My TOP SECRET TIPS for sewing with 'Silky Fabrics'. You can do it! Chiffon here we come!

I had to re-upload the video due to an upload error where steps 1-4 (first 6 minutes) had disappeared. Apologies. I needed to delete the previous video to be able to re-upload it again. Truly I am sorry if I couldn't get back to your comment. If you watched, please comment again? Technology got me this time :(
There are TWO videos for you today!

All my secrets are spilled! These are all the tips to help you get started sewing the gorgeous flowy light “silky fabrics”. I am constantly drawn to these fabrics and am sewing them very frequently. I am sharing my many years of experience with these fabrics in this VERY practical video. Come join!

The purple crinkle chiffon shown is already a garment and I am IN LOVE 😊. See it here, today!
Chemainus Top (Itch to Stitch)

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Top 21 tips for sewing with silky difficult fabrics. These tips will make all the difference and they don’t require any fancy tools or resources. The only resource needed is a little extra patience for the greatness to come! There are two BONUS tips on seam finished too.

Included:
*Tips on fabric and pattern placement
*How to cut, mark
*Tips on sewing these fabrics
*Tips on seam finishes
*Specific techniques for improved results: Block fusing, hand basting, hemming, interlining, stay-stitching….

“Silky” fabrics include light flowy wovens like:
*Chiffon
*Crepe
*Silk
*Rayon
*Satin

Patterns Mentioned in no particular order:

Melrose top & dress (Itch to Stitch)

Cielo top & dress (Closet Case)

Rhapsody top & dress (Love Notions)

Montana shirt (Itch to Stitch)

Bonn Shirt & dress (Itch to Stitch)

Vivace Dolman (Love Notions)

Red Duster pattern mash up

Butterick 6684 black dress with a Bow

Zamora Blouse (Itch to Stitch)

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How to support the channel:

- Affiliate links * if you purchase from these links, at no cost to you, I receive a small commission that helps support the channel *

- Visit my amazon storefront where I have listed my favorite basic sewing tools (presser feet…..etc)

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Let’s Connect!

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MUSIC USED:
Artist: OmgLoSteve
Song: Too Late ft. Addie Nicole

[chriswatson]

I sew a lot in mulberry silk chiffon and satin and I don't want to dryclean my clothes. I found a local supermarket that sells old fashioned powdered starch. I starch the chiffon heavily and, when it is damp, I iron it lightly on a woollen blanket on my dining room table. This when it is necessary to maintain the warp and weft threads at right angles.. Once it is dry, it is easy to cut out and sew. When the garment is complete, rinse out the starch with warm, (not hot) water. If it is still a little bit crisp, that's OK.

[janets]

I really love all your content!! Here is my no baste method for baby hems on fine or sheer fabrics. Staystitch 3/8" from raw hem edge (regular machine stitch length), press to wrong side along stitching line, making sure the line of stitching just rolls to wrong side, stitch again close to that first stitching (about 1/16th" away) Trim off the excess hem, very close to 2nd stitching. (do slowly and carefully) Then fold over one last time to wrong side and do a final stitching. This last row of stitching will be the only one visible on the right side. Doing 3 rows of stitching sounds like alot but it doesn't actually add bulk it just gives a bit of weight to the hem to make it hang nicely. Test the method first on a scrap of your fabric, and experiment with different spacing of these rows of stitching so that you get the hem width, and the look you want. If my explanation is confusing, just google how to do a baby hem, and photos and videos should come up.

[shaidabegum.]

❤️❤️❤️❤️Karina❤️❤️❤️❤️
🥇🥇🥇You are the best 🥇🥇🥇 Your teachings are clear and to the point. Please can you give tips about viscose fabric.

[nancyb]

I need to embrace your sewing ethics and learn to slow down and enjoy the process. I have especially decided to adapt to include more hand basting in my sewing of the fiddly parts and pieces. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, I enjoy all your content!

[macquadj]

I can’t believe how much I’ve learned. I haven’t been able to continue my sewing lessons since the lockdown, but your channel has kept me going. Thank you so much 😊

[jirup]

I read your article at Love Notions which was great, but this video really helps cement the ideas for me. Thanks a lot Karina. It's also nice to see the first few minutes, although I wasn't going to complain with the earlier upload... we all make mistakes sometimes. Much love from Australia.

