We're passionate about sewing and dressmaking at Sew Me Sunshine. We are taking a look at our faux fur dressmaking fabrics and have put together some sewing tips.
What are faux fur fabrics?
Faux fur was developed to create a supply of fur looking fabric that does not use animal skins and therefore can be purchased by the metre. The nap * of these fabrics is longer and the direction of the nap is more pronounced than for corduroy or velvet. These faux furs are often made from polyester and have either a woven or knitted back side.
* napped fabrics are those that have raised fibres on their surface. The raised surface is referred to as the fabric's pile. If you run your hand across the surface of a fabric and it feels soft and smooth then you are going with the nap of the fabric, but if it feels bristly and rough then you are going against the nap of the fabric.
Pros and Cons for faux fur fabrics:
Pros:
- Flexible and lightweight compared to real fur
- Cruelty free / vegan (does not use animal products)
- Soft luxurious texture
- Often difficult to distinguish real fur from faux fur
Cons:
- Difficult to cut through the thick pile
- Made from polyester which is not an environmentally responsible fibre
- Heat-sensitive, so pressing is difficult
- Usually bulky
Sewing Projects for Faux Fur Fabrics:
- I AM Patterns Mage
- I AM Patterns Mira
- I AM Patterns Gaston
- Fibre Mood Frida
- I AM Patterns Hathor
- I AM Patterns Delphine
- Fibre Mood Roma
- You Made My Day Sweet Winter Vest
- Atelier Scammit Soltice - faux fur collar
- Faux Fur Collar (Tilly and the Buttons has a free pattern)
- Gloves
- Hats
- Cushions
- Throws
- Faux fur fabrics on a knitted base can even be used for cardigans + jumpers
Top Sewing Tips for Faux Fur Fabrics:
- Comb your faux fur with a wide toothed comb and shake the fabric to remove loose fur
- Decide which way you want the fabric pile to be for your project and mark the direction on the back of your fabric
- Cut your project out in a single layer (remember to flip pattern pieces face down to cut the second piece of any that need to be mirrored)
- Keep scissor blades pointing in the same direction as the nap
- Use only the tip of the scissor blade when cutting your fabric and try to only cut the backing fabric as you can then tear the faux fur apart
- Sharpen your scissors pre and post cutting your faux-fur
- Use a walking foot (this helps the fabric to feed evenly)
- Use clips rather than pins
- Stitch in the direction of the nap
- Use a stretch stitch (zig zag) when sewing faux fur on a knitted back, on a woven back opt for a straight stitch with a longer stitch length (2.5-3mm)
- Use a new large stretch needle (90/14)
- Use cotton stay tape for areas that are prone to stretching out such as shoulders and the neckline
- For the seams we recommend trimming the pile in the seam allowances and stitching the fabrics right side together and then pressing the seam to one side
- For closures we recommend either opting to use heavy duty poppers, a belt or hook and eyes
- Line your faux fur dressmaking projects
- Make sure you clean your sewing machine afterwards
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We hope this blog post has inspired you to sew with faux fur dressmaking fabrics.
You can find all of our faux fur dressmaking fabrics here.