Sewing with Double Gauze

Fabric: Ecru double Gauze Felicity Fabrics (AD:Gift for blog)Patterns: Paper Theory Block Tee and Deer and Doe Dressed Ebook; Pants (Gift, PR sample; no obligation)

Have you sewn with double gauze? It is one of my favourite things to wear in the summer as it is so breathable and soft on the skin.

Made up of two very fine layers of cotton gauze, which are intermittently basted to each other with a fine stitch, it gives the distinct crinkle texture.

This may put many people off from sewing with it, but from my experience, with just a few considerations and tweaks will see you flying through your project.

As with most things, not all double gauze is created equally.  I have used Nani Iro and Atelier Brunette and the presence of prints and embroidery changed their softness. This particular fabric is without doubt the softest double gauze I have used.  It is perfect for baby items such as clothes and muslins for dribbley faces! I made some makeup remover wipes from the scraps as it is not abrasive on the skin.

After the pre-wash (I washed at 30 degrees) it crinkles even more. I decided not to iron this out as I wanted that texture to be a feature in the finished garment. I figured if I ironed it flat and cut it out, after washing the crinkle will re-appear and effectively shrink the finished garment.  Whether you cut your pieces ironed or not will depend on your preference of to how you want to wear it.

Just a friendly warning, this frays as it is loosely woven!  No need to worry, I made sure that any notches were added by a suitable pen – I used a frixon pen; tailors tacks will work too.  These are better options than snipping into the fabric. I finished my seams with an overlocker.

Once the pieces were cut I was very careful to keep them flat and as undisturbed as possible.  The loose weave combined with the angles of the tee and neckline could easily pull/stretch out of shape. As you may know I take a lot of rest time in between my sewing tasks so when I came to sew them (a week later) I double checked against the pattern that things still looked accurate. (They were)

I used a standard universal needle size 10 which did the job well, poly sew all thread, and standard pins or wonder clips were all suitable for the job.

The Block Tee by Paper Theory is a masterpiece in pattern cutting.  After sewing it up I can see why it is a firm favourite with the sewing community. The instructions are very clear and there is an extra tutorial on their website if you need help with the right angle.  

I definitely want to make more as the shape is perfect and it is an incredibly versatile style, depending on fabric choice. I cut a size 8 and graded to 10 and the hips and I am happy with the amount of ease.  I finished the neckline with ready made bias binding (no way would I use double gauze for that job!)

The shorts are from the Deer and Doe Dressed ebook.  They are the perfect accompaniment to make this into sunny day loungewear set.  They are a very quick and easy sew and incredibly comfortable to sit or lay down in.  I have visions of using the set on holiday. Perfect for that time of day when you are back from the beach and relaxing in the room before dinner.  Fingers crossed this daydream will become a reality soon!