10 Tips for Sewing With Satin Fabric

Sewing with satin fabric can seem intimidating due to its delicate and slippery nature, but it’s not as scary as it seems. The main problems you need to take into account are the fabrics tendency to shift around, learning to avoid snagging the delicate fabric surface, and avoiding leaving visible pinholes in the final garment.

These are all solvable problems that you can work with. And while I don’t recommend using satin for your very first sewing projects as a beginner, don’t be afraid to try using satin materials as you venture into using more difficult fabrics in your sewing journey.

1. Put pins inside the seam allowance

The glossy surface of satin fabrics can easily be damaged. It doesn’t always heal from the small holes created when using pins. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up with little pinholes all along your seamlines.

That’s why it’s important to only place your pins inside the seam allowance of your satin material. Place the pins parallel to the edge of the fabric just inside the seam line. This helps avoid those visible pinholes on the delicate fabric surface.

You also probably want to use extra sharp pins as well. Sometimes blunt pins can snag the satin fabric, leaving visible pulls on the otherwise shiny satin surface.

Alternatively, you could use sewing clips with satin fabric instead of pins. This will hold the fabric together without poking holes into the fabric at all.

2. Cut the fabric with a rotary cutter

Satin’s slippery texture makes cutting a little more difficult too. Personally, I find it way easier to use a rotary cutter to cut pattern pieces instead of fabric shears because it helps to achieve clean, straight cuts.

You may also want to cut satin in a single layer at a time, rather than a folded double layer. This reduces the risk of shifting and ensures each cut is accurate on both sides of the fabric.

3. Switch to a small universal or microtex needle

To avoid snagging or puckering when sewing satin fabric, you also need to switch to a smaller needle. For some more structured satin fabrics, a universal needle in size 60 or 70 will work just fine. However, many satin fabrics are more lightweight and delicate and will require a microtex needle that is specifically designed to work with delicate fabrics without snagging or tearing. 

Always test your needle choice on a fabric scrap before starting your project. This helps ensure the needle and thread are compatible with your satin material.

4. Avoid ironing/pressing the front of the fabric

The shiny side of satin fabrics is easily damaged by heat. It doesn’t help that a lot of these materials are made from polyester or other synthetic fibers that don’t stand up well to the hot temperatures of an iron. As much as possible, you want to avoid pressing or ironing directly on the front side of the fabric.

So that you don’t melt, burn, or otherwise damage the shiny face of satin fabric, the first option is to iron and press from the dull back of the material. If you do find that you need to iron the front, always use a pressing cloth so that you are not touching the iron directly to the satin surface.

5. Turn garments inside out when washing

Since the surface of satin garments is easily damaged, it also requires more delicate handling when washing. Unless you have silk satin material, there is usually no need to get it dry cleaned, you can still use your normal at-home washer and dryer.

However, you should wash your garments inside out to avoid snagging or damaging the satin surface. If you want to be extra careful, use a washing bag to further protect your satin clothing and use a delicate wash setting.

6. Consider using a straight stitch plate

Since satin fabrics are typically quite delicate, sewing machines often run into this problem where they start to ‘munch’ on the fabric. This is when the fabric gets sucked down into the needle hole, getting crumpled or stuck.

Using a straight stitch plate can greatly improve your sewing experience with satin fabric. It pretty much eliminates the problem and keeps the fabric from puckering or shifting too much. A Straight stitch plate has a single hole, rather than the wide hole of a standard needle plate, making it easier for the fabric to stay stable and straight.

7. Shorten the stitch length (to 1.5-2mm)

When sewing with satin, you might also want to reduce the stitch length. This isn’t always necessary and depends on the weight and drape of the particular fabric you are using. The more lightweight and drapable your satin fabric is, the more I would reduce the stitch length.

A stitch length of 1.5-2mm helps secure the fabric more effectively. It can help prevent puckering and creates a smoother seam, which maintains the glossy appearance of satin fabric. Additionally, shorter stitches provide better control over the fabric, making it particularly useful when sewing intricate details or curves on satin garments.

8. Try to avoid buttonholes if possible 

When working with satin fabric, creating neat buttonholes can be challenging. Satin is delicate and tends to pucker easily when all of that thread is in one place. It can compromise the strength and appearance of buttonholes. This is why hooks, zippers, and clasps are more often used with satin garments.

However, sometimes you have no way around using buttons. If this is the case, opt for a fine 2-ply thread (also called embroidery thread). This is a slightly thinner type of thread that will help maintain the fabric’s integrity and reduce the chance of puckering when making those buttonholes.

9. Sew tautly to avoid puckering

Another tip to avoid puckering with satin fabric is to maintain tension while sewing it. Hold the front and back of the fabric while it’s going through the feed dogs and make sure the fabric remains taut to keep the fabric from bunching up. This can also help prevent snags and will give you smoother and more even stitches.

10. Avoid marking the front (shiny) side of the fabric

Always use marking tools on the back, non-shiny side of satin fabrics. I recommend doing this for any fabric, but it’s especially important for satins. Marking tools like pens or chalk can stain or damage the shiny side of satin fabric, making them difficult to remove later. 

It’s also a good idea to test marking tools on fabric scraps before using them, since you never know if it will bleed over to the front side of the fabric.