What kind of fabric?

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

I have decided to attempt to sew a chemise this winter.  Most of you know that I don't sew at all.  So I need some help in the "choosing a fabric" department.

Please don't throw eggs at your monitor when you read this, but I hate to iron.  Really, really, really hate to iron.  Like, as in -- I just took my iron out for the first time in a couple of years to iron Steve's Ren shirt to wear for Tartan Sunday at church with his kilt.  A wonderful seamstress on this forum has fits because I take the beautiful partlet she made for me out of the dryer, hang it up, and then wear it without ironing it.

Believe me, at my age, I'm not going to change.  Much.  So if you please, suggest a material for a chemise that won't look like I slept in it.  That I can throw in the washer, throw in the dryer, hang up, and wear.  I am looking for a light tan/beige material.  My goal is to make an Irish leine, I have the commercial pattern already, but I'm not familiar with the different types of material to know what will wrinkle terribly or that will come out of the dryer nicely. 

Thank you.  By the way, with my non-existent sewing skills, it will probably take me most of the winter to make it, so I wouldn't want anybody to expect any pictures before the next 5 or 6 months!  lol

[Sitara]

I like cotton gauze for chemises as I too hate to iron and cotton gauze is a crinkled fabric so it is supposed to be wrinkly.  You can leave it crumpled up in a bag and it will still look great!

[Lorraine]

I've done mine out of the quilting cottons and kona cotton and just pull them out of the dryer as soon as they're finished to prevent wrinkles, I refuse to iron chemises as well, I spend enough time ironing the rest of my outfit >.<

[DonaCatalina]

I like cotton eyelet. It's soft and cool to wear and it gives the chemise a fancier look.

[Aiacha]

Usually I use the "Country Classics" cotton from Joanns.  I love how it feels after it's been washed.

[TiaLD77]

well since you wash, dry & hang...I would recomend a Blend, Joannes carries a 60/40 Linen/cotton that I love.
I hate to Iron too 

[Randal]

I'm going to second the cotton gauze. Made my wife a chemise out of that, and it looks great whether she hangs it, folds it, or just stuffs it in the laundry bag. She also hates to iron.

What I won't recommend is one of the Permanent Press fabrics. Wrong look and wrong feel.

Randal

[gem]

I third the cotton gauze.  I actually *do* iron mine, but, then, I really don't mind ironing.  The gauze will be much more forgiving of not being ironed than linen or cotton broadcloth or muslin.  Another (much more expensive) option would be a linen-rayon blend, but for you I'd stick with the gauze.

Here's the thing, though:  You need (absolutely MUST HAVE) your iron to sew.  That's just non-negotiable.  So if you're gonna sew, you're gonna have to get over it.  Your results will be a GAZILLION times better if you iron your fabric before you cut it out, press your seams when they say to, use the iron to help you set a hem, etc, etc, etc.

But, it's fair to say that ironing while you sew is FAR more enjoyable than ironing the finished clothing, so--except for the big nuisance job of ironing the fabric before you cut--it shouldn't be too terrible for you!  For the aforementioned Big Nuisance Job, which even *I* find taxing, I recommend a movie, lots of water (for the iron), and perhaps an adult beverage (for you).

[isabelladangelo]

I like muslin, crinkle cotton, or linen.  Honestly, they didn't iron their chemises back then so why would you now?   

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

I use the Symphony Broadcloth from JoAnn's.  Soft and durable. Gentle Cycle Wash, Hang dry. Very light iron if that. The ruffs stay lovely.

[operafantomet]

I like muslin, crinkle cotton, or linen.  Honestly, they didn't iron their chemises back then so why would you now?   

I was about to say that! An ironed chemise might end up looking miserable. It's supposed to have soft wrinkles, unlike todays stiffly ironed shirts. This gives you the opportunity to chose any material for your chemise, if the ironing thing is what stops you. A new world is opening here! 

