Jacquard & Brocade Fabric

What is jacquard?

• Woven-in patterns. In a jacquard the pattern is woven into the cloth, not printed on it, so it has texture you can feel and it won't wash or wear off.
• Brocade is a jacquard with a raised, often metallic, pattern that stands out from the background.
• Cloqué has a puckered, blistered texture, like our Rose Jacquard.
• Fil coupé is woven with extra threads that are cut between the motifs, like our Allegra Silk Jacquard on its organza base.
• Body and structure. Most jacquards have a stiff fall, so they hold the shape of a skirt, a jacket or a structured dress.

Metallic or ivory jacquard?

We have two families of jacquard. Here's how they differ.

What to make with it

• Structured skirts and A-line dresses
• Fitted bodices and corset-style tops
• Jackets, coats and evening wraps
• Bridal gowns and two-piece bridal sets
• Mother of the bride and groom outfits

Cutting

• Cut as a single layer, right side up, so you can see where each motif lands.
• Place the big motifs first: centre them on the front and back, and keep them clear of darts and the bust point.
• Cut every piece facing the same way, as the pattern and sheen can change with direction.
• Use pattern weights, or pin inside the seam allowance only.
• Most jacquards fray, so finish the edges soon after cutting.

Sewing

• Use a fresh, sharp needle (size 80) and a good-quality polyester or mercerised cotton thread. Change the needle often on metallic jacquards, as metallic yarn blunts it quickly.
• Use a stitch length of about 2.5 to 3 mm.
• Finish seams with an overlocker or a zigzag, or bind them with a bias strip of lining for an unlined jacket.
• Keep the design simple: the pattern does the work, so you only need a few seams.
• Line the garment so it's soft against the skin and slides on easily.

Hems

• Hand-stitched hem. Finish the raw edge, turn the hem up once (3 to 5 cm) and hand stitch it with a catch stitch, catching just a thread so nothing shows.
• Faced hem. On a curved hem, or to cut bulk on a thick jacquard, face the hem with a strip of lining instead of turning it up.

Pressing

Press from the wrong side on a low setting, through a pressing cloth, over a thick towel so the raised pattern isn't flattened. Metallic jacquards are different: don't iron them (see pressing metallic jacquard). Test on a scrap first.

Questions