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

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

Let's go! 

Weave versus Materials

In sewing, when buying fabric, you need 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 from which it was woven. 

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

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 the warp and weft threads to create a fabric, a cloth... 

Twill is very easy to spot because it consists of small diagonals. These diagonals are created by the interlacing of warp and weft threads. The weft thread passes under one then over two (or more) warp threads, shifting by one thread at each pass (hence the diagonal). 

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. 

Twill can be light or heavy, matte or smooth, and comes in many variations (chino, denim, cavalry twill, gabardine...)

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 achieve a softer feel but also a more affordable price, the original wool was replaced by cotton during the industrialization and 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 want 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 generally have the same characteristics, notably due to their similar weaving method. Both are strong, 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

Twills as a whole are:
- easy to care for. 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 durable, so these are long-lasting garments
- they are relatively flexible due to their weaving
- they are easily accessible because apart from silk twills, these fabrics are inexpensive. 

Points of attention

While twills do have qualities, it is necessary to consider 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?

As you might have guessed, the iconic gabardine piece is the trench coat—but not only that...

Depending on the composition and weight of the gabardine you choose, 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 suited to the fabric's density.

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

It is also still possible to use it for making bags, printed, pouches, and other accessories that require structure.

You could imagine making a printed 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 models 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, printed, travel bag, satchel, ...
- accessories: wallet, fanny pack, printed, 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 by Cha Coud (34 to 48) 

Toffee by Lamericana (32 to 56)

Overalls

Diamond, Chrystale, and Colibri by Iam patterns

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

Skirts

Charlotte, Ruby, Roméo, Julie by Iam Patterns 

Yumi, Amélie, and Aliyah by Cha coud

Nolwenn, Caroline, and Julie by 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.

Get your needles ready!