Seersucker Fabric Texture: How To Sew With It!
Seersucker fabrics become hot on Instagram during the summer months, more so since the Ganni seersucker dress went viral! This is because seersucker is a fabric that is perfect for lazy and hot summer days.
It has a wonderful texture, and is often made from natural fibers, making it perfect for hot weather when we want to stay and look cool.
So, let me share with you how seersucker fabric is made and how to sew with it for best results!
Seersucker Fabric
The word “seersucker” is derived from the Persian words shir o shekar, which means “milk and sugar”, but seersucker itself is a lightweight cotton fabric that has a crinkled surface. It originated in India and is most often used in shirts, dresses, and home decor.
Being a fabric that is characterized by its puckered surface, seersucker is traditionally made from cotton and linen, although modern day seersucker is often found made from rayon, polyester, or a blend of these two fibers.
History Of Seersucker Fabric
Originally created in India back in the 1600s, cotton seersucker fabric was considered to be a utility fabric. It was traded by the East India Company which is how it reach countries further afield.
Seersucker was first introduced to the United States by Joseph Haspel in the early 19th century and it quickly became popular in the American South as it was used for work clothing and uniforms in the warmer weather months.
Garments made from seersucker were also worn by female members of the US marine corp during the Second World War but it was only really in the mid-20th century that seersucker became a popular fabric for all, and was used for lightweight summer suits, sports coats, and other menswear garments.
Today, seersucker is worn by people of all ages and genders, and is no longer associated solely with the American South. It is also often used as a quilting fabric thanks to its texture.
The Making of Seersucker Fabric’s Texture
The distinctive puckered surface of seersucker fabric is created by using a different tension in the warp and weft threads during the weaving process. The resulting fabric is then treated to shrink the fabric evenly, which results in the puckering effect.
You’ll have noticed that seersucker fabric often has a vertical stripe or checkered pattern – this uses two colors on the warps and wefts to create the pattern – but can it also be available as a solid-colored fabric as well when the color of the weft matches the warp yarn.
Reasons To Sew With Seersucker Fabric
Seersucker has long been considered a popular fabric for summer clothing because of its lightweight and breathable properties – key reasons why it was so very popular historically as a summer fabric in those hot British commonwealth countries.
It is often used to make a:
- Dresses
- Shirt
- Shorts
- Summer suit
- Pants / trousers
and other warm-weather clothing types.
This makes it a great fabric to sew with now that we’re all experiencing hotter and wetter summers.
However, seersucker is available in different fabric weights, so while traditionally it has been seen as a more warm weather fabric, the heavyweight variations also make it suitable for those cooler days too.
5 Tips On How To Sew Seersucker Fabrics
So you know what seersucker fabric is, how it’s made and why you should be using it, but how should you sew it? Below are five tips to help you sew seersucker fabric with confidence:
- Seersucker is actually quite an easy fabric to sew with, regardless of your sewing level and because of its crinkled surface, you don’t need to worry as much about ironing it as you go, which saves you time during the sewing process.
- You can sew it with either a standard home sewing machine or domestic sergers with no issues, and I would recommend using a sharp needle such as a size 80/12.
- As seersucker is a lightweight fabric, you will want to use a lightweight interfacing as needed, but again, be mindful of the crinkle nature if you use a heat fusible type.
- When cutting out your pattern pieces, the crinkled nature can make your cutting lines look wonky. Try not to worry about it, just try to cut as close to the edge of your pattern pieces as you can.
- Finally, one thing to be aware of when sewing with seersucker is that because of its crinkled surface, it can be difficult to rip out stitches if you make a mistake. So, take your time and sew slowly and carefully.
I hope you enjoyed learning all there is to know about seersucker fabric! I have many articles on different fabric types, so do check them out to build up more knowledge and skills with these fabrics! And as always, if you have any questions do drop them in the comments below!