[margaretmold]

My grandmother, who was a seamstress, taught me to sew when I was a young girl in the 1960's. I so enjoyed what could be made and loved the fabrics, from lingerie, prom and wedding dresses to suits. Good memories. I have used self fabric for interfacing, but the block method is great 👍. I will certainly use that method. I enjoy hand basting and happy you are promoting it, especially for delicate fabrics. I have shared and taught my love for sewing with my children (boy and girls) and granddaughters. Thank you. Farmland Minnesota

[connieturner]

Karina, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for this video with all this info about how to sew these fabrics. No where else have I been able to learn these things so I thought I had to just avoid these fabrics. With this information I could try again. I did try to make a simple top with some chiffon, it was a disaster. I tried using french seams, I didn't know about basting or taping the fabric down to cut it. It makes so much sense to do it that way. I am so grateful that you share your knowledge with us so freely. Thank you Thank you Thank you

[creolekitten]

I’ve been sewing for more than 40 years. I’m a theatrical costumer and I HAVE to say…. Thank you.

You are such a wonderful teacher. You give great information in such a calm, relaxing manner. You make anything seem attainable!!!

Even with all my years sewing, I keep learning from you. I always recommend your videos to all my interns.

And I must add, the garments you’ve made are STUNNING!!! You are such an inspiration.

Again, thank you.

[kerstinshadbolt]

Karina, until I found your channel, I never heard anyone expressing the benefits of hand basting. I think it was one of the first things I learnt at school and I never stopped until I noticed that everyone on Youtube uses pins or even nothing, just fingers. Having seen you, I now baste anything that looks the least bit tricky. Thank you!

[tammymasson]

I like that you showed a clip of how you hand baste! I have tried my first two chiffon garments this week (unfortunately before this video came out!) I found that putting a small piece of tissue paper underneath helped me to get seams started with my machine. It wanted to shove the fabric down into the throat plate, even though I held onto the threads. I was super apprehensive, but it's been a much better experience than I thought! I did choose a simple elastic waist skirt for the first project. The other item is a tiny dress for my one year old granddaughter. It took some doing, but I did get the zipper installed last night! 👏😅

[joannecava]

Karina = thank you again for such great tips! I do have a question = do you serge your raw edges of any of these light weight fabrics before washing and then laying out to cut? on cold and delicate cycle? I heard that if you don't serge the raw edges they will unravel in the wash and cause the material to stretch out??

[MiddleEastMilli]

This was so interesting! Thank you for sharing your secrets. May I ask 2 questions? When you are doing fabric preparation on fabrics that are prone to shrinkage (perhaps cotton or linen) is washing and air drying enough? Also, I recognize you are modest so when making such sheer garments how are you blocking others seeing through? I find so many fabrics with amazing prints but the sheer factor would block me from purchasing them. Thank you!!!

[ljwilliams]

Karina, I'm always so grateful for your guidance and your practical tips that make such good sense. I am so impressed with the way you pin vertically and swipe the pin away without interrupting your rhythm. Do you have a magnetized dish in front of your sewing machine, or something else? I'd really like to start handling my pins the way you do. Thanks so much!

[sew_So_beautiful]

I have a question for you. Could you do a segment on mending fabrics? I have a beautiful chiffon blouse that my aunt made for me but I made the mistake of wearing it to work. We have antique doors and I have ruined more clothing on the latches of those doors. I have a 2 inch L shaped rip over the back hip and don't know how to fix it so it isn't obvious. She has some square shaped embroidery designs that she did around the neck so the only thing I can think is to try and repeat the design on the rip and maybe a couple of other spots randomly to make it look like it belongs there. What do you think?

[karenstrand]

These tips come just in time for me. I've recently ordered a couple of chiffon fabrics because I just love all of your light and floaty dresses and tops! So many practical tips. Thank you again for all your videos!

[glendavizecky]

Thank you for all your tips on light weight tricky fabrics! I made a Rhapsody blouse about a month ago after your Rhapsody video. I use many of your tips to complete my first Chiffon project. THANK YOU! I did end up hand basting the neckline and strings. Of course that was after i tried with just pinning an had to rip out all the stitches because it was not sewen correctly- it moved. 🤣. Love your vlogs!

[judybrown]

Thank you for all the information. Love your videos

[BroccoliFiles]

Great tips. I've worn surgical gloves to work with some silks, especially on hot days and with light colored fabrics. You really don't want to handle these fabrics much because the oils from skin can rub off on them so easily. Beautiful fabric!

[elaine]

Amazing Karina thankyou, I will especially always baste from now on and the other tips will be so useful, it’s so good to know how to properly handle these delicate fabrics, very informative as always, loved it !!