Smart Techniques for Fabulous Fabrics: Velvets, Sheers & More

Class Preview

Sewing with specialty fabrics doesn’t just take skill; it takes confidence. Luckily, Fashion Institute of Technology professor Kenneth D. King is here in partnership with Threads magazine to help tackle your fabric fears! Join him as he guides you through techniques for velvet, satins, metallics, transparent fabrics, silks and more.

Velvets

Meet Kenneth King, fashion designer, author, and teacher at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. He’ll start class by tackling velvet and sharing cutting, marking, interlining and pressing tips, followed by techniques for perfect stitching.

Satins & Other Smooth Surfaces

Move onto satins and other smooth-surfaced fabrics, which are lustrous and beautiful but easily marred. Kenneth will show you how to mark, cut and press without damaging the fabrics, how to finish seams to prevent fraying and how to sew a soft, lightly padded hem.

Lamés & Metallics

You’ll be able to create dazzling garments with lamé and contemporary metallic fabrics after learning to cut and seal the fabric using a stencil knife, stitch without puckering and make a beautiful rolled hem.

Organzas & Organdies

Transparent organza and organdy are great fabrics for practicing your specialty fabric techniques. Kenneth will show you how to choose styles, press properly and sew with just the bobbin thread for elegant darts and tucks. You’ll also learn to create an overlap seam perfect for these sheer fabrics.

Silks: Crepe, Georgette, Chiffon & Charmeuse

Bring the drama with flowing, drapey silk fabrics such as chiffon, georgette, crepe and charmeuse. These fabrics will challenge your skills and give gorgeous results. You’ll practice cutting layers of paper to improve accuracy, learn to sew a French seam and create a stable rolled hem in these slippery fabrics.