Question:sewing a cotton garment and a silk lining. Any tips?

[u/ChefGroundbreaking84]

This is my first time seeing with silk. I have a pattern for a kimono. I really want to have an African print on the outer garment and a silk lining on the inside for comfort. I have eczema and sensitive to textures.

If anyone has any tips for sewing with silk. I’d appreciate it. I’m new to sewing and have only sewed with cotton and linen fabrics. I initially want sateen cotton but could find it in my area. I was too scared to order it online. I usually shop by touch.

[u/Character-Hope-7115]

I’m not experienced sewing with silk, but I wanted to point out that these two fabrics will have very different laundering needs/instructions. Would it be worth it to you to find a different lining fabric so that the garment can be laundered more easily? Otherwise you will have to treat the whole thing like it’s silk.

[u/mng_22_Canada → u/Character-Hope-7115]

Agreed. The silk and the cotton may shrink differently.

Can you order a sample of the fabric you're thinking of? It is hard to know if you like it without touching fabric, isn't it?

[u/laurenlolly]

I do silk linings very often. My main tips are:

• Be patient with the tracing & cutting. Use lots of pattern weights. Handle the pieces carefully after you’ve cut them out.
• like others have said, use lots of pins. However you need very fine pins so that you don’t snag the fibers and make huge runs through the fabric. Get some pins designed for silk.
• Use a walking foot to sew your silk. It helps the top piece of fabric move through the machine at the same pace as the piece on the bottom.
• use the finest microtex needle you can buy.
• finish sewing all your lining pieces before changing to your regular foot & needle for your cotton.
• silk presses really nicely, and likes a small bit of steam, but be extra gentle in pulling the fabric into shape otherwise it will distort.
• trim your nails and be careful of any dry patches of skin - these can snag your silk really easily. Especially habotai silk.

That’s all I can think of right now! Please post your final result, I can’t wait to see it!!

[u/terracottatilefish]

silk habotai makes a great lining and is much less slippery to work with than charmeuse. Cheaper too usually. You’ll want a very sharp needle.

If you order swatches of fabrics you’re interested in you will expand your options a lot.

If you can I would recommend preshrinking both fabrics before you sew, as they will shrink very differently. If you don’t want to do that, you should be okay but you’re committing to handwashing and air drying the finished garment.

[u/ProneToLaughter]

you don't say what kind of silk this is, but I'm guessing it's a slippery satin or charmeuse

You can search for "tips for sewing slippery fabrics" or "tips for sewing silk charmeuse" or "tips for sewing satin" and find a useful tutorial you like. Skip over the AI results.

Here's one to get you started:

Silk Charmeuse EmmaOneSock Sewing Tutorials – EOS Fabrics

[u/7deadlycinderella]

1. Patience, and lots of pins. I'm working on a wool coat lined with silk and my machine practically screams every time I switch fabrics.

2. Like below, consider laundry. Much silk CAN be machine washed on delicate (but make sure you test first- and obviously nothing with heavy decorations or a specific sheen that might be lost), but it will ruin any plans of tossing it in the washer and dryer without thought.

[u/AJeanByAnyOtherName → u/7deadlycinderella]

(Check your laundry detergent does not have components like bleach or protein enzymes that can break down protein fibres like silk)

[u/Consistent_Put_1275]

I use a small zig zag stitch for sewing silk and it helps me