[gem]

Well, we know for a certainty that the Vikings, at least, *absolutely* "ironed" their clothes, using large stones or glass, and friction.  The matching "linen boards" were often highly decorated, and were a common wedding gift to new brides (I was an anthropology major in college, with a specialty in Vikings).  Since the Vikings used lots of linen in their clothing (not just their undergarments), it surely did not escape their notice that one of the predominant characteristics of  the fabric is that it wrinkles... and given the advanced state of their decorative arts, it's hardly surprising that they would have developed methods to minimize those wrinkles for a neater appearance and for ease of working with the fabric (as I mentioned earlier, un-wrinkled fabric is much easier to sew with).  This site has some interesting information on the history of ironing.

Also, since we know that by the ruff era in the 16th-17th c, they were using hot metal bars/tongs to press/shape the pleats in ruffs, I think it's reasonable to infer that Renaissance laundresses were also manipulating the "wrinkliness" of other clothes using heat and friction.

[mollymishap]

YAY!  Congrats on the desire to make something!

And so as to build upon successes and minimize the risk of getting frustrated and giving up, I'd suggest not using crinkle cotton gauze to make something out of for the first time.

The reason: those very same wrinkles.  Like Gem said, you'll get better results if you iron your fabric first, but what will likely happen with that cotton gauze is that the finished garment may be too *small* after the first washing when those wrinkles ease back to where they were supposed to be pre-ironing.   

Think about it: when you iron the gauze, it will appear to "stretch".  You will then lay your pattern on top of this "stretched" material.  When you wash it, it will naturally "shrink" back to it's natural state.

Don't get me wrong; I have SEVERAL gauze chemises that I just LOOOOVE.  All I'm suggesting is that the material is a bit of a pain to use if you're unsure about your sewing skills.  I had to add stay strips to the armscye to prevent the gauze from distorting on all my chemises. 

So, my suggestion would be to start with anything OTHER than cotton gauze--even linen!  You don't iron your partlets now, so why worry about some wrinkles on your chemise?

OH!  And P.S.:  Always WASH and DRY your fabric BEFORE cutting it out!  AT LEAST ONCE!!!  And maybe twice more in the case of linen or cotton. 

[Katie Bookwench]

I'll second that linen/cotton blend -- the regular price is like $7 and Joann's is forever sending coupons for 40 and 50 percent off.

It is just *this* side of hankie linen weight, it washes and wears really well, and it's really soft.

It would (and does) make a great chemise.

I will admit to hating ironing -- though I do like a crisp collar and ruffle on my shirts and partlets, so I will deign to run the iron over the collar and cuffs, and about 6 inches of the front opening. The rest looks just dandy out of the dryer.

[operafantomet]

Well, we know for a certainty that the Vikings, at least, *absolutely* "ironed" their clothes, using large stones or glass, and friction.  The matching "linen boards" were often highly decorated, and were a common wedding gift to new brides (I was an anthropology major in college, with a specialty in Vikings).  Since the Vikings used lots of linen in their clothing (not just their undergarments), it surely did not escape their notice that one of the predominant characteristics of  the fabric is that it wrinkles... and given the advanced state of their decorative arts, it's hardly surprising that they would have developed methods to minimize those wrinkles for a neater appearance and for ease of working with the fabric (as I mentioned earlier, un-wrinkled fabric is much easier to sew with).  This site has some interesting information on the history of ironing.

Also, since we know that by the ruff era in the 16th-17th c, they were using hot metal bars/tongs to press/shape the pleats in ruffs, I think it's reasonable to infer that Renaissance laundresses were also manipulating the "wrinkliness" of other clothes using heat and friction.

Good point - but if she's heading for an Irish leine I do think it would be within the "should be wrinkled" category.

Another thing to remember is that the very finest garb of the Viking era would be dresses that were gathered/pleated with multiple threads. The garb was then soaked, and when dry these threads would be removed, making very fine pleats/wrinkles/gathers. This would have to be repeated next time the garb was worn, and was therefore only worn at important occations.