Sewing with Corduroy

Corduroy is a great fabric to use for all different kinds of projects, from clothing to home decor. ZJ Humbach talks about some of the different types of corduroy and gives tips on how to cut out, work with and care for the fabric.

Working with Corduroy

ZJ begins by talking about what corduroy fabric is and what sets it apart from other common fabrics like quilting cotton. She explains that corduroy is easily recognized by the wales of the fabric, referred to as cords. Different corduroy fabrics have thinner or thicker wales, which is how the fabric is measured and classified. Depending on the project you are making, a thinner or thicker wale on the fabric can help create a distinctive look. ZJ explains that depending on the thickness of the wales, fabric pattern pieces should be cut out one at a time to ensure that nothing slips or moves while you’re cutting.

She also stresses the importance of aligning the wales of the fabric with the grainline on the pattern pieces before cutting. ZJ then gives more tips for sewing with corduroy. In addition to giving tips on how to properly cut and sew the fabric, she also gives tips on pressing.

When sewing with corduroy, a press cloth can be helpful to make sure that no unnecessary creases or indentation are pressed into the fabric. While press cloths can be found at many craft and fabric stores, if you are unable to find one, a piece of lightweight, white cotton can be used instead. Once you learn all about sewing with corduroy fabric, have fun making something with the fabric learning how to sew a corduroy purse. Then, once you master corduroy, move on to another fun fabric getting more fabric tips on working with flannel.