Sewing with Stretch Crepe with Mary of Sew Mary Mac

July 07, 2022

Hello RCF Sewing Friends! 

Mary here, from the Sew Mary Mac sewing blog.   I’m so happy to be back again on the Raspberry Creek Fabrics Blog.  This week I want to talk about all things stretch crepe!

With the introduction of the Design Library and Designer Studios, “Raspberries” are now able to choose to have their designs printed on an array of fabric bases.  It can certainly be overwhelming if you aren’t familiar with all  the various bases.  What base do you pick??  To start, I have 2 suggestions.

1.  Click on the FABRIC TYPES tab at the top of the RCF homepage.  Here you will find an explanation of all the different fabric bases that are available to you.
2. Order a  swatch book of all the bases offered for custom printing.  This way you can actually touch and feel the fabrics before you order.  This swatch book is just $7.

With all these options available, branch out and try a few different fabric bases.  You might just find a new favorite!

So let’s talk about Stretch Crepe.  To begin, we’ll  go over all the Pros and Con(s) of stretch crepe. 

Pros

There are just soooo many!

• Doesn’t wrinkle easily, which makes it great for travel.

• Simply wash and dry!  Hang up after removing from the dryer and no ironing necessary!
• Soft to touch
• Amazing drape!
• Easy to work with, making it great for beginners!
• No need for lining, even with light background colors
• Has a touch of stretch, making it comfortable to wear.
• Can be used for custom designs that are full coverage.  (darker backgrounds especially)

Cons

All great things always have a few, but don’t let it sway you.

• Polyester fiber content

That’s the only con I can think of.  I know that many sewists prefer to sew with natural fibers for a variety of reasons.  I’ll be honest, I typically do as well.  I love nothing more than rayon and linen, but this stretch crepe certainly has a place in my wardrobe!

So there you have the Pros and Cons of stretch crepe.  But what is it exactly?

First off, don’t let the name fool you.  It is a woven fabric, not a knit.  RCF stretch crepe is 98% polyester and 2% spandex.  That small amount of spandex content gives the fabric just a touch of stretch.  It makes movement when wearing it  just a tad easier.  This small amount of spandex does NOT mean you can use it for patterns designed for just knits.  FYI:  Not all crepes have spandex in them.

Crepe is a woven fabric.  During weaving a yarn is twisted . That twisted yarn gives the fabric surface a slight texture.  This crepe texture adds dimension and interest to the fabric.  Some like to refer to it as “pebbled” or “bubble” crepe.  You can see this texture in the photo below.

RCF stretch crepe is great for flowy dresses and pants, skirts, tops and blouses.  It is a nice weight and drapes beautifully.  It is heavier than RCF rayon challis.   It also has more body than a rayon challis, so it creates THE best flutter and bishop sleeves.  I absolutely adore a stretch crepe flutter sleeve!  Stretch crepe is comfortable to wear, and can easily work for both a casual or work settings.

Flutter sleeve Rhapsody blouse

Harmony top with a Rhapsody bishop sleeve

Tips for Working with Stretch Crepe

• Because of the polyester fiber content, it is more difficult to press.  Always use a press cloth to avoid melting your fabric.  Because of this, I prefer to use this crepe for flowy and softer silhouettes.  I personally would  avoid more tailored styles that require crisp pressed details.

• Always use a brand new needle when sewing stretch crepe.  
• My first choice would be a Sharp(Microtex) needle.  This needle has a very fine point which helps to prevent snags in your fabric.  If you don’t have a Sharp needle,  you can try a Universal needle.  Make sure your needle is either 70/10 or 80/12.  Always test your needle on your fabric first!
• Do not use a Ballpoint/Stretch needle~ remember this is a woven fabric.  These needles have rounded tips to prevent them from making holes in knit fabrics.  These needles WILL snag and damage stretch crepe.  See an example of this in the photo below.

Fabrics

As you can see, colors print so vibrantly on stretch crepe.  The Navy Tropical Floral was originally offered on just swim fabric, but is just so perfect for a blouse that it was selected during the “March Madness” game as a stretch crepe print.  You can find the fabrics I used below.  They are all still available as retail in the shop with the exception of the Navy abstract floral.

Navy and Blossom Tropical Floral print

Teal and Green Abstract Watercolor Seaweed

Green, Light Red and Pink Hydrangea Print

Pattern Recommendations

I am a Love Notions Ambassador, so I sew a lot of Love Notions patterns!  I sew them because I have loved them long before I became an Ambassador.   My favorite patterns to use with stretch crepe are the Love Notions Rhapsody (blouse and dress) and the Harmony top.  Those are the two patterns that you see pictured in this post. Links to them are listed below.

Love Notions

• Rhapsody blouse and dress~ Navy Tropical Floral and Teal/Green Abstract Seaweed
• Harmony top~ Hydrangea Floral print
• Ballad blouse
• Tempo sundress
• Presto tunic

 Use the code MARYMAC10 to receive 10% off the purchase price of Love Notions patterns.

For more details on the Harmony top visit my blog post HERE.

A few other good options would be:

Chalk and Notch

• Fringe dress and top
• Orchid Midi dress

True Bias

• Ogden Cami
• Southport dress

Hey June 

• Lucerne blouse
• Phoenix blouse
• Amalfi dress
• Key Largo top

Thanks for reading and happy sewing!!

Mary Anne :)

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