Fabric 101: Crepe 

Crepe is best known for being an elegant fabric to make lovely dresses that cling or flow around the body. However, any fabric that is woven to create the signature ‘pebbled’ texture is considered a type of crepe fabric, and not all of them have the flowy, lightweight properties that immediately spring to mind.

While historically, crepe fabric was mainly used for mourning clothes, it’s now used for a wider variety of clothing, especially high-fashion clothes or evening wear. This is because most types of crepe fabric have an extremely elegant drape that creates flattering silhouettes. However, there are also some thicker types of crepe that are used for coats, pants, and suiting as well.

Fabric	Crepe
Texture?	Rippled or pebbled texture on one side
Stretch?	Non-stretch, but may have some give
Heavy or light?	Light to medium-weight
Stiff or flowy drape?	Typically flowy, some medium-weight crepe fabrics have a slightly stiffer drape
Nap?	No nap
Typical fiber content?	Traditionally silk or wool, but it can be made from almost any fiber
Opaque or sheer?	Typically opaque, but sometimes semi-sheer or sheer
Shiny?	Non-shiny, but sometimes has a subtle sheen
Fraying?	Frays fairly easily
Pilling?	Typically not prone to pilling, but it can pull and rip
Other identifying properties?	Crepe is known for the pebbled texture on the surface, due to the way the fabric is woven together.
Cool or warm weather?	Better for warmer weather
What to make?	Flowy dresses, lightweight blouses, accessories like shawls and wraps, wool crepe can be used for coating and hats
What needle to use?	Usually a microtex or small-size needle, depending on the type of crepe you’re using

What kind of fabric is crepe?

The main characteristic that crepe is known for is the grainy, pebbled surface. The texture is created using twisted yarns, which also helps make the fabric more flexible and wrinkle resistant. This texture adds dimension and visual interest to garments. 

Most crepe fabric is adored for its unique texture, beautiful drape, lightweight nature, and wrinkle-resistant properties. Crepe fabric is often associated with elegance, sophistication, and luxury, making it a popular option for creating high-end garments and couture designs.

Crepe can be made from various fibers, including silk, polyester, wool, or rayon. Its unique texture make it ideal for creating elegant and flowing garments, such as dresses or blouses. Despite its lightweight nature, crepe fabric typically has good opacity, ensuring that it doesn’t become see-through when worn.

Types of crepe fabric

There are many types of crepe fabric, but most are fairly similar. They all have the distinct, pebbled crepe texture on the front face of the fabric, but some are more lightweight with a more fluid drape and others are heavier and sturdier.

• Wool Crepe is a medium-weight type of crepe that is made from, you guessed it, wool.  It’s less flowy than most other types of crepe and has a rougher texture. Wool crepe is often used for tailored and autumn/winter garments due to its insulation properties.
• Georgette is a lightweight and semi-sheer fabric with a slightly grainy texture that is less distinct than other types of crepe. It is usually made from silk or synthetic fibers and is commonly used for flowy garments, semi-sheer overlays, scarves, and bridal wear.
• Polyester Crepe is a synthetic variation of crepe fabric. It is known for its affordability, durability, and resistance to wrinkles. Polyester crepe mimics the texture of crepe, but usually, the drape is quite a bit stiffer and heavier than what you would expect from silk or rayon crepe fabrics.
• Crepe chiffon is a lightweight and sheer fabric that combines the crinkled texture of crepe with the delicate drape of chiffon. It is made from silk or synthetic fibers. While it requires lining, this fabric is ideal for creating the ethereal looks in bridal wear and evening wear.
• Crepe-back Satin is a fabric that combines the smooth and lustrous surface of satin on one side with the textured and matte finish of crepe on the other side. You can use either side as the front of the garment.
• Crepon is usually made from synthetic fibers such as polyester or rayon. It is characterized by its crinkly texture that creates pleat-like lines on the fabric, rather than a simple pebbled texture.
• Crepe de chine is cherished for its extreme lightweight nature, luxurious draping, and its ability to create elegant and flowing garments. It has just a slight pebbled texture that’s not as distinct as most other types of crepe.
• Plissé crepe is a type of crepe fabric that has been pleated as a finishing effect. It will have the pebbled surface that crepe is known for, but it’s also puckered into regular pleats. 

