Curtain Deals

Is it okay to make clothes with curtain fabric?

I love the stiffness of the curtains, and I know that it's sort of weird to use it as clothes, but is it normal to do so? Of course, I would put lining under to make it soft inside.

Public Comments

1. If you're confident enough to pull it off, then yeah, go for it! :) The fact that you're considering different fabrics indicates that you are a good sewer, so I think it will look amazing. :D Go for it!
2. i think itll look alrite but ofcourse it depends how u wear it. maybe put lace on whatever your sewing so itll look less like curtain fabric.
3. Well, they did it in The Sound of Music :) It's a little strange, but I think what matters more is the print on the curtains. If it's like flowers or something that is obviously meant for home decor, don't use it! But if it's a more basic print or plain, then go for it! You could actually get fairly cheap fabric like that at a store like Joanne Fabrics. So don't go out and buy curtains just to cut them up. If you have old curtains and were thinking of using them for this them just make sure they're not worn through.
4. Sure, if the fabric can handle the cleaning treatment you intend to give the clothing. For instance, some of the older chintzes lose all their body when washed. Some fabrics shrink, lose dye, and wrinkle horribly. Others water-spot, and still others will disintegrate with machine washing -- so read the care labels and prewash (or dryclean) before you cut and sew. Upholstery fabric is another source of interesting garment fabrics -- same cautions apply. Some background reading for you: http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4597/introducing-decorator-fabrics http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/5992/strike-it-rich-gold-trenchcoat Remember that stiff or crisp fabrics tend to require less ease in a pattern, and can often look quite bulky. Look for patterns designed for fabrics with similar drape.