How to Sew Cotton Fabric, In 5 Easy Steps

Learn all about sewing cotton fabric. Cotton invokes visions of summer with cool dresses and one of the easiest fabrics to sew! Learning how to sew cotton fabric is perfect for beginners as it is stable under your sewing machine and needs just simple techniques and tools.

Sewing Cotton Fabric Tutorial

Although cotton may seem like a poor relative compared with silk and satin, it is known in America as “King Cotton.” It is America’s leading cash crop. That little cotton ball made up into a bale can produce 215 pairs of jeans, or 249-bed sheets, or 313,600 $1 bills. And that is just one bale! King Cotton, a simple sewing pattern, and some basic sewing cotton steps will give you a royal experience!

I have broken this sewing cotton fabric tutorial into 5 easy steps.

1. Preparation
2. Identifying the fabric
3. Cutting
4. Sewing cotton fabric
5. Finishing

How to Sew Cotton Fabric, Step by Step for Beginners

Step 1 – Preparation Sewing Cotton Fabric

THE BASIC SUPPLIES – You will need scissors, cotton thread, a tape measure, pins, and a basic sewing pattern. Look for simple patterns to start with if you are a beginner.

All cotton fabrics should be washed prior to sewing as they are prone to shrinkage. Some darker colors may also bleed, and you don’t want that transferring to lighter colors once you have sewn up your item. Cotton can be hand-washed or machine washed, but either way, you should use cold or warm water. Hot water will increase any shrinkage or color bleed. Use a gentle detergent designed for cotton fabric.

Further Reading:

• Test for Colorfastness
• How to Press for Sewing
• Test for Shrinkage
• Best Settings to Iron

Step 2 – Identifying the Cotton Fabric

Before sewing cotton fabric, it is important to identify what weight and type of cotton you have purchased. There are subtle changes you will need to make for different types of cotton.

1. DIRECTION – Cotton is a woven fabric with a warp and a weft. The direction of the fabric and the pattern go with the direction of the threads.
2. THREAD COUNT – Try the scrape test on the fabric with your fingernail. If the threads separate, then the fabric thread count is low, and the fabric will not be very strong. The higher the thread count the softer and more durable the cotton fabric.
3. WEIGHTS – There are different weights of cotton, from lightweight to medium and heavyweight, and each weight is suitable for different articles.
4. COMPOSITION – Always check each label for the 100% cotton mark and look at the pattern you have chosen, as most patterns recommend a fabric type. If you are not sure if your fabric is cotton, you can do a burning test to identify it correctly. Organic cotton is sewn in a similar way but is produced without the presence of harmful chemicals.
5. NAMING – There are different names for cotton fabrics, too, and they refer to different textures, prints, or even colors. Damask, gingham, and ticking have specific prints. Flannelette, shirting, seersucker, and corduroy have different textures. Khaki is a specific color and strong cotton.

Step 3 – Cutting Cotton Fabric

1. LAYOUT – Always lay out your pieces to check the grain of the fabric, pattern lines, fold lines, and so on to be sure that every piece you need is cut correctly. Cotton can be cut folded so each piece, unless otherwise stated, is double or on the fold line.
2. PINNING – Pin, cut, and mark according to the pattern and baste if necessary. There are different types of pins that you can purchase, but cotton uses an all-purpose pin most of the time. If your fabric is marked by the pins, pin outside the seam allowance or use pattern weights or heavy tins from your pantry.
3. MARKING – Marking can be done using a tailor’s chalk or tracing wheel.

Further Reading:

• How to Pin
• Cutting Fabric
• Marking Fabric

Step 4 – Set the Machine Stitch Length

The best stitch length for cotton depends on its weight. Here is a guide:

• Extra heavyweight cotton – Try stitch width 3.0 – 4.0
• Heavyweight cotton -Stitch length of 2.0 – 2.5
• Medium weight cotton – stitch length of 2.0 – 2.5
• Lightweight cotton – stitch length of 1.5 – 2.0

Needle sizes and stitches will vary according to the weight of your cotton, so adjust your machine accordingly and always test settings on a scrap of fabric before you start.

The best needle to use for the majority of cotton fabrics is a universal needle. Heavier cotton such as denim can be sewn with a denim needle or upholstery needle.

• Extra heavyweight cotton – needle size 100/16 or 120/20
• Heavyweight cotton – needle sizes 90/14 to 100/16 or denim-type needles
• Medium weight cotton – needle size 70/10 to 80/12
• Lightweight cotton – Needs a finer universal needle of 60/80 to 70/10

Step 5 – Sewing Cotton Seams

Cotton lends itself to most seam types depending again on the weight of the cotton and the style of the garment. Use the French seam for the lightweight cotton, and avoid bulky seams by grading.

Step 6 – Finishing Sewing Cotton Fabric

The easiest way to finish a seam when sewing cotton fabric is to use a serger or a zig-zag stitch. Read more about seam finishes you can do if you don’t have a serger. Bias bound seams can be a good finish for really thick cotton.

Cotton hems can be finished off with a simple double-fold hem.  Machine-stitched or hand-stitched, it will depend on your preference and the attachments on your machine.  A blind hem is a great professional finish to the garment.

In Conclusion

With the right preparation, identification, cutting, sewing, and finishing, you will be well prepared for sewing cotton fabric.

Now you know all about sewing cotton fabric, check out these other fabrics listed alphabetically.

1. CHIFFON – Sewing Chiffon
2. BATIK – What is Batik
3. CANVAS – Sewing Canvas
4. DENIM – Sewing Denim
5. SILK – How to Sew Silk
6. THICK – Sewing Thick Fabrics
7. VELVET Sewing Velvet
8. WOOL – Sewing Wool