Fabrics for Crafts

Crafting with fabrics offers a vast array of possibilities, from quilting to making clothes, home decor, and more. There are endless varieties of fabrics used for different types of crafts. When choosing fabric for your craft project, consider the texture, weight, durability, and ease of use. This will help you select the best material for the specific needs of your project.

Quilting and sewing crafts utilize cotton, batiks and flannel. Cotton is soft, breathable and easy to sew. Whereas Batiks are hand-dyed, tightly woven and come is vibrant patterns. Flannel is soft, warm and slightly stretchy.

Upholstery and home decor crafting often make use of canvas, duck cloth and burlap. Canvas is a heavy-duty, durable and slightly stiff fabric commonly used in tote bags, upholstery and other outdoor projects. Duck cloth is similar to canvas but with a tighter weave. Also used in upholstery, bags and outdoor projects. Burlap offers a more rustic features that is course, loosely woven and a natural feel.

Apparel crafts make use of Jersey Knit, Denim and Silk. Jersey Knit, used in t-shirts, dresses and loungewear is usually stretchy, soft and comfortable. Denim, used in making jeans, jackets and bags are more durable, heavier weighted and less stretchy. Whereas silk is luxurious, soft and smooth and used for making scarves, blouses and lingerie.

Specialty fabrics include felt, fleece and velvet. Felt is soft, non-fraying and comes in various thicknesses to be used in a variety of crafts like ornaments and costumes. Fleece is similar to felt and is warm, soft and slightly stretchy. Used in blankets, hats and outerwear. Velvet has a luxurious feel and is soft and plush.

Broadcloth, muslin and linen round out the category. Broadcloth is smooth, tightly woven and lightweight. Used in various crafting activities, clothing and quilting. Muslin is versatile, plain weave, more-affordable fabric used in mock-ups and lining.