NO BURN! How to Tell if a Fabric is Natural or Synthetic Fibre?- Learn the skill to identify fabric!
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- Опубліковано 11 жов 2024
- How to tell natural and synthetic fabrics WITHOUT a burnt test! Let me show you the methods I use to identify natural fabric fibre and synthetic fabric fibre when you're at the shop! I also show you how to train yourself to get good at identifying fabrics types! Learn to know fabrics better to become a better sewer!
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Was that scrunch test or crunch test? Hahaha! I said both so many times! Let's go with 'scrunch test'! 😂 Let me know your best ways of identifying natural vs synthetic fabrics and tell me your home work too!
One other way I can tell if a woven cotton fabric is 100% or a poly blend is by rubbing the fibers against each other along the straight grain (not on the bias) between my fingers. If it is a blend, it will often feel a little different by the way the fibers are almost "slippery" against each other...it's hard to explain. It takes practice, like anything in sewing!
😀 That 'slippery' feeling would likley because the polyester made in fillament way, one long smooth strand of fibre!
I don't understand the video, don't fabric stores in Australia have to put the fibre content on a label?
@@discodiscordia probably. However, most second hand sources (thrift stores, garage sales, rummage sales, etc.) won't have any labeling of the fiber content and this is where these techniques come in handy! If we get to know the feel, characteristics, and wrinklability of know fabrics, we will be better able to identify the fiber content of mystery/unlabeled fabrics.
I meant "known fabrics" not "know"...
As a knitter, I handle so much yarn I can tell by touch, what's what. Cotton feels kind of like paper unless it's mercerized, it feels very dry like it's trying to absorb all the water from my hand. Linen feels crisp and crunchy the yarns will almost feel like twine. In a fabric it will have that papery feeling like cotton but won't feel so fuzzy. Silk feels cold and fluid it always slinks. You can literally lower a silk scarf onto your hand and it will form soft, liquid pleats. Polyester satins are quite stiff in comparison, resist draping, and if you rub two edges together feel static-y. I also find with polyester, that if I put my hand inside the garment, it will begin to feel warm quickly. Acrylic is made to mimic wool and thus is meant to be fuzzy, but if you pull at a pill it won't pull off easily. If I put my hand inside an acrylic sweater, I will warm and start to feel clammy quickly. If I put my hand in a wool sweater, I will warm, but not get clammy. An acrylic sweater will get static and a wool sweater will not.
YUP! Exactly. Knitter here too. Different fibers have a different hand
My mother has always said that she could not wear synthetic fabrics, that she hated how they felt, hated ironing them and that she could tell just by looking at it if it was synthetic. I would roll my eyes and thought she was just exaggerating and being overly dramatic. When I found out only a few years ago that polyester/acrylic/ etc.. were actually plastic I started trying to minimize them from my life and avoid them as much as possible. I made a conscious effort to learn the differences between fabrics so I could make better choices. And now, I have become my mother! So often I see a beautiful, drapey dress, take one hand over the fabric and say "Nope!" because now it feels so horrible to me. Mother knows best!
buying lots of different garments from the thrift store and checking the label, then memorizing the feel is the way I am learning. Best find so far was a cotton shift that turned out to be cotton/linen blend!
Yay!! It takes time, but you learn right!! I love linen cotton too!!
My grandmother used to teach me about the hand of fabrics. There weren't nearly as many synthetic varieties back then but it was still worth learning. Nowadays, if in a fabric store I tend to do a lot of 'touchy-feelies'. Sometimes I'll wrap a corner of the bolt around my hand & arm just to see how how warm my arm gets - or doesn't. I don't like fabrics that make me hot. Years ago (forgive me if I wax nostalgic here), when polyester double-knits came into vogue, I made myself a beautiful, simple dress with princess seams styling, a zipper up the back, short sleeves, a scoop neck and a belt of the same fabric. It had bit of a jacquard look with a white floral foreground and a forest green background. I loved that dress and wore it to death, but it was way too hot for the middle of summer. Sigh! And I was so much slimmer then!
These days one of my favorite "cool" fabrics for hot weather is a lightweight to medium weight cotton knit. It's soft, flowy (is that a word?) and very comfy. I like to use it for making soft bras and undies too, it's just so much cooler than a synthetic. I like to use pattern weights and cut my pieces with a small rolling cutter, which makes it easy to work with.
