Poly Cotton

Working With Polycotton? Here Is What You Need To Know!

Crafters will find that polycotton is one of the most common and most popular fabrics around. These fabrics are wonderfully versatile and quite affordable. From beginners to experienced crafters, everyone takes advantage of polycotton these days.

Working with polycotton for the first time? Here is everything you need to know about this fabric.

What Is Polycotton Fabric?

As the name suggests, polycotton fabric is made with both polyester and cotton fabric fibres. This means that the fabric consists of both manmade and natural fabric fibres.

Polycotton has countless applications, as we briefly mentioned already. The material is often used for clothing, but also for bed sheets and pillowcases.

Crafters must also know that polycotton comes with numerous benefits. The fabric is quite soft and can absorb moisture without much trouble. It can also be ironed very easily and is quite durable to boot. In other words, advantages that are sought after by many crafters out there.

Should I Choose Polycotton Over Natural Cotton?

That all depends on your requirements for a garment and the budget you have available. For example, if you like the benefits of cotton but do not have enough budget to make your entire project in pure cotton fabric, polycotton can be a more affordable solution.

Polycotton also has some advantages cotton does not have because of the combination of polyester and cotton in the same material. They are resistant to abrasions and tears, which make them all the more durable.

When it comes to dressmaking and tailoring, there are certainly enough things to do with polycotton. Of course, you should pay close attention to the ratio of cotton to polyester to determine the most dominant properties of the fabric you are using. For example, if you are looking for a decent fabric for dressmaking, you should look for polycotton with at least 35% cotton in its contents.

How Should I Prepare Polycotton Before Sewing?

Cotton is known to shrink somewhat upon its first wash, so it is important to prewash your fabric before you work with polycotton. If you skip this step, your garment will shrink upon its first wash and ruin the stitching. Fortunately, polycotton is a material that can go straight into the washing machine and does not require a lot of special maintenance.

When washing polycotton, do take into consideration the colourfastness of your material. This is also a reason why prewashing is so important. If there is some colour bleeding, then this will show during the washing process. And more importantly, it will avoid colour bleeding once your garment is finished.

Before you start sewing, be sure to look at the grain of the material as well. As fabrics are put on a fabric roll, it is not uncommon for them to get turned off-grain. As a result, this can cause crafters to start cutting wrong. So, always make sure the grain is straight and check the direction of the grain before you take out the scissors.

When you put your pattern on the fabric, also make sure that the fabric is completely flat. If there are some creases on the fabric, make sure you iron them out before you put your pattern on top.

To iron polyester, you should always make sure that the fabric is slightly damp. You should not go over medium heat either, as doing so could damage the material or cause unwanted marks.

If you have problems working out creases or wrinkles, add a little bit of water on the fabric again before ironing it. While you usually encounter little problems ironing this type of fabric, this is a simple trick that can take out creases and wrinkles after prolonged fabric storage.

When you do not work with your fabric immediately, make sure you store it appropriate for use at a later date. A polycotton fabric should always be stored in a dry and cool environment, away from direct sunlight. Ideally, you should roll the fabric instead of rolling it.

Explore The Polycotton Fabrics At Spotlight

Polycotton fabrics come in all colours and designs these days, and this is quite visible in Spotlight's collection. Obviously, this also means you can count on polycotton fabrics for a variety of different projects, from a pair of snug pyjamas to bed linen.

Spotlight provides the lowest prices for polycotton fabrics, so why not explore the range today and purchase your preferred fabrics today. We are sure you will find an amazing deal right away.