Fabric 101: Gauze
When I first heard of gauze as a type of fabric, I immediately thought of medical supplies that are used to wrap wounds. While that is actually a type of gauze, it’s slightly different from the gauze that’s used to create clothing.
Gauze is a lightweight type of fabric with a mesh-like structure. The material can be woven with thick yarns where you can easily see the weave of the fabric, or it can use much finer yarns, especially for gauze used in apparel. Overall, it is an extremely airy and breathable material that is used most often for summer garments.
There are multiple types of gauze fabric. Other than standard cotton gauze, the most common that you’ll come across in apparel is something called double gauze. This is when two layers of the material are tacked together at regular intervals and treated as one piece of fabric.
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| Fabric | Gauze |
| Texture? | The texture varies depending on the quality of the material. It can have a fairly rough texture or be quite soft. Finer gauze will be smoother and softer. |
| Stretch? | A minimal amount of give due to the loose weave |
| Heavy or light? | Lightweight fabric |
| Stiff or flowy drape? | Generally a fairly flowy and airy drape |
| Nap? | No nap |
| Typical fiber content? | Traditionally silk or cotton, now mostly cotton or synthetic |
| Opaque or sheer? | Sheer or semi-sheer fabric |
| Shiny? | Matte fabric |
| Fraying? | Frays very easily |
| Pilling or pulled threads? | Gauze can be prone to pulled threads due to its loose weave |
| Cool or warm weather? | Better for warm weather |
| What to make? | Lightweight shirts, skirts and dresses, and some home decor (such as curtains) |
| What needle to use? | Use a small needle or a microtex needle |
What kind of fabric is gauze?
Gauze is a sheer and lightweight fabric typically made from cotton or synthetic materials. It is characterized by its loose, open weave, which allows for breathability and makes it ideal for medical dressings, summer clothing, and even decorative purposes (like breezy curtains). Gauze is also usually a sheer or semi-sheer fabric.
Some types of gauze can have a slightly spongy feel, and this is probably what most people think of when they imagine gauze fabric. However, not all types of gauze have this crinkly, spongy appearance. This is a specific type of gauze called bubble gauze.
Specialized gauze fabrics used for specific purposes, such as wound dressings or costuming, are the type that can have added layers to enhance absorbency or are manufactured with a decorative crinkly texture. However, the majority of gauze fabrics are lightweight and smooth, without a distinct spongy texture.
What is double gauze fabric?
When making apparel, you’re more likely to use a material called double gauze rather than single-layer gauze. Double gauze is composed of two layers of gauze fabric that are tacked together at regular intervals with tiny stitches. The layers are not completely fused, allowing for greater breathability. It’s kind of the same idea as self-lining a fabric.
The presence of two layers in double gauze enhances its strength, opacity, and durability compared to single-layer gauze. The many stitches hold the layers in place, preventing them from shifting or separating during sewing or washing.
What can you make with gauze fabric?
Gauze is best used for lightweight and flowy dresses, blouses, and skirts. You can also use it for beach cover-ups, lightweight scarves, baby bibs, and swaddling cloths. Bubble gauze material is also seen frequently in the costuming world since you can get a lot of material for a relatively cheap price. It’s a fun fabric to incorporate into cosplay, and many people will use it for Renaissance faire skirts to create a more ‘rustic’ look.
Properties of gauze fabric
- Texture: Depending on the specific type and quality, it can range from slightly crisp to very soft and flowy. Cotton gauze, in particular, is known for being quite soft and comfortable. On the other, I’ve found some synthetic gauze materials that are itchy and scratchy.
- Flexibility: Gauze fabric is not inherently stretchy since it’s not a knit fabric. However, there can be some minor flexibility or give depending on the specific type of gauze fabric and its composition. For example, bubble gauze typically offers a greater amount of give compared to regular gauze fabric.
- Weight: Gauze fabric is considered to be on the lighter end of the fabric spectrum. It is designed to have a sheer and airy quality.
