[rachelgold]

Hopefully I didn’t just miss this in the description, but are the fabric requirements the same for 45″ and for 54″? I’m making a size 8 or 10 (haven’t decided yet). I want to make it out of free spirit voile and that stuff gets pricey so I’m trying to determine the bare minimum 🙂 Or does anyone have a less pricey fabric suggestion for lining a voile. I saw batiste and lawn (and voile) mentioned in previous discussion. Can I get away with the cheapy stuff on the inside without ruining the comfort and effect of the quality stuff on the outside?

[meleliza]

Yes you can use a less expensive solid voile to line a dress with without undermining the nice Free Spirit stuff. However, voile lawn and batiste can vary quite a lot. I often use a cotton voile from Harts Fabric for lining and find it a good quality. It is likely from Robert Kaufman, but I haven’t checked. It is less silky smooth than the free spirit voile and it won’t glide over tights like a silk lining, but it does a nice job for summer dresses and it’s half the price.

As for the yardage, if you really want to get it exact, the best way is to trace the pattern pieces, lay them out and measure. If you fabric is non-directional, like for the lining, you might be able to nest them and save fabric. But if they don’t fit side by side, you’ll have to stagger the pieces and it will take more fabric. I know size 3 fits side by side on a 44″ wide fabric with room to spare, so I’m thinking that size 8 may well fit side by side on the voile but I haven’t tried it yet.

Please share on the Flickr group when you’re done! 🙂

[Brittney]

I was able to get a size 6 + extra length out of a yard of 54″ voile. Like Meleliza said, it is best to trace your pieces to make sure though! And I have been using muslin for my linings, I really like it- inexpensive and it washes up so soft, though it does require a bit more ironing.

[meleliza]

I woudnt recommend muslin as a lining for voile, though. It’s much heavier and stiffer than the voile and will definatley destroy the soft drape of the free spirit voile. If you’re stuck buying online and want to be careful of spending, it’s best to order swatches.

[rachelgold]

Thank you so much for the suggestions! I will assemble and measure the digital pattern and depending on the results, will consider going for some cheaper voile for the lining.

[beachmom]

Like georgeandizzy, I used a light weight bleached muslin for the lining of the voile Roller Skate dress I sewed. I found that it was as nice (if not nicer!) than the cheap voile at my local Joann’s. And the dress drapes just fine!;)

[Justine J]

Oh, I have always found muslin to be very soft and light weight – I have used it for lining before too (a bubble dress) – maybe it’s another one of those AUS/US differences……

My advice would be to feel it first – I’ve also found that cheaper voile can be a pain to sew 🙂

[rachelgold]

Thank you so much for the info. I did look at voile at my local Joann’s and it’s horrible – I think it’s even shelved with the canvas – it’s not even really voile. The cheap muslin there is kind of stiff but I haven’t looked into the pricier stuff.

It looks like Hart’s Fabrics accepts online orders. Meleliza, is this perhaps the voile you used?

http://www.hartsfabric.com/cotton-voile-silver-56797.html

[mkhs]

Oh, there’s a big difference in AUS and US “muslin”! In the US, it’s a thinnish, plain-weave white quilting cotton. In AUS it’s soft, crinkly and gauzy, right? Like those Aden & Anais swaddle blankets for babies?

[meleliza]

Yes, that’s what I use. They carry it in many colors. In fact, I just received 9 yards of it in ivory to line a few summer dresses with. As i said, its not as silky as the designer stuff, but it is soft, lightweight and has nice drape which will work well with the freespirit voile. Don’t go to Joann for this, they don’t carry it. Well, maybe for window treatments, but it will be polyester and you don’t want that.

Batiste might work too, but again, you can’t get it at Joann. Also, I have found that batiste can vary. I like the kind that is very lightweight but crisp and makes a good underlining. But, I ordered some once that arrived and was much more like gauze, had no stability and was very sticky.

Joann has one or two appareal cotton voiles in their summer line up, however. This is new to them and they’re not bad. Baby girls butterfly roller skate dress is from Joann. But they’re printed, so not for linings.

The Anias and Nin swaddle blankets are gauze to me and nothing even remotely like muslin.

[Justine J]

Yes, what we call is muslin here is used to make wraps/swaddle blankets, but is definitely not gauze….nomenclature arguments aside, the most important thing is to find a soft and lightweight fabric to use for the lining – my main criteria is always that it be cotton. If you are shopping in store, then don’t stress about what kind of fabric it is, just worry about the feel 🙂

Happy sewing!

[Nicole]

Justine is right.

Try scrunching the corner of the fabric in your hand. Sometimes the material will have ‘dressing’ in it and scrunching it can give you an idea of how it will feel once washed.

[meleliza]

I suspect Rachel doesn’t have many fabric stores nearby, hence the need to understand terms. But of course, Justine and Nicole are right, ideally, you just pick something that feels right whatever it’s called. If you have to order online, it can take some trial and error to get the hang of it.

For the record, muslin comes in different qualities too. If I use if for linings or – more often interfacing – I use the “good” stuff you might find at a quality quilt shop rather than the cheapest stuff I might buy for the purpose of making a muslin of a garment.

[Nicole]

Now this is really interesting.

I ordered ‘muslin’ from fabric.com and I got calico!

But you chaps call ditzy print, calico, is that right?

I was so confused reading North and South.

[rachelgold]

Hahaha – we chaps indeed call ditzy print “calico.” But I’m going to start referring to it as “ditzy print,” instead. I don’t have a lot of fabric stores nearby, that is true – just Joann’s and Hobby Lobby and a few fantastic local boutiques with high-end stuff, like the Free Spirit voile (and lots of locally made buttons and trims!). I hate to pay shipping on swatches – I think I will try some of the Hart’s stuff. If someone else has used specifically that alongside Free Spirit voile then I’m willing to give it a go. I promise to keep my expectations low 🙂