When it comes to making clothes—shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, and so on—we prefer softer, lighter fabrics, fabrics with stretch or drape. But some accessories require more sturdiness, durability, and strength. And that's exactly where canvas fabric comes in handy. Have you ever used it?
The canvas we have in our store and like to use is thinner and softer than regular canvas, which makes it both delicate and durable. It's made of cotton (85%) and polyester (15%), and what gives it that extra body and durability is the way the fabric is woven. What we call the weave, or the way the threads are arranged as they're woven.
That's precisely why it allows us to skip interfacing or lining in sewing projects that would require a supporting fabric if we made them with regular cotton fabric.
On the other hand, you should keep in mind that canvas fabric frays quite a bit. So, to work with it comfortably, we recommend sewing a zigzag stitch along the edge.
What kinds of projects can you make with canvas fabric?
As we mentioned above, it's ideal for projects that need extra durability. Objects that are subject to wear and tear, but that you trust with valuable contents. For example: bags, coin purses, backpacks, upholstery, travel bags…
- Covers: for your laptop, tablet, books, cushions…
- Backpacks and travel bags.
- Bags—we have lots of different designs in the Club—and tote bags.
- Wallets, coin purses, and cardholders.
- Belt bags and clutches.
- Toiletry bags, cases, and much more…
Find the canvas fabrics we have available in the store
If you want to see how to work with canvas fabric, at Lulu Ferris we have the children's teepee tutorial. In this video, you'll see that, apart from the fraying—which is very easy to solve—there's no extra difficulty.
With canvas or heavier canvas fabrics than the ones we use, you would need to switch to a thicker needle, such as the one specifically for denim, and a strong thread. But we'll say it again: if you choose one of the fabrics we have in the store, that won't be necessary.
Choose the one you like best, think of a project that excites you, and go for it!