Chiffon is a material from which you can sew a loose, light and airy dress. However, when using this material, you must remember that it has important features that must be taken into account in the work. It is easy to sew a chiffon dress yourself, but this work requires precision and accuracy.
Material Features
The thinness of the material is achieved by using tightly twisted threads. It is made from natural or artificial fibers. Chiffon models are suitable for the boho style. This light and airy fabric is used to create not only clothes, but also home textiles and accessories.
This material is made using plain weave in most cases. It can use different types of threads, which gives the fabric certain properties.
- Silk is obtained by the silkworm. Its threads have a triangular cross-section. The fabric made with their help is able to shimmer beautifully.
- When the material is made of cotton, it is thin, durable and absorbs moisture well. Clothes made of it are well suited for summer.
- This material can be made using viscose. This thread is artificial. It is produced using cellulose. The fabric made using it is durable and pleasant to the touch.
- When polyester is used for manufacturing, it gives the material strength. Such fabric does not wrinkle.
- Sometimes polyamide is used. It is known for its high strength.
When making fabric, various weaving options can be used. Depending on the option used, the following varieties can be distinguished:
- To create chiffon-crepe, the threads are twisted. Moreover, those that are next to each other are twisted in opposite directions - one to the left, and the other to the right. This fabric is rough. Its peculiarity is that it practically does not wrinkle and drapes well.
- The jacquard chiffon features large woven patterns that resemble embossing.
- Another variety is chiffon-satin. The warp threads are wrapped around the weft many times. Such weaving features make the fabric smooth.
- The chameleon plays with different colors depending on the angle and strength of the light falling on it. The master will be able to make a real masterpiece from such fabric.
- Pearl chiffon is similar to the previous variety, with the difference that it shimmers with a mother-of-pearl color.
- Although the raw edges of such fabrics are usually prone to fraying, nylon chiffon does not suffer from this drawback. In addition, it is more durable than other varieties.
- In double-sided chiffon, the outer and inner sides are colored differently. They are often made contrasting.
A wide variety of types of material allows you to choose the most suitable fabric for sewing for girls or women.
Rules for working with fabric
When working with chiffon, you need to take into account its features:
- It is usually not washed. A safer option is to use dry cleaning services for this purpose.
- The fabric has a low density when wet. However, it must be handled very carefully.
- If you need to dry chiffon, lay it out on a horizontal surface so that it is not stretched anywhere.
- Most varieties of this fabric have split edges. Therefore, before processing, it is recommended to moisten them with a solution of gelatin or starch. After the edges are dry, they can be sewn.
- When working with the neckline, it is not recommended to use a facing, because it will show through the transparent fabric.
Important! Washing is only allowed in water colder than 30 degrees. To avoid damaging the fabric, it is placed in a special bag that will protect it from damage.
Dress pattern
When creating a pattern, you need to consider that the chiffon dress will consist of three parts. You will need to make a bodice, a skirt and clothing that will be worn under the light and transparent dress.
Important! When working with this material, patterns are usually not made directly on the fabric. First, they are applied to thick paper, and only then the material is cut according to the patterns made.
The pattern is made taking into account the following instructions:
- The back and front of the upper part are cut out of paper. They should be symmetrical. The front part will need to have darts for the chest. In this version, the product is made without sleeves.
- To transfer, fold the material in half and cut out these two pieces at once.
- When cutting, you need to add two centimeters to the edges. The increase in size is necessary to make seams.
- To cut out a skirt following the step-by-step instructions, you will need a rectangular piece of fabric. To determine how wide it will be, you will need to triple your waist measurement. The longer the length, the fuller the skirt will look. The given figure will correspond to average fullness.
- The lining skirt, which will be worn under a transparent dress, should be shorter than the outer one. It is made in accordance with the waist and hips.
This completes the cut of the dress.
DIY Summer Dress
Once everything you need is prepared, it’s time to sew a chiffon dress:
- You need to stitch the side and shoulder seams.
- For a chiffon skirt, you will need to sew in an elastic band. In order for it not to be visible through the transparent chiffon, you need to provide several layers of fabric in this place. The ends of the elastic are sewn by hand.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when sewing and caring for a chiffon dress:
- Chiffon is a very sensitive material. If pins are used for work, they can damage the fabric, leaving marks on it. It is recommended to choose very thin pins and make sure that they do not have burrs that could damage the chiffon.
- Instead of pins, you can use spray glue when cutting out the details. After lightly spraying the material, wait until it dries and only then make cuts. It is not recommended to use an awl when working with this fabric.
- When it becomes necessary to iron the chiffon, it is important not to let moisture get on the fabric. If this happens, the material will wrinkle. However, such problems will not arise with dry ironing. The surface of the iron should not have any dirt or rust, so as not to snag the chiffon.
Sewing a dress is not difficult, but it is important to take into account the characteristics of the fabric used.
Sewing without a pattern
When creating a chiffon dress, a pattern is not always necessary. You can sew a beautiful dress from this material without any preliminary preparation.
To do this, you can take a piece of fabric of the appropriate length and wrap it beautifully around the body. On the shoulders in a dress of this style, the material is fastened with decorative pins. To prevent the fabric from unfolding, it is necessary to tie a belt. A master class on creating such clothes is available even for an inexperienced seamstress.
The edge that remains outside needs to be sewn to the dress.
Chiffon products
This material can be used to sew not only dresses, but also other things.
Speaking about what can be sewn from chiffon, we can remember trousers, blouses, skirts, pareos, scarves made from this material.
This material produces beautiful accessories that can be made in various styles. For example, flowers made from this material are popular. They are one of the options for decorating evening dresses. They can also be used as interior elements.
Chiffon is also used to make beautiful curtains and tulle.
With this material, you can create beautiful and original models not only for everyday use, but also as evening wear. In addition, you can sew various types of clothing, accessories, and items for use in home interiors. Working with this material is not difficult, but requires attention and accuracy.