I thoroughly enjoy your videos Evelyn, I've been sewing for 60 years but I still learn new techniques from you and love them. "Old dogs" CAN learn new tricks. You are marvelous.
In the 2 years I did dressmaking "Applied Fashion Design & Technology" at TAFE, we did a lot of fibre identification, and I had an amazing teacher who brought in samples of anything new she came across. We were taught that fibres fitted into 3 categories - Natural (silk, wool, cotton, linen etc), Man-made (Rayon, a 'natural' product but needing a lot more processes to convert it into fribres), and Synthetic (nylon, polyester, etc - all petro-chemical byproducts). Might be a good way to describe your categories! ☺
I’m doing my course there now! The teachers are so lovely :)
I taught myself the fabric guessing game many years ago - I'm really, really good at finding cashmere sweaters in thrift shops simply by running my fingers along the racks of clothes. Linen often has a distinctive look which enables you to spot a linen shirt or blouse easily on the racks.
I can't do your closet challenge - about the only artificial fabric garments I own are swimsuits and a couple of team shirts where I had no say in what they were made of.
This is a very useful video for folks just getting started with thrifting - there is so much polyester out there, let's learn to leave it behind.
Agree!! 😀😀
I bought something that was labeled linen that turned out to be a linen/synthetic blend. I'm usually pretty good at knowing linen, but that one tricked me. I made a dress with it, and can only wear it in cooler weather even though the dress pattern is more suited for summer. It just doesn't breathe well enough to be comfortable in summer here in the hot and humid southern US.
Java Jones I bought a few items on Amazon that said they were linen but were polyester. Like linen is a fabrication not a fiber. I returned. I can handle man made like rayon. Although I do like Tencel....always seems to drape so well.
@@marylhere tencel, rayon, bamboo are all natural fibers although man-made. The process to get them is chemical, but the end result is natural. So they display all the properties of a natural fiber. They are my favourite fibers and they are often times more ecological than say cotton. Tencel manufacturing reuses the chemical water over and over for example.
@@hounamao7140 is the same true of bamboo? I’ve read in the past that it’s a poor choice due to the amount of energy that has to go into processing to get bamboo trees into fabric - but I haven’t looked into it too thoroughly, I just admit.
One of the tricks I have for identifying rayon is that the initial touch, the first second or so, is cool. Rayon/viscose/ect is very thermal conductive so in that second before the fabric warms from your body heat, it feels cool, more so then other fibers.
Great tip! Thanks for sharing! 😊
I love buying a vintage piece that is pure cotton or linen. They tend to be better made than synthetics and the natural patina just gets richer over time.
I agree!! It usually gets softer and nicer handle over time!
I learnt the fabric guessing game when I worked in a charity shop and needed to take it into account when pricing un-labelled clothing! Has proved very valuable years later developing a passion for historical sewing! My manager used to throw me garments to check because I was so good at it haha
Thank you so much for this video! Fiber content is the first thing I always look for when buying clothes (new or thrifted) even before the price tag! I am also a linen fan, I find it even cooler than cotton in the warm an humid coastal area where I am. I don't care about it getting wrinkled. My granma was a very poor farmer and she grew her own flax. I still have a couple of the very coarse sheets she wove.
What a special thing to hold onto and remember!
Monica Diaz I also have many beautiful things from my Italian nonna, some hand embroidered and a lot were made from coarsely woven hemp. I have sheets which were sewn into strips. I suppose the width was determined by the size of the loom. I treasure these beautiful items too.
Amazing!
Cool way of learning!
I would suggest also smelling the fabric - I know its sounds nuts, but I find silk has a very distinctive smell. I've actually had a fabric seller decide to do the burn test because they thought this was silly - the burn test proved me right!
Wow!! You must have a keen sence of smell!
I know wool has a distinct smell - at least wool yarns, I'm not familiar with wool cloth.
Linen has a distinctive smell to me, that I always notice when I take it from the drying line on sunny days, or when I iron it.
Of course, you have to avoid scented laundry products... There's nothing like that smell of freshly laundered linens to me!
@@Evelyn__Wood Not really, I'll just bury my nose in fabric quiet happily - may have to re-think that one atm!
Yes! When I press silk it has a very distinct odor for me but when I mention this to others they can’t seem to smell it.
