Found out the hard way that silk charmeuse has a grain direction that matters

Been sewing my own clothes for about 2 years now, mostly cottons and linens. Last month I bought this gorgeous deep burgundy silk charmeuse from a little shop in Portland for $28 a yard. Cut out a slip dress without even thinking about the grain or nap or whatever. Stitched it up and the drape was all wrong, pulling weird across the bust. Looked online and found out silk charmeuse has a definite right side and wrong side based on the weave direction, and if you cut against it the fabric just fights you. Spent 4 hours ripping seams and recutting everything the right way. Has anyone else ruined a pricey fabric by ignoring the basics like this? Did you salvage the project or just toss it?

3 comments

3 Comments

black.pat2mo ago

$28 a yard and you didn't check the grain first?

barbaraw472mo ago

Twenty-eight dollars a yard and we're all just learning that lesson the hard way, aren't we?

blake_bell291mo ago

Wait, are you telling me she just slapped it down and cut without even pulling a thread to check? I've been sewing for like 15 years and I still religiously check the grain on anything over $10 a yard, it's just reflex at this point (call it a bad habit from the days of buying cheap Joann clearance fabric that was always cut crooked). Twenty-eight bucks a yard and you're just winging it like that is absolutely wild to me.