fashion fabric.  You layer the fashion fabric on the interlining fabric and handle as one piece.  You can also wear a camisole under the sheer blouse.  If the problem is not transparency but the handle of the cloth, you can use fabric sizing, repeating after washing.  Interlining will also solve this.

Sat, 02/14/2015 - 16:43

fiberassociations

Thanks. I wanted a dense cloth like the cotton huipiles I have from Chiapas and this will be whimpy cloth that wrinkles a lot. I may resort to ironing with starch. Interfacing adds a layer of stiffness but also a layer of complexity in finishing the neckline etc. I 'll try to work on my attitude.
Sat, 02/14/2015 - 17:54

sandra.eberhar…

Instead of trying to force your fabric  into a garment that it's not really suited for, you might try finding a simple blouse pattern that will suit the hand of the cloth better.  In my experience, the best way to make a soft, drapey fabric into something stiffer is with an interlining.  If you were going to use the selvedge as the neck opening to save finishing steps, you could still do this by putting the selvedge of the interlining at the neck adge also, although this is not a very comfortable neck finish.

Sun, 02/15/2015 - 03:24

Sara von Tresckow

You do realize that except for evenweave used to keep cross stitch projects squared, most fabric is slightly warp dominant. Also, your fabric will shrink more in lengty than width - leaving you with maybe 22 picks per inch - quite close and good for sewing garments.

 

Sun, 02/15/2015 - 09:54

ReedGuy

Hard to find a whole lot on garment construction with handwovens. You can find a few 1 or 2 page handouts on weaving repository sites and there is a 4 or 5 page document on Interweave that was, maybe still is, a free download. There is no actual textbook unless it is from a study course decades ago. Maybe there isn't a whole lot to write about except for some "things to be aware of when using handwovens". :)

Sun, 02/15/2015 - 18:35

barleycorn

There's an old (1980's) book by Interweave Press that I think is called HANDWOVEN, TAILORMADE. This book is all about sewing with handwovens, projects are are dated but the information is still good. If interested you might find a used copy cheap. 

Sun, 02/15/2015 - 18:49

jmbennett (not verified)

Just recevied an email announcing an online course for sewing with handwovens offered through Weaving Today (Interweave/Handowoven magazine).  Daryl is an expert.  If the course is not what you had in mind, she has other options to offer you.

Here's the link for the course:

http://www.interweavestore.com/garment-construction-part-1-handwoven-yardage-and-sewing-tips

 

 

Sun, 02/15/2015 - 20:17

sandra.eberhar…

I took an Interweave web seminar on setting up a home photo studio, and it was amazing.  I learned so much, it was one of the best spent hours in the last year!!  And I already knew a lot about photography, I just hadn't been able to accomplish what I wanted to.

Sun, 02/15/2015 - 20:24

ReedGuy

I've always enjoyed interweave videos and ebooks. Always a  few tips to be learned. :)

Sun, 02/15/2015 - 21:28

jj50 (not verified)

Is it too late to unweave what you have woven or cut it off and change the sett? You didn't say what your weave structure is. I weave Foxfibre sett at 20 epi for plain weave, and 24 or 25 epi for twills. It shrinks @ 20% after wet finishing.

I happen to have some fabric woven with Foxfibre waiting to be sewn into a shirt, once I find the perfect sewing pattern.

Mon, 02/16/2015 - 05:53

fiberassociations

Thanks to everyone for the helpful ideas. I have used up all my extra warp with sampling and the project is so specifically planned for a 3 panel huipil that I don't think I can start over. I have the Anita Luvera Mayer book Clothing from the Hands that Weave about simple garment construction and have taken a couple classes. This is just an issue of having a fixed idea and misestimating the sett it will take to give me the cloth I want. It's good because I will also be using 10/2 (from Mayan Hands) to make a vest and they recommend the 24 epi sett too. I am going to measure wpi and probably create a warp faced cloth at nearly the epi if I have enough yarn. Sarah- I had never though about vertical shrinkage changing the epi/ppi relationship. I am going to go back and measure those in the sample that I washed. Inerestingly at our guild study group on Saturday someone had taken a class from Daryl Lancaster and (quoting her I think) said that the new fusible interlinings are greatly improved and that tricot interlining can be used as a lining. I am going to my local sewing store to see what they think. Thanks again for being so helpful.
Mon, 02/16/2015 - 19:42

sally orgren

Is one of the iron-on fusible interfacings that Daryl recommends, but it doesn't change the hand of the garment, just gives stability. Most of the time weavers have the reverse problem, a fabric with a more open sett and they want to keep the fabric from unraveling as they sew.

I have used fusi-knit and I do not prefer the "plastic-y" feel it gives the garment from the inside out. I took a Mexican blanket and made it into a hoodie with front pocket as a test to make the same pattern from handwoven. I used fusi-knit as a 100% lining. It came out as expected, was very warm for the hand of the textile, but I abandoned the idea after sampling, as the garment was not nice to wear.

I am thinking your fabric weight might not be what you had in mind, but would work great (and feel great!) for a summer top with a simple shape.