Fabric 101: Georgette
Georgette is a type of crepe fabric that is lightweight, semi-sheer, and known for its grainy texture. It is often used in evening wear and blouses for it’s delicate, floaty appearance. Georgette is also surprisingly durable for such a lightweight material. It has a high tensile strength that can hold up to embroidery and is resistant to tears.
Georgette holds up well to dyeing too, which means you can purchase it in a rainbow of colors. The distinct weave of georgette gives it that characteristic crinkly surface, while still allowing it to breathe, so it’s as comfortable as it is stylish.
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Fabric | Georgette |
Texture? | Grainy textured surface |
Stretch? | No stretch, but some natural give |
Weight? | Lightweight, (GSM 30-100) |
Stiff or flowy drape? | Flowy drape |
Nap? | Not a napped fabric |
Typical fiber content? | Traditionally silk, now frequently made with polyester or rayon |
Opaque or sheer? | Usually semi-sheer |
Shiny? | It has a slight sheen to the surface |
Fraying? | Georgette tends to fray very easily |
Pilling? | Resistant to pilling |
Colors and patterns? | Known for being a good lightweight fabric for colors and prints |
Cool or warm weather? | Best for warmer weather |
What to make? | Lightweight, flowy clothing including dresses, shirts and skirts. You can also use it for lightweight curtains, scarves, and bridal-wear |
What needle to use? | Use a small universal needle (size 60 or 70) or a microtex needle |
What kind of fabric is georgette?
Georgette is a lightweight, semi-sheer fabric with a grainy feel. It is known for being surprisingly strong and tear-resistant and is easily dyed into any color or pattern. The origin of georgette fabric dates back to early 20th century France and the name is derived from the French dressmaker Georgette de la Plante, who introduced this lightweight fabric to the fashion world. Georgette is traditionally made from silk, but can also be produced using synthetic fibers like polyester and rayon.
The fabric has a crinkled crepe surface, which is a result of the tight twist of the yarns (which also makes the material more durable and wrinkle resistant). Its appearance is semi-sheer and lightweight, yet it offers considerable durability compared to other sheer lightweight fabrics. This quality makes georgette fabric an excellent choice for draping and creating full, flowy garments such as blouses, dresses, evening gowns, and saris.
Georgette fabric versus chiffon
Georgette and Chiffon are both lightweight, flowy, semi-sheer fabrics used in evening wear and drapey garments. However, there are distinct differences between the two:
- Texture: Georgette has a grainy texture due to the highly twisted yarns used in its weaving. Chiffon, on the other hand, is typically smoother and silkier to the touch.
- Weight: Chiffon is lighter and more delicate than georgette, which has a slightly heavier feel due to the thicker threads or a double twist in the yarn during weaving.
- Drape: Chiffon tends to have a more flowy and airy drape. It’s also usually thinner and more see-through. On the other hand, georgette has more body and tends to be closer to opaque than sheer.
- Strength: Georgette is generally known to be more tear-resistant due to the way it is woven.
What can you make with georgette fabric?
Due to its elegant drape and translucency, georgette is a favorite for blouses, dresses, saris, evening wear, and other flowing garments. Its ability to hold dye well allows for vibrant patterns and colors. Georgette is also often used for accessories, such as scarves and wraps.
Properties of georgette fabric
- Texture: Georgette fabric has a distinctive grainy texture, which is slightly rough and bumpy to the touch. Despite this grainy texture, georgette is not rough or itchy in any way, meaning it’s still quite comfortable against the skin.
- Flexibility: While georgette is a woven fabric with no stretch in the way the knit fabrics do, it still has considerable give (especially along the bias), making the material quite flexible overall. This helps it have a more flowing drape and allows for a more comfortable fit.
- Weight: Georgette is a lightweight fabric. The weight can vary depending on the type of fiber used, such as silk, rayon, or polyester.
- Drape: Georgette is a fabric known for its crisp yet airy drape. It doesn’t cling to the body, but instead floats softly and accentuates movement. This characteristic makes it ideal for full or loose dresses and skirts that use a lot of gathered or floating fabric.
- Fiber composition: Georgette fabric was originally made from silk, but nowadays it is more often produced using synthetic fibers such as polyester and rayon.
- Opacity: Georgette fabric is characterized by its semi-sheer appearance. However, the level of sheerness can vary depending on the specific type of georgette and the fibers used.
- Shine: Georgette fabric is not typically shiny; instead, it has a dull, matte finish. The twisted yarns used in the weave give georgette that its characteristic crinkled texture also prevent light from being reflected easily, creating a more matte appearance.
- Fraying: Unfortunately, georgette fabric tends to fray easily due to its loose weave and lightweight nature. It’s the type of material that can feel like it’s unraveling as you sew it, so you want to make sure you handle it with care.
- Durability: Compared to other lightweight fabrics, georgette is quite durable and resistant to tears. That being said, it can still snag and rip more easily than a more robust fabric.
- Wrinkling: Georgette fabric is somewhat resistant to wrinkling due to the textured surface. It’s not perfect, by any means, and will wrinkle under pressure (especially when made with rayon), but it’s still surprisingly wrinkle resistant.
How easy is georgette to sew?
Georgette fabric, with its flowy drape and sheer, lightweight nature, requires some sewing skills to handle properly. I don’t recommend this fabric for beginners, but it’s great for when your ready to start experimenting with more difficult fabrics.
- Needle size: Use a sharp microtex needle to minimize damage to the fine fabric.
- Seam Finish: Consider French seams or overlocking to protect the delicate edges from fraying.
- Stitches: Opt for a small stitch length to maintain a uniform seam; 1.5 to 2 is ideal.
- Tension: Ensure your machine’s tension is even to prevent puckering. Test on scraps before you begin.
- Straight stitch plate: Consider using a straight stitch plate on your machine (this usually needs to be purchased separately). This will prevent the sewing machine from “eating” the fabric and it’s a lifesaver for sewing with thin and delicate materials.
- Pinning: Use fine silk pins to avoid leaving marks on the fabric. If at all possible, keep the pins on the seam allowance to prevent any holes from showing up in your final garment.
- Handling: Sew slowly and steadily to maintain control of the lightweight material. Handle as little as possible to avoid excess fraying and warping of the fabric
- Do not skip stay stitching: georgette is a somewhat fluid material that can easily warp out of shape, use stay stitching to protect the shape of your garment pieces.
- Hemming: A rolled hem foot or hand-stitched rolled hem will yield the best finish for georgette edges.
Remember, patience is key when sewing with georgette due to its tendency to slip and fray. With these points in mind, you can sew georgette more easily and achieve professional-looking results.
How to care for georgette fabric
If you have real silk georgette, you’ll want to hand wash it, or send it to the dry cleaners to avoid ruining the fabric. Synthetic georgette, on the other hand, can usually be washed in a washing machine on the gentle cycle. You might want to use a laundry bag to further protect the fabric. You can also tumble dry the fabric, but avoid high heat settings, and be sure it’s not in the tumble dryer alongside anything that can snag it.
When storing georgette garments, it’s always best to hang them to help the clothing maintain it’s shape and flowy appearance. Avoid folding to prevent creasing; if you must fold, do it minimally and refrain from placing heavy items on top of the fabric.