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Dress Fabrics for Dressmaking

Dress Fabrics for Dressmaking

Dressmaking fabrics and dress materials for every kind of make, sourced from mills across the UK and Europe, with much of it ex-designer or mill-end stock. Browse everything here, or shop by fibre: cotton fabric, linen, viscose fabric, silk, wool and jersey. Fabrics are sold by the metre or half metre depending on the fabric, and many can be sampled before you buy.
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The right dressmaking fabric starts with the pattern. Most patterns list suitable fabrics on the envelope or in the instructions, and following that guidance on fibre, weight and stretch makes fitting and construction much easier. If a pattern suggests "light to medium-weight wovens such as cotton lawn, viscose challis or linen", any of those will work. If it says "stretch knits only", a woven won't.

Choosing fabric for the garment

Summer dresses and blouses suit lightweight fabrics with drape, such as cotton lawn, voile, viscose challis, silk and lightweight linen.

Shirts, skirts and everyday dresses need a little more body. Cotton poplin, shirting, linen and viscose twill all hold their shape without feeling stiff.

Tailoring and occasionwear call for crepe, satin and wool suiting, which have the weight and finish that lighter fabrics can't give.

Stretch patterns are designed for knits such as jersey and ponte. Using a woven where a pattern asks for stretch will change the fit.

Natural fibres and blends both have their place. Cotton, linen, silk and wool breathe well and are comfortable next to the skin, while blends can add stretch, cut down on creasing or make a fabric easier to care for. The composition is listed on every product page.

Where our dressmaking fabrics come from

Much of the range is ex-designer or mill-end stock, bought directly from textile mills in the UK, Italy and across Europe. That's why you'll find Italian wools, silks and printed viscoses alongside everyday cottons, and why some lines are limited: once a mill-end piece has sold, it may not come back. Our ex-designer fabrics collection gathers the branded and designer pieces together.

How much fabric to buy

Check the fabric requirements on your pattern for your size and the width of the fabric you've chosen, which is shown on every product page. If you're not working from a pattern, our fabric calculator gives an estimate for common garments. Buy everything for one project in a single order, as a later order may come from a different dye lot.

What is the most popular fabric for dressmaking?

Cotton and viscose are the most widely used fabrics for everyday dressmaking. Cotton is easy to sew, comes in a huge range of prints and weights, and is comfortable year-round. Viscose drapes well and suits wrap dresses, shirt dresses and anything that needs movement. For special occasions, silk and satin are the usual choices.

How much fabric do I need to make a dress?

For a simple shift or tea dress, 2-2.5 metres is often enough, depending on your size and the fabric width. Dresses with full skirts, pleats or long sleeves need more, often 3-4 metres. Always check your pattern's fabric requirements first, and allow extra for pattern matching or a one-way print. Our fabric calculator gives an estimate for common garments.

Can I buy dressmaking fabric by the half metre?

On many fabrics, yes. Fabrics priced over £10 a metre can be bought from half a metre, in half-metre steps. Fabrics at £10 a metre or less have a minimum of one metre, then go up in half metres. Whatever you order is cut in one continuous length.

What is the difference between woven and knit dressmaking fabrics?

Woven fabrics, such as cotton, linen, silk and crepe, don't stretch along the grain and suit most standard dressmaking patterns. Knit fabrics, such as jersey, viscose jersey and ponte, have natural stretch and are designed for patterns that call for stretch fabric. Using the wrong type will affect the fit and how the garment behaves.

Can I order a sample of dressmaking fabric before buying?

Most of our dressmaking fabrics have an Order Sample button on the product page, so you can check the colour, weight and handle before buying a full length. A few limited lines aren't sampled, in which case a half metre is the alternative where the fabric allows it.

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