What can you make with crepe fabric?

Crepe’s lightweight and flowy nature makes it perfect for crafting elegant dresses, blouses, and skirts. Additionally, its drape and texture lend themselves well to creating scarves, wraps, and headbands. Wool crepe and heavier crepe fabrics can also be used for suiting and hats.

Properties of crepe fabric

• Texture: Crepe fabric has a slightly grainy or pebbled surface. However, it’s not rough or itchy in any way. It’s a pleasant fabric to wear, even for someone who has sensitive skin, like myself.
• Flexibility: Crepe fabric usually offers a small degree of give, allowing for a comfortable fit and easy movement. However, it is not a stretchy fabric like knits or spandex.
• Weight: Crepe fabric is generally lightweight, with a delicate and airy quality. However, the exact weight of crepe fabric can vary depending on the specific type and composition. For example, wool crepe and polyester crepe tend to be slightly heavier than crepe de chine or georgette.
• Drape: Crepe fabric falls gracefully and fluidly. It effortlessly follows the body’s contours, creating a flattering silhouette.
• Fiber composition: Crepe fabric can be made from just about any fiber type. Silk, wool, rayon, and polyester are all commonly used to make the various types of crepe fabric.
• Opacity: Most types of crepe fabric are more-or-less opaque. However, some types can be semi-sheer (especially crepe chiffon and georgette). Lighter-colored crepe is also more likely to be slightly see-through.
• Shine: Crepe fabric typically has a matte finish. However, it’s worth mentioning that different types of crepe can exhibit subtle variations in shine. For instance, silk crepe may have a natural sheen due to the inherent properties of silk fibers.
• Fraying: Crepe fabric frays fairly easily. While it’s not the type to disintegrate as you are trying to sew it, it could still be a problem if you handle your fabric pieces too much before sewing them together.
• Durability: Due to its slightly textured surface and twisted yarns, crepe fabric is more actually fairly durable. However, its texture does make it susceptible to snagging if you’re not careful.
• Wrinkling: Crepe is wrinkle-resistant, especially polyester types of crepe.

How to sew with crepe fabric

When it comes to sewing with crepe fabric, there are a few challenges that you might encounter. First, crepe fabric has a tendency to easily fray, so you want to handle the fabric delicately. Crepe fabric also often has a lightweight and slippery nature, which can make it tricky to cut and sew accurately. Crepe also tends to stretch and warp out of shape if you’re not careful while you’re handling it.

Use these techniques to help address some of the difficult aspects of sewing with crepe fabric:

1. Cutting: When cutting the fabric, it can be helpful to work with a single layer at a time and weigh it down with pattern weights to reduce the fabric’s movement.
2. Fraying: Make sure to give yourself a wide seam allowance so it doesn’t fray too much. If your crepe fabric is fraying too much, consider finishing the raw edges of the fabric before you start sewing.
3. Use French seam finishes: These enclose raw edges within the seams, providing a clean finish that prevents fraying.
4. Don’t skip staystitching: This is a good stabilizing technique that will keep the fabric from warping out of shape.
5. Use a shorter stitch length and decrease the presser foot pressure to avoid stretching the fabric as you sew.
6. Switch to a microtex, or extra sharp, needle

Learn more about how to sew with crepe fabric

How to care for crepe fabric

The care for crepe fabric depends on the type of fiber it’s made from. Polyester crepe is much easier to care for than more delicate materials like silk. For the most part, if you have polyester crepe, it will stand up well to machine washing and drying.

In general, crepe is not prone to shrinkage in the wash, but natural fibers and rayon are more likely to shrink than polyester crepe material. When sewing, it’s always best to prewash your fabric first to reduce the chance of your garment shrinking later on.