Finding your way around fabrics is undoubtedly one of the most difficult skills to acquire when starting sewing! By the way, it is no coincidence that we developed the courses "I discover fabrics" and "I match patterns and fabrics" because it is a real request from our students and shop customers to better know fabrics! 

So this week, on the occasion of the arrival of our beautiful 100% cotton twills, I invite you to take stock between gabardine, twill, and sergé...

Let's go! 

Weave versus Materials

In sewing, when buying fabric, you have to distinguish the weave from the material... 

Indeed, all fabrics have two main characteristics:

- the weave, that is to say the type of weaving

- the material or materials in which it was woven. 

This is how you will be able to sew cotton, viscose, linen poplins...

What is twill? 

Twill is not a fabric but a weave, that is to say a type of weaving, in other words it is a way of weaving warp and weft threads to create a fabric, a cloth... 

The most well-known and most worn twill in the world is denim! 
By the way, if you want to know more about denim, there is an article over here. 

What is Gabardine?

Gabardine is a sturdy fabric with a tight weave, whose structure is recognizable by the visible diagonals on the right side, that is to say a twill!

Gabardine is therefore a twill with a specifically tight and dense weave. 

Historically, the word gabardine comes from the Spanish gabardina which was a long wool coat to protect against the cold. It is also thought that the word gabardine also comes from the Arabic qaba which gave the French word caban. What should be remembered is that originally gabardine was a wool fabric intended for coats. It was therefore expensive, dense, and had a rather rough feel.  To obtain a softer feel but also a more affordable price, the original wool was replaced by cotton at the time of industrialization and the popularization of this material. 

Today, gabardine can be made from different natural or synthetic fibers; it is therefore essential to carefully read the composition of the gabardine you wish to buy. Likewise, the weight of gabardines available on the market can vary greatly. A "good" gabardine should be a rather heavy, dense fabric with a nice drape. It is a fabric that must have structure, with a certain stiffness that allows it to wrinkle very little. Its density also gives it a slightly water-repellent effect. 

Characteristics of twill and gabardine

These two fabrics will generally have the same characteristics, notably due to their similar weaving method. Both are sturdy, available in a wide range of colors (from bright to pastel) and easy to care for.
However, a few differences should be noted: 

- Compared to twill, gabardine wrinkles very little
- Gabardine is a water-repellent fabric
- Gabardine is a relatively heavy and stiff fabric

Advantages

The twills as a whole are:
- easy to maintain. They are machine washable
- they are available in a wide range of materials from the lightest to the warmest.
- they are available in a wide range of colors
- they are also available with patterns, think of viscose twills
- the tight and meticulous weaving technique makes the fabric very resistant, so these are durable garments
- they are relatively flexible due to their weave
- they are easily accessible because apart from silk twills; these fabrics are inexpensive. 

Points of attention

If twills do have qualities, it is necessary to take into account certain points of attention.
Twill, due to its weave, can lack elasticity. Indeed, the tight weave offers little stretch, which can be a limitation for some uses.

Similarly, twill tends to wrinkle a bit more than gabardine. 

What to sew with gabardine?

You will have understood that the iconic piece of gabardine is the trench coat but not only...

Depending on the composition and weight of the gabardine you have chosen, other options are available to you.

More broadly, gabardine is suitable for making jackets, coats, capes, and other protective garments. Due to its density and structure, choose patterns with structured cuts that require firmness, which will be more adapted to the fabric's density.

Gabardine can also be suitable for making pants, skirts, dresses, or suits. 

It is still possible to use it for making bags, pouches or cases, and other accessories requiring structure.

You could imagine making a pouch from the scraps of your trench coat to create a jumpsuit.  Gabardine is a fabric of choice for those who are beginners in sewing or who would like to try sewing a complex piece because it is very pleasant to sew. 

Recommended patterns with gabardine

Trench:

Isla by Named Clothing (32 to 56) 

Iam Bob by Iam patterns (34 to 52)

Chloé by Julia Martejevs (XS to 3XL)

Calamity Jane by Sewing Soon (34 to 50)

Jacket and coat:

Iam Artemis by Iam patterns (men, women and children)

Tsar Coat by Maison Fauve (34 to 52)

Adeline by l'atelier des premières (34 to 50) 

Opal by Instinct Couture (32 to 52)

What to sew with twill?

 With heavy cotton, linen, wool twill 

With heavy twill, you can sew durable and structured pieces such as:
- pants, bermudas, and shorts

- overalls, playsuits...
- jackets
- skirts: straight, pencil, pleated...
- sturdy bags: tote bags, backpacks, clutches, travel bags, satchels, ...
- accessories: wallet, fanny pack, clutch, pouch, curtains, tablecloths, cushions

 Recommended models with heavy twill

Pants

Fauvette, Lyria by Instinct couture

Sunshine, Armor, Nout... by Iam patterns

Patrick, Pénélope, Philippine... by Coralie Bijasson 

Brooklyn, ronsard, Belem, récif by Maison Fauve

Luze pants and inar by Lantoki

Charlie Jade, Myriam, and Oxane from Cha Coud (34 to 48) 

Toffee from Lamericana (32 to 56)

Overalls

Diamond, Chrystale, and Colibri from Iam patterns

Lyon from Ikatee
Aurélie from Atelier des premières (34 to 50)

Skirts

Charlotte, Ruby, Roméo, Julie from Iam Patterns 

Yumi, Amélie, and Aliyah from Cha Coud

Nolwenn, Caroline, and Julie from Atelier des premières

and many other accessories...

 What to sew with viscose twill   

Viscose twill is ideal for flowing garments with good drape:

- dresses,

- blouses,

- flowing skirts,

- soft palazzo-style pants...,

Twill offers a blend of fluidity and structure thanks to its tight weave.

I hope these explanations will help you make wise choices for your next sewing projects!

Find our new twill and beautiful gabardines in store and on the webshop.

Ready your needles!