I get asked where I shop for 100% natural fiber fabrics a lot and one of my fav tips is to go to your local quilting store to find great quality 100% cotton fabrics. A brand I love is @benartex_fabrics and I know when I see their logo I’m getting 100% natural fiber real cotton. I find quilting cotton to be especially versatile for historical costuming and here you can see I’ve made a pair of 18th century stays using fabric sent to me by Benartex. The only big difference now between quilting and fashion cotton is the width but historically fabrics came in many widths and they still do today. I absolutely adore how they came out. The fabric quality is excellent and the detailed sewing was achieved using my B 770 QE from @berninausa sewing machine using the decorative stitches and precision sewing. In some areas of a corset you can have multiple layers (I think for this one it was sometimes 6x layers of cotton that I was sewing through) and this machine can sew a corset up like a dream! What do you guys think? Personally, I think this is the prettiest pair of stays I’ve made yet!
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If you’re looking for 100% natural cotton fabrics I recommend checking out @Benartex at your local quilting stores & if you’re interested in reading about how I made these 18th century stays with my B 770 QE machine from @BERNINA World of Sewing you can check it out on their We All Sew blog - the link is in my bio 🧵 🪡
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#18thcenturyfashion #historicalcostuming #benartexfabrics #berninausa #historicalfashion
As someone who loves creating historically accurate garments, I’ve found that sourcing the right fabric can make all the difference. I always recommend checking out your local quilting stores because they often carry top-quality 100% cotton fabrics, which are ideal for period costuming. Benartex is a brand I trust for authenticity and durability. Their quilting cotton not only looks beautiful but holds up well through multiple layers of stitching—an essential feature since some corset parts require sewing through up to six layers of fabric. When working on detailed projects like 18th-century stays, fabric width and quality matter greatly, but so does the sewing machine. The Bernina B 770 QE I use allows for precision and decorative stitching that enhances both the look and durability of the garment. This machine handled thick layers of cotton with ease, making the process more enjoyable and efficient. Quilting cotton is versatile, historically relevant, and wide-ranging in colors and patterns, which provides creative freedom for historical fashion enthusiasts. If you’re experimenting with costume crafting or looking to improve your sewing experience, investing in quality cotton fabrics combined with a reliable machine like the Bernina can elevate your final product significantly. I also find it helpful to look for inspiration and sewing tips from blogs like We All Sew, where detailed tutorials and project stories can guide your process. Overall, using authentic materials and dependable tools has transformed my historical garment projects into treasured pieces that feel both authentic and wearable.
