Dress Fabrics for Dressmaking

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

For a simple shift or tea dress, 2–2.5 metres is usually sufficient up to a size 16. Dresses with full skirts, pleats or long sleeves will need more - typically 3–4 metres. Always check your pattern's fabric requirements before buying, and allow a little extra for pattern matching or nap direction.

Yes, all our dress fabrics are sold by the metre. You can buy as little as half a metre on most lines, with fabric cut in one continuous length. If you need a larger quantity or have a specific project in mind, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

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