Silk Fabric 101: Supplies for Sewing

Let's talk about the varying types of silks you'll regularly find on the market today and what's appropriate for historical costuming! There's a lot of different textile options and it can quickly end up confusing, so I'm not only going to break down the definition of each, but we'll look at the textile close up, see how it handles, and even sometimes how it makes up into a finished garment!

Taffeta
-Plain weave
-Fine threads
-Crisp hand
-Light to Mid weight

Dupioni or Shantung
-Plain weave
-Slubby threads
-Crisp hand
-Light to Mid weight

Noil or Matka
-Plain weave
-Rough threads
-Soft hand
-Mid weight

Crepe de Chine
-Crepe weave
-Fine threads, tight alternating spins
-Soft hand
-Light to Mid weight

Charmeuse
-Crepe and Satin weave
-Fine threads
-Soft hand
-Light weight

Crepe Back Satin
-Crepe and Satin weave
-Fine threads
-Soft hand
-Mid weight

Duchesse Satin
-Plain and Satin weave
-Fine threads
-Crisp hand
-Mid weight

Double Faced Satin
-Satin weave
-Fine threads
-Heavy hand, mid crisp
-Heavy weight

China Silk or Habatoi
-Plain weave
-Fine threads
-Crisp hand
-Light weight almost sheer

Gauze
-Leno weave
-Very fine threads
-Mid crisp hand
-Very light weight sheer

Chiffon
-Crepe weave
-Fine threads
-Soft hand
-Very light weight sheer

Georgette
-Crepe weave
-Fine threads (multiple ply)
-Soft hand
-Light weight semi sheer

Organza
-Plain weave
-Fine threads
-Crisp hand
-Light weight sheer

Faille or Corded
-Plain uneven weave
-Fine and Heavy threads
-Crisp hand
-Heavy weight

Moire or Watered
-Plain weave
-Fine thread (sometimes fine cord)
-Crisp hand
-Mid to Heavy weight

Jacquard
-Mixed weave (satin, corded, plain)
-Fine thread
-Crisp or Soft hand
-Any weight
-Reversible

Damask
-Mixed weave (satin, corded, plain)
-Fine thread
-Crisp hand
-Mid weight
-Reversible

Brocade
-Mixed weave (satin, plain)
-Fine thread
-Crisp hand
-Mid weight
-Not reversible

Ikat
-Plain weave
-Fine to mid thread
-Crisp hand
-Light to mid weight
-Warp dyed

Tulle
-Net weave
-Very fine thread
-Crisp or soft hand
-Light weight sheer

Velvet
-Added pile weave
-Mid weight thread
-Soft or hard hand
-Mid to Heavy weight
-Often Rayon or Cotton mix

Jersey
-Knit weave
-Light weight thread
-Soft hand
-Light to Mid weight

Art Silk
-Rayon fibers
-sometimes "Mulberry Silk" is also used, though this can be real (check the price)

A (small) few of my favorite silk sources:

00:00 Introduction
06:23 Plain weave (Taffeta, Dupioni, Shantung, Noil, Matka)
11:13 Crepe weave (Crepe de Chine)
13:54 Satin weave (Charmeuse, Crepe Back Satin, Duchesse Satin, Double Faced Satin)
17:20 Sheers (China Silk, Habatoi, Leno weave, Gauze, Chiffon, Georgette, Organza)
21:26 Special weaves (Faille, Moire, Jacquard, Damask, Brocade)
27:28 Miscellaneous (Ikat, Tulle, Velvet, Jersey, Art Silk)

Socials

[NicoleRudolph]

If you want a clear list of attributes for each fabric or a short list of my favorite silk sellers, check out the extended description!

[pmclaughlin]

Best part in a fabulous video: seeing all the different historical garments she has made...especially the different 20s evening gowns

[bernadmanny]

Finally I half-understand silks. This was both informative and digestible, really good job.

[noexpensespentstudios]

Seeing you handle the silk really helps understand how it should look and move and what the names actually mean in relation to the different types. Another really useful and informative video, thank you.

