Why Fabric Weights are Important for Your Pattern Choices

If you’re in the fashion or design business, it’s a good idea to know about fabric weight for sewing to ensure you use the correct material for any piece or product you are producing.

Interestingly enough, how much a fabric weighs has nothing whatsoever to do with your favourite pattern; this is about the sewing fabric. Here, we explain the importance of knowing the weight of a textile, and why this is crucial when choosing a material for a specific product.

To help you, we've compiled a simple guide on the importance of knowing how much a textile weighs before selecting material for sewing or manufacturing. You’ll also learn how to measure the different weights of each fabric, and which materials work best for different products. 

What are Fabric Weights?

How much a fabric weighs tells so much about it, including how it was manufactured. Fabric weight also involves whether it’s a woven or knit textile, and if it’s made from natural or synthetic yarns, or a mix of both. There’s also the question of what it feels like – is it smooth or textured, for instance? 

Basically, how much a fabric weighs tell you about how dense, or thick, the material is. It’s essential to have an idea of what a material weighs before selecting it as suitable for making a particular product. That’s way before you actually start sewing the piece.

Why are Weights Important?

It’s not just about how much the textile actually weighs; you also need to consider whether the actual material is suitable for what you’re making. Say you’re going to be sewing a dress or skirt pattern. For this, you need a material with drape, which will also be lightweight, like silk or chiffon, which are both soft and flow beautifully. You must make an informed decision about the material for your product before you start manufacturing it.

Remember: the heavier the material, the more hard-wearing it will be. This is why heavyweight fabrics like canvas and denim are perfect for products that can withstand wear and tear, such as tog bags and upholstery.

You will also definitely choose the heaviness of the material to suit the weather. It’s unlikely you’ll want a heavy material for a summer outfit, or a light one when you want to keep warm on winter days.

Let’s go through the different ways of defining how much textiles weigh and then discuss their suitability, too.

What is the GSM of a Textile?

We use the GSM measurement to determine how much a textile weighs. The abbreviation GSM stands for ‘grams per square metre’. This metric measurement tells you how much the material weighs and how dense it is. Remember: the higher the number, the thicker, or more dense, the material will be.

Once you know how many grams per square metre a fabric is, it’s easy to work out whether the material will be suitable for sewing pattern pieces for an article or not, because this measurement not only determines how much it weighs, but also how suitable it is. 

Rule of thumb: The heavier the fabric, the more likely it is to be a relatively thick material. And the thicker the material, the more likely it is to be long-wearing and durable. Look at your trusty denim jeans – they are thick and heavy, and last for years. Your cotton T-shirt is thinner, lighter and won’t last as long. See what we’re getting at? 

This doesn’t always apply – so be aware of that. Also note that the quality of the material you’re looking at isn’t determined by how heavy it is. Thin materials like silk and cotton are of an extremely high quality. So, take care when you judge the material you’re considering for a sewing pattern.

Different Material Weights for Sewing a Pattern

·       Lightweight: Grams per square metre: 1-150; Type of material: Chiffon, cheesecloth, lace, linen, mesh, organza, voile. Perfect for: Lightweight, warm weather garments including dresses, leggings, T-shirts and delicate undergarments.

·      Medium-weight: Grams per square metre: 150-350; Type of material: Nylon, polyester, sateen, taffeta, velvet. Very versatile fabrics. Best for: Durable garments and clothes that are ideal for in-between seasons, such as shirts, sweatshirts, pants, tracksuits and homeware (cushions, curtains, table linen, bed throws).

·      Heavyweight: Grams per square metre: 350+; Type of material: Sturdy materials like brocade, canvas, denim, poplin, suede, wool. Best for: Outerwear, such as coats and jackets, plus upholstery (for both indoors and outdoors), bags, denim jeans and other durable products.

Speciality Materials Directory

These materials should be considered differently.

• Stretch materials: When choosing these textiles, consider not only how much they weigh, but also the stretch of the material to know whether they are suitable for activewear. They must be able to stretch, but also return to their original shape.
• Satin & silk: These textiles are usually lightweight, but sometimes you may need a mediumweight material for a formal dress or bridal gown.
• Water-resistant materials: Sure, you need to know whether the material is durable if you’re looking for something to use for outdoor furniture. But it also needs to be water-resistant or waterproof if it’s going to be used outdoors. These textiles are mostly mediumweight or heavyweight.
• Fleece & knits: Here, you will not only consider how much the textile weighs; you’ll also check how warm you want the garment to be.
• Quilting: If you want to make a quilt, the best material to choose is a medium-weight cotton textile that will last and is easy to use when sewing.

Before you choose materials, read our definitive guide on How to Choose the Right Textile for Your Product.

Working out the Weight of a Textile

When you’re unsure what category a textile falls into, here’s what to do:

1.     Check for the grams per square metre rating, which tells you how much the material weighs when you buy fabric stock.