This is one of the main reasons I wanted to make my own clothes - synthetic fabric. The synth fibers are in almost all clothing and it bugs my skin. So now I make my own clothes I only buy pure natural fibres and if possible organic fabric.
Thanks for the tips and knowledge in this video
Me too;-) And avoiding synthetic fibers on a budget is way easier if you sew everyting yourself... Fast fashion is a polyester nightmare (and bad for the planet)
One if my favorite games pre-lockdown was going to the thrift store and go up and down the women's clothing aisles to (1) ID fabric types by look (weave vs no identifiable weave, amount of shine, texture, drape.) For items that might be natural fibers, (2) I feel it to see if it feels natural, I look closely at the weave and maybe scratch it gently with my fingernail and shake it to see the drape. If it still looks natural then I look for the fabric tag to see how I did. Many times I am fooled! I have gotten to this point by doing my game almost weekly the past couple of years because it is fun! I miss it!
I miss thrift stores too!!
Yes. I'm used to do the testing. I touch the fabric and feel it with my hands.
I have been sewing for probably over 40 years, but wasn't taught the importance of finishing or overlocking. Thank you for showing us how and why. Also, I have been doing the same guessing game, I'm pretty good at it. I was surprised that anyone else did it. I used to work in a fabric store, so that's where I taught myself. It's worth learning for everyone. I don't like synthetic fibers. I know pretty much by feel, and sight.
I'm grateful for the example! I was reading a few articles that said silk should "crunch in your hand" and I honestly thought that it was supposed to make a noise or something ..... No one explained how to do this crunch test. Thanks so much
It’s fun when u start learning the Fabric names. I worked in bridal fabric. There were at least 12 different white fabrics for example...taffeta, organza, chiffon, etc I’d name them every day lol it was fun 💐
Your armpits will detect a natural fiber from a syntetic one: the natural one, you can wear for several days; the syntetic only one day...
wait what do you mean tho
@@the.secret.of. smell :)))
This is so real haha
Thanks for making this the majority of my stash has been gifted to me from arranged relatives, and co-workers great grandparents. So gaining this knowledge from just random bits and bunches of fabric is awesome!!
I'm so glad to hear it will be useful for you! You will have to try it and let me know how it goes for you! 😘
@@Evelyn__Wood It has been perfect especially since I've been trying to make masks.
I am a reseller. I bought a banquet sized tablecloth from an estate sale with no label on it. I wanted to determine the fabric before I list it. I was going to take it to a fabric store to ask a sales person for assistance, but now (thanks to you) I think I can figure it out on my own. You were very helpful. TY
So I needed some kind of mattress pad, but I had a bed roll bed instead of a regular mattress, so had to think Ingeniously. Thrift stores had synthetic stuff for a reasonable price, but I waited; I wanted better.
A few months later at an estate sale there was a100% cotton quilt (not a hand made patchwork, just something with batting) but no one was buying because it looked slightly dingy and not as plush and fluffy as what we're used to seeing.
Score! I just want to thank this community for making me more aware of what's I wanted.
i tend to determine fiber content by sight or by running my hand along as i shop. almost all i wear is 100% cotton so i'm very attuned to it no matter the fabric type.
This video put into words what I unconsciously do at stores.
Theres also something about natural fibers that feel different. Im not really sure hoe to describe it, but I consciously noticed it for the first time when I bought a pure merino wool baby blanket for my 7 month old. It wasnt the same kind of softness as the synthetic baby blankets of my older daughters. With the synthetic fibers it feels smooth, like theres no individuality to the fibers. But with natural fibers its like you can feel the individuality of each fiber. I know this isnt making much sense, but with synthetic fibers, the strands are identical, but natural fibers have to first be spun into yarn and each strand of yarn is different.
I'm new to sewing and you're by far one of the best teachers on UA-cam! Thank you for the awesome content
Awww that's so nice to hear! I'm happy to be your sewing guide!
This is great! You have distilled and explained decades of what I 'just know'. If someone has any appreciation for fabric, or more than color and print alone for what they do with it this is right up their alley.
