What is Chambray Fabric?
Chambray fabric is a lightweight woven fabric that looks similar to denim but is used for lighter, more airy garments. It is made of densely woven fine threads, which gives it a smooth, soft hand and superior breathability and drape.
When should I wear chambray?
Cotton chambray fabric is best for warm Spring and Summer weather. You’ll can make all sorts of lightweight garments with it: shirts, dresses, skirts, shorts, and loose pants. Its high thread count and fine weave make it breathable and comfortable in heat and humidity.
What's the difference between Chambray and Denim?
Chambray has a slightly two-tone appearance, similar to denim. This is because both have white or unbleached weft yarns that are woven through with a colored warp yarn.
However, denim and chambray are woven differently. Chambray is made with a plain weave, which means each warp thread goes over 1 weft thread, then under. Denim is made with a twill weave, in which each warp thread passes over two weft threads before going under one weft thread. The underside of denim appears lighter than the face, while both sides of chambray look the same.
Plain Weave:
Twill Weave:
Chambray is made from fine, densely woven threads, giving it a smooth surface and a light weight of around 100-150 gsm. Denim is woven with thicker, coarser threads, giving it a coarse hand, a stiff drape, and a heavier weight, closer to 250-400 gsm. Denim is more durable than chambray, while chambray is finer and more elegant.
All that said, fabric makers are always breaking these rules of thumb! While the general differences hold, you can find very lightweight denims that behave more like chambray, and coarser chambrays that are stiffer and have a more pronounced surface slubbiness.
What is Chambray Fabric Made of?
Chambray fabrics are most often made of 100% cotton, though you can also find them made with linen, silk, viscose, and polyester blends.
Does Chambray fabric soften over time?
Yes! Though some chambrays start out softer than others, most chambrays have been mechanically or chemically softened at the mill, meaning you get a soft and smooth fabric right off the bolt that softens even more with washing.
Other chambrays come to you raw, meaning they haven’t been stonewashed or chemically treated to soften the fibers. It feels a little stiff and rough at first, but softens with every wash. Like raw denim, the dye in a raw chambray will fade along wear lines, giving it a lived-in look.
What’s the best way to wash a chambray shirt or other garment?
As a 100% cotton fabric, chambray can be washed in a conventional machine and tumble dried on normal settings. However, you can reduce wear from washing and extend the life of your chambray garments by following these steps.
- Wash in cold water, inside out.
- Use a delicate cycle and a mild detergent.
- Do not use bleach.
- Hang to dry, or tumble dry on the lowest setting.
- Iron on hot to remove wrinkles, with steam.
As cotton, chambray will shrink. However, if you avoid exposing it to hot water and hot drying temperatures, it will shrink less.
Where can I buy high-quality chambray fabric for clothes?
Clothing benefits from finer quality cloth than that used for crafts alone. Apparel-focused fabric stores are your best bet for finding high-quality chambray.
What sewing patterns are suitable for chambray fabric?
What thread should I use to sew chambray?
High-quality 50-weight polyester thread is a great choice for sewing chambray. It is strong, doesn’t fade, and holds up to wear. However, if you intend to dye your garment, using a high-quality cotton thread of the same weight will ensure the thread and the fabric are both dyed. For top stitching, use a heavy-duty thread or double up your standard weight thread.
Should I prewash chambray fabric, and how?
Always prewash your fabric. This step is essential for removing leftover dyes or starches from the manufacturing process and for shrinking your natural-fiber fabrics before you start sewing.
It’s all around good advice to prewash your fabric the same way you intend to wash your finished garment. That said, natural fabrics, like the cotton used in chambray, do shrink. If you hope to air-dry your garments but think they might go through a dryer someday, it's best to prewash and dry in the dryer.
What needle type should I use for chambray fabric?
Use a universal needle in sizes 70-90 to sew chambray fabric. For top stitching, use a top-stitching needle to accommodate the thicker thread.