Hi Reza,
I very much enjoyed your video on Tailoring materials. It was highly informative and very encouraging.
As some have shared with you, I too have had a difficult time sourcing materials. Part of the reason is that, in my country, most materials are unavailable, and even if some are, I can’t tell, because they go by a non-standard name. Inquiring about a suitable alternative has proven to be just as futile, as most are not familiar with the use of material in a tailoring context.
Having said that, I have managed to purchase many of the materials you spoke about from online sources, but many retailers do not report the specifics of the material. “Lightweight” is more of a relative measure than an actual measure of weight. It falls within some weight range which also differs depending on the type of material.
I have always thought that the weight of your interlining materials would need to complement that of your outer fabric in some way. So, I’ve looked for sources that report the actual weight and managed to get hold of fabric with different compositions (wool, linen, silk/wool, silk/cotton etc.). I reside in the Caribbean, so, for climate considerations, most of what I’ve purchased fall within a range of about 180gsm to 260gsm.
Given the above, I’d like to ask for some advice:
How much heavier or lighter should the weight of the interlining materials (canvas, domette etc.) be to that of the outer fabric?
As an alternative to melton and felt, could (fulled) wool broadcloth work for the undercollar?
There are some retailers that offer silk “gimp” in various weights. I’ve seen fine, medium, and thick gimp from one retailer but I’m not sure if they would serve the intended purpose. My question here: Can these threads be used as a less pronounced version of traditional gimp, if they still provide a certain firmness?
I also happened to purchase quite a bit of filament silk thread with the intention of using it for the seams on wool and silk blend fabric. I even have some cotton thread (mercerized, gassed etc.) intended for a similar purpose. This was based on recommendations received during my research, but after observing your recent comments about the fact that silk and cotton thread deteriorates, could I still use it? Would the weight of my fabric make any difference here?
Further to the question above, when should I use 50wt vs. 40wt vs. 30wt… thread?
These are questions I’ve had for some time, so I’m grateful for the opportunity to ask them. For your course, however, I will heed your recommendations for material choices.
Many thanks,
Travis
Hello Travis,
First of all, I'm very happy that you liked the videos and found them encouraging. I hope that you can find the materials you need for your projects. I know how difficult it can be.
Your answers:
1. The body canvas must be slightly heavier than your fabric. The specifics of how much heavier are somewhat irrelevant. A bit heavier or at least the same weight. It must tell the fabric what to do and not vice versa. It must carry the fabric.
2. You can use the same cloth for your under collar as the jacket. And you can use fulled cloth as well.
3. You can use any thick thread to reinforce the edges of your buttonholes. There isn't a set weight. I sometimes use waxed leather thread that shoe makers use. It's thick and soft. The material is also somewhat irrelevant as long as it has some strenght to it.
4. You can use your silk and cotton threads to pad your body canvases. I don't recommend them for seams or anything that requires strenght.
5. The thread thickness depends very much on the fabric you're using, the aesthetic you're going for and the strenght that is required. Thicker threads are usually used for buttonholes, decorative topstitching and reinforcements while thinner threads are used for felling delicate materials, sewing hems, seams and other areas where fine work is required.
Hope this all helps 😄
Reza
International School of Tailoring