Homework done! I have lots of cotton and rayon. The sneaky things I found were that I had several rayon knit tops that had a pinch of some kind of stretch fiber added. Also, the weave and finish of cotton can be so different and a bit deceptive as to the content; sometimes obvious and sometimes not. Take two button up tops for example, similar weave, but one has 5% spandex in it and the other doesn't. Thanks for the scrunch test tips, I'll be taking that to the thrift stores once they open again. Thankfully I have a good supply to keep me busy in the meantime! Happy scrunching and sewing!🙂
Yay!! Ashley You did fabulous! I can tell you already know your fabrics better! It's an exercise that is so surprising when you fist do it!
Evelyn, I just found your channel, and it's so lovely! Last week I went to La Parisina fabric store and was surprised to see the signs above the bolts of fabric describing Cotton and in smaller script at the bottom "Polyester" or "Polyblend" I asked about this and was told, yep it's mostly Polyester. Then why?...silence.
Because of my mom's sewing (she so would have loved your style) I can actually tell Cotton from synthetics, so: lucky me! ☺️ Greetings from México
I've been doing the guessing game at the thrift stores for a while. First looking for cotton, but then I found linen. 😊 Most people overlook linen, and so it goes to the last chance section. Then I discovered the same with silk! I still can't always differentiate between silk and rayon on scarves, so I I usually on buy unmarked if super cheap or perfect color. I overdye natural fabrics if I don't like the color.
😄 It is a great way to train yourself!! I think people leave out the linen and silk too! But then, more for us!! I only tried dying large lengths of fabric, and I hated it! I should try a small item like scarf!
@@Evelyn__Wood I started with yarn, and then silk shirts for my son. Small is easier.
Yep! I'm NEVER dying large lengths again! 😂😂
I use this metod too. I start with touching garments in second-hand shop , some of them don't have labels inside. 100% polyester is the the worst man-made material. For me blends are nice a especially 70% or more cotton or viscose with some laycra. Blends are budget friendly too.
This is awesome! My goal always is to find linen or silk but hardly ever find any. So great for you!
What a great video ! I have also learnt not to always trust labels. I was half way through my recent mens shirt refashion, and I got suspicious because it wasn't acting like cotton, even though the label said 100% cotton. So l did a burn test on a scrap of fabric I had cut off ( which I couldn't do until l started chopping it up) and there were hard black bits ! Grr ! So I just used it as a toile to get the fit right before I cut out more fabric.
For real!!! Fibre labeling is a legal requirement, like listing food ingredients. But of course some fashion companies would lie, as 100%cotyon sounds better right! 🤣 It's nice when you get to the level that you can make your own call like this! ❤
@@Evelyn__Wood I suspected that it might have been made to order in SE Asia, as it had some wierd properties, and I know in Vietnam, they will often tell you anything just to sell it to you.
Yep, I'm sure different countries would be allowed to get away with differnt things!
A few years ago (when the Australian dollar was nearly on par with the US dollar) i ordered '100%' wool suiting from an American online fabric store. I made a dress from it then wore it to an event with a bonfire. The entire back panel of the skirt melted! 😡😱 I was extremely grateful i had lined it completely in cotton so it didn't melt onto me.
thanks to you i got to differentiate between the clothes . i have a science project to bring different types of clothes and i could not under stand which is which but thankfully this video helped me
Love the video! I learned fibres in fashion school. I found it just a little bit off, that you describe fully synthetic as "not breathable" when in fact it is. That's the reason why most sportswear is made from full synthetics. It doesn't "save" the water in the fibre, it actually transports it out of the garment / fabric faster than any other fibre does. It can't hold the water the body produces so that where the illusion comes from, that people think they sweat more, when wearing those fibres. Nonetheless polyester and acetate are bad for our environment so I don't want to take that away. But it's usually more involved in the process than the "melting" of plastic to create those fabrics. The whole process is really interesting (same for Rayons).
In relation to some of the newer man-made fabrics I was wondering about the 'wicking' properties of the fabrics and how comfortable they are to wear.
Thank you. I have been sewing for over 45 yrs and never learnt this skill.
I’m actually a basketball player. 10th grade, I really love fashion and clothes and I do wanna design some stuff but I need to learn the basics first. Anyone can sketch up a cool shirt or design in general but learning about the fabrics and how to manufacture those designs is the real start to fashion design
Thank you! Yes, tried my 100% cotton tshirt and 98% cotton 2% lycra spandex levis...interesting.
