Silk Charmeuse

Silk charmeuse is pure luxury. It is soft, elegant, and surprisingly versatile. Charmeuse is a medium weight, woven silk with a lustrous appearance, rather like the surface of a pearl. And like the pearl which it resembles, it is an elegant classic!

Handwash in cool water with a drop of baby shampoo, rinse several times, lay flat to dry. Dryclean if preferred.

Use the smallest needle you can see to thread. I like a size 10 quilter's needle, as the point is very sharp. Silk thread is a luxurious option for construction; if you cannot find silk thread, use cotton embroidery thread. Cotton embroidery thread is fine in texture, but strong enough to handle construction of this beautiful fabric.

If you prefer a fusible, use the lightest weight you can find. Look for Silkweight, Touch of Gold, or other super-fine fusibles. By far the best interfacing for charmeuse is silk. Use silk organza for those areas that need a bit of crispness. Use a layer of self-fabric for those areas that need interfacing but need to retain a soft hand.

Shorten your stitch length slightly for construction; if you normally use a 2.5 length, shorten to 2.0. For seams on the bias, use a zigzag stitch (2.0 length, 1.5 width) to allow the fabric to maintain the stretch of the bias. Seams will require finishing, as charmeuse ravels. The best solution is to use a French seam for construction. Stitch the first seam with wrong sides together at 3/8". Trim to a scant ¼", press the seam open, then turn right sides together. Stitch the second pass of the seam ¼" from the fold of the original seam. This enclosed seam is elegant, clean, and classic. If you prefer to use a machine stitched finish, keep it light. Use a 2 thread overlock seam on the serger, or trim the seam very closely and zigzag over the edges to finish. Hems are best done by machine, and should be as narrow as possible.