Fabric Manipulation Techniques Every Designer Should Know

Have you ever sewn an item of clothing or created something out of a fabric that got people thinking how you went about it?…

With Fabric manipulation techniques, there are many ways a designer can play with fabric and manipulate them in such a way that it becomes more multi-dimensional, beautiful and fit for more creative purpose than it was before.

Throughout history, people in a bid to be creative have developed several methods of altering fabrics in both simple and technical ways to provide contrasts, a sense of fullness, and some other unusual surface effects that becomes potent enough to make their design stand out from their contemporaries; More reason we would looking at few of them also, so that together, we can get inspired to do beyond the norm.

Fabric Manipulation Technique 1

Smocking

This technique involves the use of stitches to gather fabric in such a way that the fabric creates patterns and sculptural effect around the area where tension is gathered. It can be achieved traditionally via the use of needle and thread being inserted into a fabric following any unique pattern of choice as desired by the designer. Smocking comes out well on fabrics that are silky and soft enough to allow stretching e.g. Satin, Silk, Duchess, Crepe e.t.c.

Fabric Manipulation Technique 2

Tambour Beading

This manipulation technique involves the application of beads and sequins to create a decorative chain and satin stitch. It is an embroidery type that does not require a needle, instead it requires a hook that collects the thread from underneath the frame being used, pulling the thread through the fabric and then taking the hook back down into the fabric, leaving a chain stitch on the top and beads secured on the reverse. Light weight fabrics like Organza and Tulle are the easiest to start tambour beading with; because they allow you see what your hands and hook are doing. However once you become proficient, Opaque fabric or other fabric choice can be used.

Fabric Manipulation Technique 3

Pleat and Tucks

This technique involves using pleat and tuck method in folding a fabric to create cool surface designs. The pleats are made by folding the fabric horizontally and taking it from one side to another, while the tucks are essentially pleats that are stitched all the way down, so that fabric are not allowed to hang freely. This method combined together uniquely produces decorative variations that adds beauty to fabrics, and it works well on bottom weight fabrics like Cotton.

Fabric manipulation is an important element of fashion that any aspiring designer that craves to make a difference should know more about; as fashion will continually be an art made and expressed with fabrics.

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