😄😄 Yes!! First 'homework' in!!! It's really interesting when you fist start doing this! The fibre content world opens up to you!
Evelyn Wood ...i have learned so much from you and will be feeling up all the fabrics now. Thank you so much. Xo
If I am buying yardage in a fabric store, I'm going to start by looking at the end of the bolt!!
You definetly should!! 😄
Yes, but often the fiber content is missing.
@@lindatisue733 or wrong lol
@@lindatisue733 or its says it a cotton linen blend - but doesn't tell you how much is one or the other...
Yes, always read the bolt ends. The care is on there too. Read your ingredients labels on what you buy to eat. You might be shocked. No other way to eat healthy when buying boxed anything. Some disaplines overlap, both sewing and carpentry use measure measure measure before cutting and add an edge for putting it together.
I love this video! When not social distancing because of a pandemic I love to go to estate or garage sales and find fabric. I sometimes do the burn test when I get home, but your tips will make me a better shopper. I’ll know when fabric isn’t worth the money. One other way to tell is to check the selvage. Sometimes the information you need is printed along the edge.
My mom taught me the scrunch test when I was a kid and I have taught many others. It is very easy for me to spot 100% silk. When I sell something on-line and say that the lining is silk, I just know. I have also sold vintage beaded sweaters and have known they were cashmere. You just know. Who knows if the people actually believe you you or not. But you know!
Yes, a very helpful video! I strongly prefer natural fibers, linen being my obsession these days. I'm usually pretty good at telling the difference, but I will definitely use these tips next time I'm in a fabric store. I frequent a fabric warehouse where most of the fabric is on huge rolls, and not often labeled. This is helpful information. Thanks!
This is an awesome test. A lot of times when there is maternal off the bolt, you don't know what you are getting.
Right!! This should help start the identification!
This was terrific!!! I've been wanting an example and no sites have given that. You have made it simple and easy. This was superb!!!! Thank you!!!
I love the design on your sewing box.
Thank you ❤ happy for those who love to wear natural.
This is great. I took a lot of my Mum's fabric stash when she gave up sewing and I didn't want to go through and burn them all to figure out which were natural and which were synthetic.
I came across a video about the Health Benefits of Linen. So yesterday I went to a few stores and I couldn't find any linen clothing so then I went to the thrift store. There's a lot of clothing where people have cut the tags out. I used the wrinkle test and Linen is very easy to spot. Last night I went through my closet and found a bunch of synthetic clothing that needs to go out for donation
Another fabulous video! I can often feel the polyester even in a cotton/poly blend. Feels slippery compared to cotton. But I will take up your homework and try in my own closet since we can't go to a store for the next few weeks.
It's a fun game to play andI think you'll learn alot!!
I can also feel the blend and I would never buy poly cotton sheets. I’m a bit of a textile snob.
Omg! I really enjoyed your video! I learned a lot after all these years of sewing...I did not even know about the burn test, I’ll check the others out next time I’m at Joanne’s Fabrics, lol! I tried the fabrics test it and failed miserably, so I guess I better keep practicing. But this I do know now, I sure own lots of non-breathable garments! Happy Sewing everyone!!! 🧵✂️🧵
😂😂 Ha ha ha right! It's surprising how much polyester disguises very well as cotton or silk!
You are an excellent teacher! Thank you for sharing your knowledge! I am seriously considering taking your classes. I want to learn how to sew (I took a few basic classes years ago and have a brand new I never used). I am big on fundamentals and learning all I can on a subject and your classes sound perfect!
Shonda I'd love to habe you in class! Yes, I like to take an approach that is about learning the fundamentals, that will take you through any project! It's wuite different than most! Access to a monthly Q&A and monthly challenges for those that want extra accountability (and support from the community!) to get their goals acheived! If you have questions just email at info@evelynwood.com.au 😄
I thougt the same of Evelyn's class. It's sounds very interesting.
I love finding silk scarves in charity shops. I can usually ‘smell’ the silk! I haven’t been doing that for a while though😕
The scrunch and creases is precisely why my mother dislikes natural fibers, she hates ironing.
Mine too 😉!
My mother too. I don't care about wrinkles nearly as much as does it breathe.
Rayon is the best of both worlds.
I hate ironing, too. I also hate having things crease as I wear them. A blend suits me.
That's Laziness...
