The Art of Creating Handwoven Clothing

  Photo by Daryl Lancaster.

	Daryl Lancaster Contributor, Weaving Today weavingtoday.com

There is an art to constructing clothing, and, like weaving, one can spend years studying how to turn cloth into something that celebrates the body of the wearer. Combining cloth from the loom and the art of garment construction is a marriage that celebrates the best of both mediums. 

No marriage is without its issues, and learning to work with handwoven fabric and turning it into something really wearable can be stressful and complicated.  We need help and guidance, and having the opportunity to share what I’ve learned over the years making garments from my handwoven cloth has given me great satisfaction as I walk through handweaving exhibits, view fashion shows of handwoven garments, and just wander through the crowds at any handweaving conference.  Handweavers all over the country have really upped their game.

In the five-part webinar series on garment construction from Weaving Today, we explore all aspects of making a truly remarkable garment from handwoven cloth, from what to weave, sett, sampling, and finishing, to how to cut into that handwoven fabric and how to make it behave. 

We also talk about making a test garment, learning to fit the body.  We talk about ease, and grading, and altering patterns. And then we get into the meat of actually working with handwoven fabric.  What size needle to use, what size stitch length, etc.  We learn what a serger can do and what it can’t.  We learn some beautiful couture seam finishes to keep our garments looking wonderful for years to come.

Join me for Part 4 of this five-part webinar series where we will explore edges and edge finishes.  Hems, piping vs. cording, topstitching vs. couching, bound edges, crocheted edges, and butting seams together in a decorative  way are all part of the discussion.  Hearing from someone who has made garments from their handwoven cloth for nearly 40 years can really help save time and money learning what to do and what NOT to do.

Part 5 will air in June, and we will finish up the five-part series with an appropriate topic: Closures.

Join me for Part 4 on Monday May 18, 2015, at 1 pm EDT. The webinar is 60 minutes and there is time for questions. All will be answered eventually and packaged in the download.  If you can’t make it for the live webinar, we will let you know when the download becomes available. 

Meanwhile, happy weaving!


--Daryl