Dupioni Silk: What It Is and How to Sew It

Dupioni silk is a crisp, lustrous silk woven from the threads of double or "twin" cocoons, which is what gives it the irregular slubs across its surface. It holds its shape beautifully, comes in everything from milky white to intense jewel tones, and is one of the most forgiving silks to sew - stable, easy to handle, and happy to be pressed. This guide covers what dupioni is, how to pretreat it for two very different looks, and how to sew it, with expert tips from sewing instructor Shannon Gifford.

What is dupioni silk?

Silk is often called the "queen of fabrics", and for good reason. Nothing looks, feels, or performs like silk! Dupioni silk is made from "twin" cocoons, naturally bonded together. The slight bumps, or "slubs" in the fabric are evidence of this fiber bonding in nature. Dupioni silk is very easy to sew. It is a stable, crisp fabric, does not creep or crawl while sewing, and it is perfect for many creative uses. The colors available are quite broad in range: milky white, soft pastels, and intense jewel tones.

Pretreatment: crisp or washed

Your choice of pretreatment will be influenced greatly by the desired finished result. Dupioni is crisp and shiny in its original state. If you wish to maintain the crispness and shine in your finished garment, dry-clean the finished piece. No pre-treatment will be necessary.

However, my favorite uses for dupioni are in its prewashed state. It becomes softer, the shine is less pronounced, and the overall effect is a bit more informal. If you prefer this look, prewash your fabric in cold water with no bleach or fabric softener. I generally throw in a "dye catcher" sheet, to prevent any later possibility of colors bleeding. Hang to dry, or dry in the dryer (low heat, no dryer sheets). If you think this might be an interesting effect, test a quarter yard piece before sewing.

Needles and thread

Use a sharp or universal needle for your seams. Start with a size 75/11. (Sharp needles are now packaged as "quilting" needles.) You may use all cotton, cotton/poly, or all poly thread, or if you're in a luxurious mood, use silk.

Interfacing

Fusibles work well with dupioni. Depending on the area of interfacing, you might use Fusi-Knit or Touch-o-Gold. For a more textured look, use a layer of thin fusible quilt batting for interfacing in shirt collars or behind the hems of tablecloths. If you prefer a non-fusible, use silk dupioni or cotton batiste for interfacing.

Seams, seam finishes and hems

Your standard straight stitch, medium (2.5) length, is perfect for dupioni. Silk dupioni does tend to ravel. You can finish the seams with your serger, make French seams, bind the seams with seam binding or lining fabric, or line your garment. Hemming silk dupioni can be done with a rolled hem, a standard hand-stitched hem, or topstitched hem, depending on the garment.

What to make with dupioni silk

Dupioni silk is wonderful for tops, dresses, skirts, jackets, and pants. It is beautiful when used for children's clothing. Formalwear made from dupioni is dynamite! Dupioni also makes wonderful home décor such as draperies, pillows, and tablecloths.

Creative possibilities

Dupioni works well in a smocking pleater for heirloom garments. Don't be afraid to use smocked elements in adult clothing! Beaded smocked designs on cuffs and collars are quite elegant. Dupioni can also be pieced for color-blocking, it can be quilted, and embroidery designs work well on this fabric. Try stencilling, rubber stamping, or painting a simple design on your fabric, then adding details of machine embroidery.

Additional tips

If you're using your dupioni for pillow coverings, underline the fabric with lightweight cotton batting for additional strength. For garments that may have areas of strain (such as the crotch area in pants), stitch a twill tape or a strip of selvedge to the seam for additional strength. For the strongest construction, underline the garment with silk organza. Be sure to pre-treat any underlining using the same method as for the dupioni.

Dupioni is gorgeous cut on the bias. Try a bias sleeve, or cut your next pair of dupioni pants on the bias. Allow twice the normal yardage for a bias cut, and double the width of the seam allowance. Bias seams do not ravel, so no seam finishes are necessary.

More on silk

Dupioni is one of several silks worth knowing. See the main silk fabric guide for how silk behaves in general, or the guides to silk charmeuse, silk jersey and sandwashed silk.

Shop dupioni silk

Browse the silk fabric collection at EOS, including special-order 100% silks in 98 colors. Back to all fabric care guides.

FAQ

What is dupioni silk?

A crisp, lustrous silk woven from double or "twin" cocoons. The irregular slubs across the surface come from that natural fiber bonding.

What causes the slubs in dupioni silk?

Two silkworms spinning a bonded cocoon produce an uneven thread. Those thicker sections become the slubs - they're a mark of the real thing, not a flaw.

Should you prewash dupioni silk?

Only if you want the softer, more informal look. Prewashing in cold water removes some shine and crispness. To keep it crisp and shiny, don't pretreat - dry clean the finished garment.

Does dupioni silk fray?

Yes, it ravels readily. Serge the seams, use French seams, bind them, or line the garment. Bias-cut seams don't ravel and need no finish.

What needle do you use for dupioni silk?

A sharp or universal 75/11. Sharps are sold as "quilting" needles now.

What can you make with dupioni silk?

Tops, dresses, skirts, jackets, pants, children's clothing and formalwear, plus home décor like draperies, pillows and tablecloths.