Awesome tips. Thank you so much. Now I will feel more confident at the thrift store. And leave the lighter at home 😃
YEP! Burn it when you get home 😄
I've learned a lot about how different fibers feel like from using baby wraps. I really fell in love with tussah silk that way..🙂
I have been loving and handling fabric a long time. I was taught to feel the fabric, look at labels. I was taught the burn test. My grandmother taught me How to tell good fabric From cheap will fall apart fabric. She looked at the print , and The grainline. Is it a woven design or printed .on grain of off. Etc. Thanks for your info.
So lucky to have your grandma teach you!! It sounds like she really knew what was what too!
I've been checking all sorts of tutorials on how to tell fabrics apart when I was able to thrift myself a silk bandana for 2€ and I've been in disbelief of coming across such a good find.
My friend who took me there said that it felt like fabric and the sides being hand sewn was a telltale sign. And another friend of mine I met later also said that it.
Both older gentlemen of exquisite taste, so they should know how to spot silk too.
And it does make a snowy crunching snow when scrunched and it doesn't feel sweaty at all while worn around the head for hours in the sun so I guess it really must be real silk.
Even managed to pluck a couple fibers of the corner and burn them and it smelled organic.
I'm going to begin working at a secondhand fabric store, and I'm very excited. I love sewing and I love fabric, but I struggle to know the difference between fabrics (beyond, like, knowing cotton by look and touch, haha!). This looks like it'll be helpful for me, thank you.
This was packed with great information! Just bought 3 yds of fabric at thrift store for $2.50. Turns out to be silk!
Unfortunately my skin does not allow me to wear polyester therefore I have a gift of being able to tell what type of material most fabrics are by touch. I'm pretty accurate. Been doing it as a child. Crunch test is very helpful. :-)
Thank you Evelyn. I have always wanted to know how to know about the fabric.😊
I am off to my material stash and find any 100% cotton to get some ecodyeing done in the next few days 😊 thanks for this Evelyn.
IDK if this makes sense, but whenever I have something natural, like cotton or linen, they feel drier to me. It feels even. Synthetic I can feel the moisture build up. I have hyperhydrosis in my palms and you cannot dry your hands properly on synthetic!
How do you deal with wet/slippery hands while sewing by hand? It's so awkward for me and I dunno what would help.
It's because natural breathes, synthetic doesn't. Synthetics aren't good for clothes close to the body, or even pants and shirts, dresses, sweaters. I hate synthetics in clothes. Syntetics are only good for for jackets, purses Maybe some footwear or decorations in my opinion.
@@EvelynAdamsOfcl I've been using a paper towel between my hand and the fabric
Also wrap fabric around your hand to see if heat is retained (synthetic). Natural fibers are more breathable.
So I shouldn't do the burn test in Spotlight anymore. Bugger! 😷 I've heard they are having a sale today! Yay! But no lighter, I promise. 💜🇦🇺🐨
🤣🤣🤣🤣
I used to work in spotlight about a decade ago and we had sample cards so if you came in and wanted just a sample (usually about 1-1.5cm wide and 3-4cm long tapering from selvedge to nothing) you could get a few samples for free in case you wanted to pop out to the car park to do a burn test (the intention was really to allow people to do things like look at the colour in natural light or check how it looks with something at home but burn tests are also a possibility)
I am a weaver and a shepherd with a very real working knowledge of wool in it's raw state. I like to weave historical fabrics and often rely on wool, cotton and flax for that purpose. To me, Satin is a weave structure, not a feel :-). At any rate, when I am trying to discern what a mystery fiber is on a cone ( as periodically I come across yarn on cones in the thrift store ) I use a magnifying glass and a hand help inexpensive microscope. No doubt what I'm looking at then. Each fiber has a distinct characteristic specific to it. Once you know what that is, discerning what the fiber is is relatively easy. Otherwise, I do the burn test. :-)
In the USA fabric stores have to label fiber content. I buy a lot of fabric second hand, so these tips will be very helpful to me.
I wonder if that's why our local Spotlight (Melville) burned last month!!! (probably not but your intro made me remember that sad sad day!! :) )
Yessss, the video I was waiting for! I adore you for this!!! And many more other reasons 😘😘
wonderful!!! Let me know how you find doing the testing, and your home work!! 😄❤
Another tip for buying used fabric, synthetics pill a lot more, of course a wool sweater will pill in areas of friction, but its significantly worse when its synthetic or mixed with synthetic. This tip is especially good for buying used t-shirts, or the like.
