Corduroy fabric is both stylish and highly functional, making it popular over many decades for clothing and furnishings. It’s known for having a distinctive, visible grain line that can be thick or thin in width. Due to these grooves in the material, corduroy can sometimes be confusing to sew. Let’s discuss some tips for working with it, including the different types and weights of corduroy, how to cut out corduroy pattern pieces, managing sewing with or against the visible grain lines, the correct supplies to use, and more!
What Is Corduroy?
Let’s begin with the rundown on corduroy! This fabric (sometimes known as cord or pin cord) bears a channeled design that runs in even, parallel lines. The visible bumpy grooves are known as the “wale” of corduroy. The exact age and origin of the term “corduroy” is hard to pinpoint, but what we think of as “modern” corduroy dates back to the United Kingdom in the 1700s. Now, corduroy is often associated with hippie-style clothing of the 1970s, especially wide bell-bottom trousers. It was also commonly used in home furnishings during this time, especially wide-waled styles that stood up to everyday wear-and-tear. Most corduroy is made from cotton, occasionally with polyester or wool blended in. Thus, corduroy is warm and rugged, while still being soft to the touch.
Working With the Grainline
It’s very important to respect the wale pattern on corduroy material. There is even a measuring system for the size of them (by the number of wales per square inch)! The larger numbers correspond with the “thinner” lines (16 and higher), while the lower numbers mean the wale is “thicker” and wider (about 3-8). Mid-weight corduroy (which is the most common) averages about 10-14 on this measuring scale. In general, the thicker-wale corduroys will be heavier fabrics (more suited for winter clothing or upholstery). Due to the wale structure, corduroy is preferred for simpler pattern styles and isn’t used as frequently for tailored garments (although there are exceptions!).
The velvet-like feel and ribbed texture of this cloth is due to the wale pattern. When cutting, sewing, and ironing corduroy, be sure not to damage the wale lines. Placing your pattern pieces appropriately is also critical with corduroy. They should all be facing in one direction along the “nap” or “pile” of the grainline as it usually goes in one way that is visible. Pins should be also be placed in the edges/seam allowance areas so they don’t leave marks on the corduroy fabric.
Helpful Sewing Supplies
Sewing corduroy doesn’t require special equipment or fancy supplies. Simply using a new machine needle, sharp shears, and fresh pins can make a big difference when working with this material. A standard machine needle (90-14 or 100-16) should work well for most weights. Using a walking foot on your sewing machine can help prevent corduroy from bunching up if this is a problem. All-purpose thread can be used on most weights, with 100% cotton being the best choice for sewing all-cotton corduroy. Polyester blend threads are suitable for corduroy that includes other fibers.
Machine Sewing
Most corduroy items will be sewn by machine rather than by hand due to their size and the fabric’s weight. Corduroy is relatively easy to sew as long as it’s kept flat and fed evenly into the machine. Seams should be machine-sewn in the direction of the nap of the material, and as mentioned above, a walking foot can be helpful. A standard 2-3 setting for stitch length will work for most corduroy fabrics, but test out several lengths on a scrap piece before sewing the final project. Corduroy does tend to fray if not overlocked at the ends, so this is a popular finishing technique for the raw interior seams.
The most common complaint about corduroy material is that it can become bulky under the sewing machine. Sewing slowly and at an even pace, eliminating any extra layers and bulk, and keeping a close eye on the stitches will create the best result when sewing corduroy. If you’re working with a wide-wale, heavyweight corduroy and it looks bumpy at the seams, consider carefully trimming down the wales inside the seam allowance (so it’s not visible from the outside). This can reduce the bulkiness and allow for a smoother silhouette of the garment.
Pressing, Ironing, and Washing Corduroy
As mentioned above, corduroy fabric should be cared for properly in order to maintain the vibrancy and wale structure. Be mindful not to iron it too much or press too hard, both of which can damage the wales and disturb the pattern. Corduroy should be gently ironed at low heat face-down on a towel, using lots of steam to release any wrinkles. As for washing this material, pre-wash the raw fabric before cutting and sewing to prevent shrinkage later on. When laundering, turn corduroy garments inside-out and wash on a gentle cycle. Air-drying is recommended to maintain the wales. Keeping corduroy fabric lint-free will also help keep it looking beautiful.
Bookmark these tips for your next corduroy project!