Velvet Fabric

Fashion and decoration: return of velvet fabric

Velvet fabric is highly appreciated for the warmth and softness it provides thanks to its unique weave. Now produced in rolls to be cut by the metre, it lends itself to all kinds of decorating projects, thanks to its wide range of colours and patterns. Cushions, curtains or home accessories: zoom in on all the potential of velvet fabric.

Choosing your velvet fabric: finding your way around

Velvet fabric has a smooth side and a woven side with a short, tight pile. There is a huge range of metre corduroy fabrics in different shades, patterns and prices. What attracts people to velvet are the natural aesthetic effects of the fibre, achieved through unique weaving methods.

Velvet is a way of weaving fibres to achieve a noble design and a wide range of effects: corduroy, coloured milleraies (stripes with very fine ribs, characteristic of velvet). There are three main types of velvet fabric: plain velvet, sometimes called velvet ras, weft velvet (with ribbed effects) and chased velvet, characterised by its loops.

Each type of velvet is made from a specific fibre: cotton velvet, stretch elastane velvet, etc. Silk velvet gives the fabric a precious, metallic effect in any colour: pink, red, black, etc. There is also velvet with a silk feel, characterised by its softness, and polyester velvet, which is fluid and easy to care for. You can also choose an Oeko Tex-certified velvet fabric to ensure the quality of the fabric, or opt for a very soft fabric that feels like silk.

Velvet is very much in fashion, and has become a standard fabric for decorative items and clothing. It is very easy to find:

• Crushed velvet.
• Short-pile velvet.
• Corded velvet.
• Embossed velvet (embossed or brocade).
• Viscose velvet.
• Silk velvet.

Velvet and unique decoration: endless possibilities

To select the right metre corduroy fabric, you need to know its composition and weight, which affect how the fabric falls, its softness and its elasticity. Composition also has a direct effect on price: silk velvet is much more expensive than polyester velvet and cannot be sewn in the same way. Standard velvet is also renowned for being easy to wash, with care varying according to its composition and colour.

Velvet fabric can be used to create unique and original prints, such as floral or geometric patterns. Prices vary and you may prefer a plain velvet fabric with a ribbed effect, which offers a very aesthetic optical pattern.

Velvet is therefore ideal for making high-quality clothes and decorative accessories to match your interior furnishings.

To sew velvet successfully, it is important to pay attention to the direction of the ribs for a plain fabric or to the repetition of the printed motifs to avoid unsightly seams.

You should also be aware that the orientation of the woven pile in velvet affects the way the garment reflects light, which is important for decorative textiles in particular. We recommend keeping the same pile direction for accessories: curtains, cushions and upholstery.

For example, the pile of struck velvet is naturally crushed, making it a perfect fabric for beginners. More rigid, short-pile velvet is suitable for garment patterns with structure, such as trapeze skirts. Corduroy is very popular and can be used for all kinds of sewing projects, from jackets and coats to trousers and large cushions.

To get the full aesthetic effect of embossed velvet, it is important to observe the patterns in the light. This is because only certain parts of the braided pile are crushed, creating differences in the shine, light and depth of the fabric patterns. Embroidered velvet will have a braided pattern in warp thread, which must be cut carefully in the direction of the weave. As for devoured velvet, the prints are obtained by acid treatment which reveals the patterns in relief.

Very fluid, choose silk velvet for a simple sewing project with a minimalist pattern. As this is a highly technical fabric, it is advisable to know how to sew by hand to avoid over-stitching, which can ruin the very aesthetic appearance of the fabric.