We're passionate about fabric at Sew Me Sunshine. Here's our guide to everything cotton gauze and cotton double gauze related.
WHAT IS COTTON GAUZE FABRIC?
Cotton is a natural fibre that comes from the seedpod of the cotton plant. Cotton gauze is a lightweight open weave fabric.
WHAT IS COTTON DOUBLE GAUZE FABRIC?
Double gauze is two layers of very thin gauze fabrics that have been basted together which forms a subtle grid over the entire fabric. This tends to result in a fabric that has an almost spongy like feel and a billowy drape. It has a natural crinkle like texture.
Characteristics of cotton double gauze fabrics:
Pros:
- Soft
- Lightweight
- Breathable
- Available in a variety of colours and prints
Cons:
- Not good for structured dressmaking projects
- Prone to fraying
What to sew with cotton double gauze fabrics?
It is a lightweight fabric but it does not have a fluid drape like a viscose fabric. It has a billowy drape and tends to hold its shape, but it is not suitable for a structured garment due to it being lightweight. It is perfect for relaxed style garments such as looser fitting tops and dresses. Depending on the type and colour of the cotton double gauze you may not need to line the fabric.
Here are some dressmaking patterns that are suitable:
- Tilly and the Buttons Stevie
- Closet Core Cielo
- Megan Nielsen Darling Ranges Dress
- Grainline Studio Scout Tee
- Friday Pattern Company Sagebrush Top
- True Bias Roscoe Dress
- I AM Patterns Joy Top
- Cashmerette Roseclair Dress
- Deer and Doe Myosotis Dress
Tips For Sewing with Cotton Double Gauze Fabric:
- Pre-wash your fabric on the settings that you plan to launder your finished garment
- Cotton double gauze has lots of texture and its best to preserve this. Therefore you do not want to press down too hard with the iron when ironing the fabric unless you are pressing a seam or collar etc
- Use fine pins as the fabric is prone to snagging
- Use a universal needle (size 70 or 80)
- For curved seams it is best to stay stitch to prevent the area from stretching
- If your pattern requires interfacing, use lightweight interfacing
- Due to the uneven surface sometimes one layer of the fabric can feed through the sewing machine quicker or slower than the other. If you have a walking foot then this might help to prevent this from happening as it will grip the top and bottom layers evenly
- It is advisable to use a longer stitch length - 3mm
- Due to the loose weave the fabric is prone to fraying so it is important to finish your seams. If you have an overlocker then it would be best to finish your seams with it. If you don't have one then you could try to use a zig zag stitch on your sewing machine or you could consider using french seams. If you decide to finish your seams using a zig zag stitch bear in mind that due to the open weave it can be difficult for the needle to catch the fabric so this can result in the needle pushing the fabric under the plate
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