SEWING SILK, How to Sew Silk for Great Results

Sewing silk made easy! As smooth as silk is the way to describe this exotic, luxury fabric that originally came from the East. Its texture is smooth and soft to the touch and it feels like the queen of all fabrics. This tutorial will show you step by step how to sew silk to get great, smooth results.

Sewing Silk Tutorial

A successful journey with sewing silk can only mean one thing…a lot of preparation. This journey can be set in the right direction by following some tried and tested tips to help you get the best result from your special fabric.  

Shortcuts could cost you the outcome you were hoping for, so get ready and be prepared for the art of sewing silk. Silk fabrics include georgette, charmeuse, silk organza, silk chiffon, and silk dupioni.

Sewing Silk Key Takeaways

Here are some of the key points in this sewing skill tutorial:

Characteristic	Recommendation
Best Needles	60/8 or 70/10, Sharp/Microtex
Best Thread	Fine, lightweight, polyester or silk
Best Pins	Extra-fine, sharp, glass head pins
Best Stitch Type	Straight stitch, Small zigzag for edges
Stitch Length	Short (2.0 – 2.5 mm)
Pressing Tips	Use a press cloth, Low heat, No steam
Types of Seams	French seams, Flat-felled seams
Hems	Narrow, rolled, hand-stitched
Cutting Tips	Sharp scissors, Single layer, Fabric weights

What You Will Need to Sew Silk

• FABRIC -Silk Fabric. There are many types of silk fabrics. Most used for home sewing are either lightweight fabrics or medium weights.
• CUTTING TOOLS – Scissors, fabric shears, or rotary cutters with a fresh blade and cutting mat.
• SILK PINS
• BEST NEEDLE FOR SEWING SILK – You can’t use universal needles for sewing silk. Use sharp needles or a Microtex needle. Generally, the best needle size for sewing silk is 60/8 or 70/10. These are very fine needles, which help to avoid leaving large holes in the fabric.
• PRESSING CLOTH
• BEST THREAD FOR SILK – Use cotton thread or a high-quality polyester thread.

Is Silk Hard to Sew?

Silk is not hard to sew; however, you do need to do more to prepare the silk fabric for sewing. Success in sewing silk garments is all about having the right needles, thread, and stitch length and taking extra steps to prepare seams from slipping and fraying.

Sewing Silk, Step by Step Instructions

Step 1 – Prepare the Silk Fabric for Sewing

The first step on the journey you are about to take is preparing the fabric. Remember that silk is a delicate fabric, so it needs special care even before you pick up scissors, pins, or needles.

1. PRE-WASH – It is advisable to pre-wash the fabric exactly the way you will wash the finished garment, as silk can shrink. If your silk is marked dry clean only, you can skip this step as you won’t be washing it.
2. PRESSING – Press with a cool, dry iron using a presser cloth. Don’t use steam as silk can get a watermark easily. Make sure your iron is clean.
3. TEST A SCRAP – Test drive this process on a scrap. Then, when you are sure how best to prep your fabric, give the whole piece the pre-wash treatment. It is even worthwhile to buy some extra fabric so you have enough to test each process.

Step 2 – Layout the Pattern and Cut the Silk

The trouble with silk is it is slippery – smooth and slippery! Laying out the pattern and cutting is tricky. Scissors can slip and go off course and the material can slide around and not be cut accurately. Here are the tips to cut silk successfully.

1. USE SILK PINS – You will get the best results with special silk pins. Don’t skimp and get holes left in your fabric using thick pins. Otherwise, instead of pins, use pattern weights or cans from your pantry to weigh down the fabric. Pin into the seam allowance to avoid pinholes.
2. CUTTING TOOLS FOR SILK – Use a rotary cutter and cutting mat instead of scissors. Make sure the blade is sharp and new.
3. STOP SLIPPING – Tissue paper between the fabric layers can stop slipping.
4. DIRECTION – Make sure your pattern pieces go in the same direction so the shine of the silk goes the same way. You may need to flip over your paper pattern piece and follow the cutting directions for fabrics with a nap.
5. HANDLING – Wash your hands before you start, as silk stains easily. Be careful of sweat marks as well.

Step 3 – Testing Before Sewing Silk

Now, are you ready to sew? No, not quite…Grab a scrap to test! Here are all the tips for getting ready for sewing silk:

1. MACHINE SETTINGS – Check your stitch length. Try a stitch length 2.0, as smaller stitches look better on fine silk.
2. MARKING – If you use a marking pen, check on a scrap first – Some marking pens do not come off the silk. (Read ways to mark fabric)
3. TENSION – Check your sewing machine tension and make the necessary adjustments. The stitches should not pull or wrinkle the fabric.
4. SEAM RIPPING – Remember silk does not unpick well – no margin of error is an excellent way to think. (how to unpick seams). Purchase some extra fabric in case of mistakes.
5. WORK CLEANLY – Keep those hands clean and check for possible oil residue on your machine.

All clean and prepped? – Now you are ready to go.

Step 4 – Stabilizing and Using Interfacing

Consider using fusible interfacing strips along the seams’ side as another neatening option to stop fraying.

You can also stabilize a seam with a thin strip of bias sewn into the seam allowance. A spray fabric stabilizer can also achieve extra stability, but check it doesn’t leave marks.

Step 5 – Basting Silk

How to sew silk without puckering? Always baste the seam or section you are working on, as it will make the rest of the seam so much easier to control. Try using tailors tacks or baste the markings and seams before you sew. Use a silk thread.

Step 6 – Sewing Silk

Now the preparation is done, you can ease off and start your journey. You are ready to sew and create that fabulous garment made of silk.

What Stitch Should I Use for Silk?

You should use a straight stitch with a small length when sewing silk. A length of 2.0 usually works well. Test a scrap to see no puckering at this length and adjust your machine tension accordingly.

Sewing Silk Seams

A French seam works well on the softer, lightweight silks. However, it can be bulky on thicker silk fabrics. Avoid bulky seams on fine silks, especially when you press the garment – silk shows marks easily.

Sewing Silk Hems

You can use a narrow hem or rolled hem for lightweight silk.

Finishing Silk Garments

Decide on the finishing method that best suits the silk you work with. You can use a serger or try a zigzag finish if you have no serger – silk frays! Using a serger with a differential feed is a good option for silk. (Read how to finish seams)

Lining Silk

If you want a tailored finish, think about lining the garment – it will be worth the extra work.

Sewing Silk – In Conclusion

Now, you are all set for sewing silk and getting great results. The preparation for sewing silk is a worthwhile investment to help you sew a beautiful garment. You will be sure to say that despite the preparation, the process went …. as smooth as silk.

More About Silk

• Types of Silk
• How to Wash Silk
• How is Silk Made?
• How to Iron Silk