When it comes to Corduroy, there are so many fascinating facts to discuss about the fabric. However, more often than not, what usually intrigues most people about the material is how the fabric was never out of fashion, even though it has been around for centuries.
That’s not surprising, though, considering how durable the material is. Interestingly, even though this fabric has been around for years and used for several sewing projects, people still want to know what can I make with Corduroy fabrics.
Corduroy is undoubtedly a versatile fabric, and therefore it makes sense if people want more out of their expensive Corduroy fabrics. And that’s why I’m writing this article to explore the usefulness of this vintage fabric while also providing some general information.
What is Corduroy fabric?
Corduroy fabric is referred to as a ridged material that is made with woven pile-cut yarn that is cut into either wales or cords.
The fabric can be readily identified with its vertical roles of soft piles that are equally spaced between one another. The arrangement of these rows in a distinct pattern is what is referred to as the cord or wale.
What can I sew with my Corduroy fabrics?
Well, Corduroy fabric is great in making dresses such as trousers, Ness skirts, Rosa shirts, Cleo pinafore, children’s garments, and many more.
What is Corduroy made of?
Corduroy is made from 100% cotton or a cotton blend.
Where is Corduroy made?
The production of Corduroy started in an ancient Egypt city close to the capital of Al-fustat and named after the town — Fustian fabric.
However, this fabric did not have the raised texture typical of the Corduroy we see today.
The production of Corduroy of today, which is more or less an upgraded version of the Egyptian fustian, started in England in the city of Manchester in the 19th century.
Different types of Corduroy fabrics
1. Elephant cord
This Corduroy type is named after the different folds in the skin of an elephant and is known for its extremely large thick cords. The number of wales on this type of fabric is between 1.5 to 6.
2. Spandex Corduroy
This type of Corduroy is made from a blend of polyester, wool, and cotton to make the fabric stretchy. This is the type of Corduroy primarily used for making children’s garments.
3. Pinwale Corduroy
This fabric is more like a reverse of the elephant cord as it has large numbers of ridges per each square inch of the material.
Some of these fabric types can have about 21 wales per inch.
4. Bedford cord
Bedford cord is an American fabric that shares a similar weave with Corduroy, only that in the case of Bedford, the pile yarn is uncut, which makes the ridges less prominent.
5. Pigment-dyed corduroy
This type of Corduroy fabric is specially dyed in a unique process that gives the material a molted appearance that looks different after each wash.
Is it hard to sew with Corduroy?
No, it is not hard to sew Corduroy fabric. Corduroy is a type of fabric that is very easy to sew, clean, and comfortable to wear.
However, when you are sewing your corduroy fabric, make sure to use a heavy-weight machine needle because Corduroy is a heavy fabric, and using a lightweight needle might not penetrate through the material.
Tips on how to sew on a Corduroy?
- Make sure that anytime you sew, the seam is sewn towards the direction of the map. This will help to reduce creeping.
- Use as many pins as you can and raise the presser foot while positioning the needle down for every few inches of stitches made.
- You can also make use of walking foot to reduce creeping as both the lower and upper feed dog can keep the fabric layers together.
- If the two methods suggested above fail to reduce creeping, before machine stitching, hand-baste the seam.
- Before you select the needle you will use for your Corduroy, first of all, compare the needle size with the fabric weight. In most cases, sizes 14 or 12 should be appropriate.
- Corduroy fabric can be bulky, and therefore, it is important to select seam finishes to help reduce the bulk. To do this, whenever necessary, trim the seam allowances and grade them afterward. Alternatively, you can also shave off wales around the seam allowance to make the fabric fluffy. Avoid French seam at all costs, but you can make use of bound seam finishes, or zigzag flat fell.
- You can also top stitch your corduroy fabric, and with the textured surface of the fabric, you can easily hide the stitches for an invincible hem that is sewn by hand.
How to wash Corduroy fabric
Before starting to wash your Corduroy fabric properly, first of all, pretreat it with a wash and stain bar or stain solution, focusing on areas that are more prone to stains like the cuffs, underarms, neckline, and hems.
For best results, use stain solution for treating food, urine, and blood stains. And for oil, grease, dirt, or makeup stains, make use of the work and stain bar.
To treat odor, presoak them in hot water and scented vinegar solution for about 30 minutes.
Washing Corduroy in the machine
- Turn the fabric inside out
- Toss the fabric into the washing machine (avoid putting them together with lint-producing fabrics like sweaters, fleece jackets, or towels) and wash the usual way in a hot cycle with mild detergent. However, if the fabric is dull in color, you can add an all-purpose cleanser in the wash cycle.
Is Corduroy a good fabric for furniture?
Yes, Corduroy fabric is suitable for furniture. You can use Corduroy fabric for your furniture, especially the ones with wider stripes.
Corduroy has a soft velvety feel which means you will be comfortable sleeping in them.
Does Corduroy shrink when dried?
Yes, Corduroy shrinks when dried. Although Corduroy can withstand heat, when it becomes so excessive, it can cause the fabric to shrink. However, if the heat is moderate (in the dryer), your material will not shrink.