- Drape: Gauze fabric is known for its flowy and lightweight drape.
- Fiber composition: The most common fiber used for gauze fabric is cotton. Synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon can also be used to create gauze fabric, but this type of gauze is considerably less comfortable to wear. Historically, gauze was actually made from silk fibers. However, it’s very uncommon to find silk gauze fabric nowadays.
- Opacity: Because it has such an open weave, most gauze fabric will be sheer or semi-sheer. Double gauze fabric will have slightly more opacity due to the two layers of fabric.
- Fraying: One of the major difficulties with sewing gauze fabric is its tendency to fray way too easily. Always make sure to give yourself a large seam allowance so that the material does fray too far before you’ve had a chance to sew everything together.
- Durability: Gauze is somewhat delicate and is susceptible to snagging. It is advisable to handle gauze fabric with care, avoiding sharp objects or rough surfaces because if your gauze fabric gets a small rip, it’s likely to get bigger very quickly.
- Wrinkling: Cotton gauze tends to wrinkle quite easily, like most cotton fabrics. However, synthetic gauze materials are much less prone to wrinkling.
- Breathability: Gauze fabric is breathable and lightweight, allowing for excellent airflow, keeping the wearer cool and comfortable in hot weather.
what to know before sewing with gauze fabric
Sewing with gauze fabric can be a bit challenging due to its loose weave and delicate nature. Its lightweight and sheer texture can make it prone to shifting and stretching during the sewing process. It also frays and rips super easily, which makes unpicking any mistakes pretty much impossible.
Some tips to help you sew with gauze fabric include:
- Use a sharp sewing needle. A size 60 or 70 universal needle will usually work. If not, you can also switch to an extra sharp microtex needle.
- Switch to extra sharp pins or use clips instead. Ultra-fine pins will hold the fabric more easily and be less likely to leave pin holes or snags. You can also skip the pins altogether and clip the edges of the material instead.
- Use a stabilizer to prevent your fabric from moving too much. Use either a wash-away stabilizer or some tissue paper to keep the fabric stable and prevent it from snagging on the needle and being pulled under the throat plate of the sewing machine. You can also get a straight stitch plate for your sewing machine to help with this problem.
- Use a rotary cutter when cutting your fabric pieces. This can help to prevent the fabric from moving too much as you cut it out. Remember to use a cutting mat with your rotary cutter.
- Finish your edges immediately. If your fabric is fraying really badly, you can finish them before sewing with a zigzag stitch or serger. You can also use fray check along the edges.
- Consider basting your fabric pieces together first. If you can’t get the fabric to stay put while sewing your seams, consider hand-basting your pieces together first.
- Go slow on your machine. Going too fast is more likely to damage the fabric and cause tangles in the machine thread.
How to care for gauze fabric
It’s generally okay to machine wash gauze fabric as long as you stick to a gentle or delicate cycle with cold or lukewarm water. It’s a good idea to use a laundry bag when washing to prevent the fabric from snagging on anything else in the wash. Make sure all of your seams are completely finished though, because it will fray and fall apart if you didn’t take the necessary steps.
It is usually better to air dry gauze fabric, or at least tumble dry on a low heat setting. The heat from the dryer can be more likely to cause shrinkage, wrinkles, or damage to the delicate fibers of gauze. Be sure to remove the fabric promptly once it is dry (or even still slightly damp) to prevent wrinkles and damage the material as little as possible.
How to iron gauze
The iron settings generally depend on the type of fiber that was used for your gauze material. Cotton gauze can usually stand up to a bit of heat, while polyester and nylon gauze will begin to melt and need to be kept at low-heat settings. You also want to be careful when ironing gauze since it’s a delicate fabric. If you use too much pressure, there’s a chance you could rip or damage the fabric.
For bubble gauze, I recommend steaming instead of ironing (honestly this is what I’d do for most types of gauze). This will allow you to keep the overall bubbly texture intact while still effectively de-wrinkling the material.