2.     Do you have spare or leftover material after cutting a pattern, or returns of previous pieces? Perhaps you’ve taken up maake’s offer of a free upcycling bag in different sizes of plain material offcuts – offcuts left over after printing, which is part of our innovative maakeLess Fabric Waste initiative.

Weights Made Simple

If you don’t know how much a fabric weighs, here’s how to work it out:

·      You’ll need a ruler to measure straight lines, a pair of scissors and a precision digital scale to weigh the fabric. Now, cut a small rectangle out of the textile you’ve ordered for a sewing pattern.

·      Measure its length and width.

·      Weigh a scrap of material on your precision scale.

·      Work out the following mathematical formula: 10,000 divided by (area cm2.X how much it weighs in grams).

Consider These Facts When you Shop 

1. Is the textile for indoors or outdoors? If it’s to be used for sewing garments to be worn outdoors or to protect you from the rain, wind or cold, the material needs to be heavier and have waterproof or other warming properties.
2. Will the item you shop for keep you cool? If you’re going to make something to wear on the beach, it needs to be light, cool and breathable.
3. Are you going to wear it for comfort? If you’re sewing something to wear for exercise, it needs to be lightweight, breathable, have stretch and be hard-wearing. Heavyweight fabric for denim jeans isn’t always comfortable and soft the first time you wear it. But, if you wash your jeans a few times, the material will get softer and the garment will feel far more comfortable.
4. Does it need drape? Or does it need to be stiff? These conditions will determine whether you choose a light, dreamy material for sewing a dress or skirt pattern, or are looking for something heavier and longer-wearing to wear as outerwear, for example, for products like bags.
5. If you’re comparing two similar textiles before you shop... Let’s take an example of two heavyweight denim materials with different GMS’s. Which is better? It depends, of course, on what you’re sewing. If you’re making a denim shirt, it doesn’t need to be as hard-wearing or stiff as a pair of jeans. It should have a little drape and a higher measurement if you’re sewing jeans. 
6. Check before you shop: Before you purchase material for a project, it’s important to know exactly what it looks and feel like. This is why we suggest you order a maake Sample Book, which not only provides an idea of how much the fabric weighs and its texture; it also shows what it will look like when we have printed on it for you. Add to favourites now!
   

Don’t Confuse Material & Pattern Weight

We’ve discussed textile weights at length, but sometimes people confuse this with fabric pattern weights, which are used for sewing patterns.

Let’s get this straight: pattern weights fabric is something else entirely. These relate to one’s favourite sewing pattern weights, which are weights that keep your patterns flat so you can trace or cut them accurately before you start sewing. These usually come in a set or in a kit.

These pattern weights are far better to use than pins to weigh down the pattern, which create holes on the patterns and can even warp the material or make it misshapen when you’re cutting it. These pattern weights are also often available in weights sets for ease of sewing a pattern.

Help is at Hand!

We have a series of quick guides on different textiles to help you. So, whether you’re looking for kids’ clothing, swimwear, men’s shirts or jacket lining, we’ve got you covered!

At maake, we offer a wide selection of quality, sustainable base textiles for cutting and printing on. Some are natural materials, others are synthetic, and there are quite a few that are a blend of both.

We provide full descriptions of each textile, often mentioning weights, usually explaining whether it is a light-, medium- or heavyweight material as well as what it is made of and whether it’s eco-friendly. We also offer an idea of what you can use the material for, so that you know which pattern to choose before you start cutting.

You’ll find this information, as well as exactly how much the fabric weighs under the heading ‘Product Specifications’. It lists details about each particular fabric in the maake range, including the composition of the material (eg 100% cotton), the fabric width in mm, how much it weighs, whether it’s sustainable or not, where it was manufactured and the type of ink that should be used for printing.

However, if you’re unsure about how much the material you’ve chosen weighs, please contact us and we’ll give you all the weights information you require.

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4. Before you decide on how to print on your fabric, read what we have to say about Digital Printing on Fabric!

   Then take a look at our innovative Designer Starter Bundle at a special reduced price of just £12.00! (Price is usually £20!) PLUS you get a £5 credit voucher towards your next purchase! This makes a great Christmas gift, too!

   It will help you:

   • Familiarise yourself with all of our materials
   • Learn how to get the perfect colour match
   • Glean a wealth of information in our handy Designer’s Booklet.

   Includes:

   1. Sample Book featuring swatches of all our textiles so that you can see each material and what it will look like when it’s printed on.
   2. Mini Colour Atlas printed on our Easy Care Panama polyester – 65x48cm.
   3. Mini Colour Atlas printed on our Calico Plain Cotton - 65x48cm.
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• Designer’s Booklet full of plenty of information on digital design.
• 5 large samples.

 Need a little inspiration? Read our guide to choosing winter Dressmaking Fabrics!