Finally have time to sit down and watch this. Blends confuse me because they have mixes.
Thanks, we have a very old and beautiful child's yukata from Japan that we need to check before sending it off as a gift. Let me check...
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I make welders caps and our Fabricland will often move mark down materials but will tag them fabric content unknown. I need 100% cotton so that if a welding spark hits a cap it won’t melt to the persons head. Being able to get discounted cotton will help keep my prices down. Thanks again
Great video! I cannot remember not looking at the labels of clothes I buy, so my mother must have taught me to do that. I’m fairly good at feeling the fabric. Silky scarves can be tricky though - so this is a great way of finding out if they are silk or just silky. Thanks
My all time test is holding the material across my forearm, if I have whelps on my skin I know it is man made. This works for yardage and ready made.
Hi Evelyn!! Awesome vlog.. Great information , this will really help a lot of people.... 💜💜🧵🧵
Your videos are always so helpful! Thank you!!!
Thank you, this was so helpful. Going through my stash and found a gem in it: a lovely yard of light gray. The only problem: I couldn't remember if it was natural cotton or a poly blend. I'm still not sure, but sure enough not to use it for projects that require 100% cotton. Thanks for the video :)
Hello I'm new here and love your videos that I have so far seen. Also , I know this is off topic, but I cant help but say when I watch your videos you make me think of Snow White, hope that isn't rude.
Hello Evelyn l make drapes at curtain city Melbourne l love to sew 😻 and it’s taken years to work out fabrics right side ,real silk, velvet up or down it’s not easy some times. I am looking to do a sewing course for clothes because I make things of top of my head but I need to learn all the little secrets to make it look nice so just letting you know l love your channel ❤️❤️❤️❤️👌
Thanks so much for watching!! I agree it takes time to learn! I'm excited your looking at garment making!! At Vintage Sewing School I cover all those beginner things you need, it might just be for you! If you have any questions just email me!
Thanks 😻
Very useful video. Thank you so much.
I just found out that synthetic materials are not good for men, so I am trying to change my wardrobe to mostly cotton (underwear, shirts, etc.) I tore off the tags off my shirts long time ago because they caused itch on my neck so now I cannot tell which shirt is what, and which one to keep. Buying everything new, made of cotton or organic cotton is kind of expensive lol
mixed fabric fibres are the trickier one but it can definitely be learned by practice. I can spot 100% linen/cotton just by eyeing the rack after years of thrifting.
Also in our country we get some imported thrifted items from japan and china (sometimes korea) I learned to spot the characters that represent cotton, linen, and polyester. Or google lens translate also works
I'm a guy and from reading the comments, it seems that men have a lot less problem finding natural-fiber clothing than women. But now that I'm trying to totally rid my wardrobe of what synthetics I do have, there's still a significant amount -- mostly in combined fibers. And when buying at op-shops, sometimes labels are cut off or so old that the label is illegible, so it's a bit challenging.
This is so useful, thank you! I'm definitely going to check vintage sewing school!
Wonderful! I'd love to have you in class! We are habing a special month of extra content in April! If you have any questions just email me at info@evelynwood.com.au 😄
I've noticed that rayon will actually feel colder than other fabrics to the touch. Definitely softer than cotton.
I'm really confused about viscose/rayon. I've always heard it described positively, but everything I've had with viscose on the label has felt really... gritty? And not nice in humidity at all.
@@kittenonacloud1012 possibly it’s got a small amount of polyester, rayon and viscose are basically the same and we’re created to be similar to silk.
@@kittenonacloud1012 Viscose can be woven in different ways that makes it feel crisp or bumpy, like a viscose crepe vs. something smoother like a viscose knit. Crepe is bumpy in any fiber, from wool to silk to viscose, just because of the weave.
I tend to buy fabric with all the intentions of creating a garment …. and then I don’t. Last semester I took a pattern making class so everything I sewed was on muslin. My summer homework (I gave this to myself) was to sew the final pattern in fabric. I’m in the middle of sewing it up but I need a bit of an accent on the collar (which I couldn’t find in the color or fabric (cotton lawn). I was digging through my stash and I found some fabric that would work but then I wondered if it was silk. I scrunched it up for 20 seconds and it wrinkled. Then I snipped the smallest piece out of it and another chiffon (perfect color). The “silk” melted as did the red chiffon. I decided to go with the chiffon!
