If you’re picky about your fabrics and want to know what’s best for making dresses, screen-printing men’s and women’s t shirts, or piecing together a quilt, here’s some information that can help you get started picking the right fabric for the job. If you are planning on making your clothes, perhaps a skirt or pants, it is best to start with very stable fabrics. Cottons are the best for beginners because they don’t stretch, making them easier to control as you cut the pieces out and especially as you sew them together. A stretchy fabric like jersey may have a cute pattern printed on it, but don’t buy it until you get more experience under the needle. Stick with calicoes or lightweight flannels.

If you choose a fabric that is 100% cotton, you will probably need to wash it in hot water before you begin your sewing project. Cotton will shrink a lot in the wash, and it’s better to make your clothing from a pre-shrunk piece of cloth. A fabric that is composed of a 50% cotton, 50% polyester blend will shrink less. This blend is a favorite with screen printers and t-shirt decorators because it is durable and holds color well.

A more recent trend in clothing design is the use of bamboo fabric. This fabric is spun from the fibers of the bamboo plant has a reputation for being softer and more environmentally friendly than cotton. Fabric made from bamboo is machine washable and even naturally wrinkle-resistant; cotton fabrics have to be treated with a resin finish in order to attain wrinkle-resistant status. It also makes for a naturally water-absorbent material that many have found performs better than cotton in cloth baby diapers. A perfect summer fabric, it will wick moisture away from your skin to keep you cool.