Napped Fabrics
Napped fabric has a pile which is made during the weaving process and reflects light differently from each angle of the nap. These fabrics have gone through a finishing process where the fiber ends are raised to the surface and clipped, brushed or left upright.
The nap goes along the fabric lengthwise and from one end the fabrics appear light, while from the other end they appear darker in color. The nap can also be felt by running your hand over the fabric. If you're going in the nap direction it will feel smooth, and against the nap the fabric will stand up more and feel rough.
Most napped fabrics are cut out with the nap going down for a softer feel and it also wears better.
Velvet, velveteen, velour, flannel, corduroy, terry cloth, chenille, mohair, and cashmere are napped fabrics, and must be cut out following the with nap cutting layout on the pattern. All pattern pieces must lie in the same direction in order to avoid a two-toned appearance in the finished garment.
Some fabrics like satin and moire taffeta, do not have a nap, but the effect will be the same, and must be cut out using the with nap layout. Print fabrics without a nap should also be cut using the with nap layout so that the prints will all face in the same direction.
Some fabric naps are more noticeable than others, like fur for example, which is highly noticeable.
If the fabric does not have a nap, and you're not sure whether or not to use the with nap layout, hold the fabric up in different directions and if the light reflects differently then you should use the with nap layout.
Another way to check this is to lay the fabric side by side, with the nap going up on one side and coming down on the other. If you see a difference in the shade, or if you're not sure, then you should use the nap layout.
One thing to remember is that when you are using the with nap layout you will need more material. The pattern envelope will have the information on how much material you will need. Make sure to buy enough material the first time, because it may not be there when you come back the next time, or it might be a different shade. It is better to have more than what you need than to not have enough.
|