What I hate is a cotton, linen or even wool garment sewn with polyester thread. Causing horrible puckering at plackets and button holes. I had some beautiful white percale shirts from the GAP when my son was a baby....he's 33 now....when ironing on a cotton setting the polyester thread burned black...lovely.
😓😓😓
Good reminder to change my thread when I sew with the beautiful linen fabrics I bought recently. Thanks, I might not have thought to do that
I’m new here and love your work! This is a brilliant (and important!) topic. It confirmed what I kinda already knew but...Will def do my hw! Thank you. 🧵
The fiber content is suppose to be on the end of the bolt of fabric. Or it used to be in the USA. Don't want to burn or wash fabrics I want to sell. This video was helpful. Thanks.
Great video! I'm so happy to learn these tips. I'm wary of rayon, because I read it has big shrinkage issues and is fragile when wet. I'm seeking a workhorse shirt for a tiny travel wardrobe, so every piece has to be 100% dependable and easy care. I fear the rayon would tear or shrink. Would you recommend a rayon blouse as one of only four tops going on a month-long trip?
I like rayon! Just pre wash, and wash in cold water, this will take care of any shrinkage! Take your own wadh bags. I would think more about ironing and access to it while traveling!
I have had excellent luck with my thrifted rayon shirts--i machine wash them on cold/gentle and hang to dry. The most ironing they ever need is a very light touch up!
Oh! Do you happen to travel with a hair straighter! I have seen numerous posts that they can be used to lightly iron clothes as well! However, beforehand please do a trial someplace hidden (maybe on a facing that stays inside) and if there is any synthetic be especially careful!
Evelyn Wood Thank you!
mmw55122 Great news. Thank you!
This helps a lot, I have an Etsy store and I have so many beautiful linens and different types of fabrics. And I feel at a loss because, I am unable to price them because I cannot identify them. And because of this I am unable to list them in my store.
What do you make
You have an amazing smile! Thank you for the upload. :D
It's not a test you can do in the shop but very useful if you ever pick up a home made cardigan or jumper from an op shop, if you get it wet wool smells like wet dog. Because it's been processed to remove natural oils etc you have to pretty much bury your nose in the fabric to smell it but it is distinctive once you get to know it.
thanks for this video. I knew how to tell them apart with the burn-test. Im a bit sad Im not able to do your "homework" because I only own 2 synthetic clothing items and I know exactl which two items that are xD (I dont like to wear synthetics, I never did, so I only buy viscose or the true natural fibres)
But I tried that guessing game at my workplace (we sell clothing) but I found it really really difficult the most time, because most items were blends or knits/jerseys. And natural fibre jerseys wont crunch that much :(
Yes knits makes to hard!! I love you know exactly the 2 items that are polyester in your wardrobe! 😄
this video is very useful but also makes me miss the thrift store because they have all been closed
Viscose is oddly the only fiber that I can usually tell it by feel whereas the other fibers I need these other tricks for. I think it's because I love viscose's breathe-ability and drape so is my go-to thrift fabric.
You can sometimes tell by how a fabric has worn over time. Cotton polyester blends tend to pill, especially under the arms while pure cotton doesn't.
Excellent. So helpful. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching Susan! I'm glad you found it helpful!
Something that I have found with silk is that, unlike synthetics, it's triangular fibers will stick to your skin if you rub a fold between your fingers. However, this might only work if you have prominent dermal ridges (fingerprints).
This was very helpful thank you! I’m so glad I’m not the only one that plays that game anytime I around fabric 🤣
An added note about Spotlight. If it's not too busy and you are very nice to the shop assistant, they might cut off a LITTLE patch that you can take home to match with a project. Then you can easily do a burn test. This will vary from store to store and assistant to assistant so don't assume they will do it.
Love this contest!!! Just happen I have like a thousand of fabrics I don’t actually know what they are because I got theM from my grandma 🥰
😄😄 Yay!! This should help you get a start! If the fabrics are 70s and earlier, they start being a little different than what yoy find in the shops today, but natural vs synthetic test still works! Let me know what you find out!!
Great advice, thank you.