[frenetic_muse]

As someone who is just beginning on not only my historical costuming journey but my sewing journey period.... this was so very helpful. Thank you so much for explaining this in such an easy to understand manner. I would love to see you make a series of this focusing on different fibres. When you're just getting started it can be so overwhelming trying to figure out what fibres and what weaves to use for what purposes.

[anthonythomas]

Thank you so much for explaining WHY not to get most silk wet or wash it! I've been wondering forever

[Silligoose]

AWESOME video!!! And I love how you did a "wrinkle grab/test" for each fabric. Thank you SOOO much for this guide.

[daalelli]

I had no idea that so many of our fabrics that are plastic now, started life as silk. I worked at a fabric store for about 2 years, and have handled all of these in the plastic version, but did not know that they were all silk based at one time. Thank you for this (now these) education. What a wonderful gift of your time.

[bohemiansusan]

I really enjoyed this video as it filled a few gaps in my knowledge of western silk. So many of them have several names for one kind of fabric.
Eastern Asian silks are something I know well and grew up with as all Sunday, holidays, and formal occaisions were hanboks made of silk. Cotton was used for funerals.

Some silks you've mentioned in this video, I've gone and machine washed and dried but that was mostly to shrink the fabric or remove sizing that causes me to have skin rashes. I like to find as many ways to use raw silk in projects. I tend to use it in place of linen or lighter canvas.

[busterbrown]

You are the only YouTuber I watch with a pad to take notes on at hand. Thank you for all the wonderful videos.

[michellecornum]

This was INCREDIBLE!!! I loved that you showed a sample and crushed it (WITH THE SOUND). This was incredibly telling. It gives a sense of the hand of the fabric. Good Resource Video!!

[hallamshire]

THAT ERTE COAT! You looked like with walked out of a 1920's print! I want to see how you make THAT!

[chloesavannahcummings]

Oh Nicole, how you bring us all life with your wisdom

[amymullen]

I often find myself confused by fabric types, and this was WILDLY useful. Thank you so much.

[AdelaideBeemanWhite]

I have a silk taffeta waistcoat. It’s one of the few silk things that I have. A bird pooped on it. I had to have it dry cleaned. Exactly what you said would happen, happened. It lost some of its sheen and became wrinkled. I’ve been able to iron it, but it will never look quite how it did originally.

[SuperCloudBerry]

Nicole, you are truly a natural teacher! The level of detail, depth and your way of explaining it all in a way that is actually understandable is just....*chef's kiss"😙👌🏻
I CANNOT WAIT to learn about any and all other types of fabric.
Thank you. 💗

[romero]

This fabric series is a godsend! You are very good at giving a concise but very in depth description of all these different textiles. Also, I would love a video on how the style of silk damasques have changed over the centuries please rant on forever

[rhondacrosswhite]

Thank You Nicole for sharing all of your knowledge. I consider myself fortunate in that there have been no new additions to my wardrobe in the past 25 years that are not natural fibres. Well, a couple of my ‘70’s DVF dresses are acrylic but they live on by their own merit. I live on the Texas Gulf Coast where it’s hot as hell and humid. If I have any guests in the summer that haven’t lived here before, the first thing we do is shop for her some comfortable clothing items. I am so happy for the refresher course in fibres and fabrics you’re offering. Yeah, I could read and remind myself but you’re voice and method of speaking is soooo much nicer. Cotton, silk, wool and linen are the way to go here. And they feel almost naughty against the skin!

[skaterbakes]

Omg that Erte coat!! Its probably a lot but I think many of us would love a video of you going through some of your favourite makes! They're all gorgeoussss

[debbielough]

*Thank you* for explaining the difference between woven threads and sewing threads. There's a myth in some historical sewing circles that you can just pull threads out of your fabric and use them to sew. I've tried to explain that all that really does is make an inherently weak seam, but your explanation is so much more eloquent than mine!