Shirting Fabric: What It Is and How to Sew It
Shirting fabric is a soft, finely woven plain-weave cloth — usually cotton, often a cotton blend, sometimes with linen in the mix — made for shirts but far too useful to stop there. It presses crisply, holds a collar, takes embroidery and tucks beautifully, and is forgiving enough that it is one of the best fabrics to learn on. Here is what it is and how to sew it, with expert tips from sewing instructor Shannon Gifford.
What is shirting fabric?
Shirting fabric is a soft, plain weave fabric, generally made of cotton or a cotton blended with a synthetic. You will also sometimes find shirtings with linen in the fiber content. All of these are easy to sew; in fact, shirting is an excellent fabric for beginners! It responds well to a variety of sewing techniques. Shirting is not just for shirts!
Cotton shirting fabric
Cotton shirting is the classic and the most common. A tightly woven, high-thread-count cotton with a smooth hand gives the crispest collar and the cleanest topstitching. Cotton shirtings with a little stretch are comfortable to wear but more challenging to sew, since the presser foot can stretch the fabric as you topstitch — interfacing the collar and stand helps control it. Preshrink cotton shirting by washing in hot water and drying in the dryer before you cut.
Pretreatment
Machine wash, tumble dry. Use bleach sparingly, only for pure white shirtings.
Needles and thread
Size 11 universal point machine needles work for most shirtings. Cotton, cotton/polyester, all polyester, or silk threads work well for both construction and embellishment. If you can find cotton embroidery thread in a coordinating color, it is an excellent construction thread for shirtings.
Seams, seam finishes and hems
Plain seams, fell seams, French seams, bound seams, zigzagged seams, and folded seams are all appropriate seams, based on your project.
Interfacing
For crisp collars, use a fusible interfacing specifically for shirts, such as organdy, or hair canvas. A good sew-in crisp interfacing is handkerchief linen, cut on the bias. For softer interfacing, use a fusible tricot, such as Fusi-Knit. For the perfect interfacing for all projects, use a layer of the actual shirting fabric. The weight is perfect, the color always matches, and the fabric interfacing will add just the right amount of support.
What to make with shirting fabric
Shirts, blouses, shirt-jackets, vests, tops, shirt dresses.
Creative possibilities
There are so many possibilities with shirtings! Use heirloom laces for a vintage, romantic look. Machine embroidery works beautifully on shirtings. Tucks, pleats, and gathers are all good techniques to try with this versatile fabric.
Pressing
Shirting likes to be ironed with moisture, so keep a spray bottle full of water handy when you iron this fabric.
Making a shirt
For collars, plackets, cuffs and the rest of the construction detail, see the full guide to shirtmaking.
Shop shirting fabric
Browse the shirting fabrics collection at EOS, or the wider cotton fabrics range. Back to all fabric care guides.
FAQ
What is shirting fabric?
A soft, finely woven plain-weave fabric, usually cotton or a cotton blend and sometimes containing linen, woven specifically for shirts and blouses.
What is cotton shirting fabric?
Shirting woven from tightly spun, high-thread-count cotton. It presses crisply, holds a collar well, and is the traditional choice for a tailored shirt.
Is shirting fabric good for beginners?
Yes — it's one of the best. It's stable, presses well, doesn't slip, and takes almost any seam finish.
What interfacing do you use for a shirt collar?
A shirt-specific fusible such as organdy or hair canvas for crispness, or bias-cut handkerchief linen as a sew-in. A second layer of the shirting itself also works perfectly.
Do you need to prewash shirting fabric?
Yes. Machine wash and tumble dry before cutting, especially cotton, which will shrink.