Showerthought: I used a thrifted tablecloth to make a skirt and it turned out way too stiff

I grabbed a cool patterned tablecloth from a yard sale in Austin for $2, thinking it would make a fun summer skirt. After I cut and sewed it, the fabric was so stiff it basically stood out on its own (not the flowy look I wanted). I learned that home decor fabrics often have a heavy finish that doesn't work for clothing. Has anyone else tried repurposing a weird material and had it go totally wrong?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_ben1mo ago

Honestly, you're mostly right about the fabric finish thing but there's a little more to it. That "heavy finish" on decor fabrics isn't just for looks, it's often treated with stuff like stain repellent or fire retardant that makes them super stiff. I tried the same thing with a vintage tablecloth and ended up washing it like five times with hot water and vinegar before it finally softened up enough to wear. Ngl, some fabrics just aren't meant to bend and flow no matter how much you beat them up. Next time try looking for 100% cotton tablecloths from the 70s or earlier, those tend to be way softer and drape better. The yard sale finds are still worth grabbing though, just expect to put in some work before they behave like real clothing.

adams.faith1mo ago

Nah, sorry @the_ben, gotta disagree a bit. I've had way better luck with polyester decor fabrics holding up to abuse than vintage cotton ever did.