How to Cut and Tear Silk Satin Fabric

Dressmaking Tips

This is a video on how to correctly cut and tear silk satins easily and without harming the fabric.

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"There are numerous ways how to cut and tear silk satin. Majority of the time it’s always best to tear silk satin. But in the case of silk burnouts which is usually a satin and a then a sheer part of the silk, it’s always best to cut it - and you can cut it along the straight grain. When cutting silk satin, the first thing you do is to measure out the desired length. You always initially cut a snippet into the fabric. I always neaten up my fabric before I cut and tear, so there aren’t any chances of slippage or anything like that. Now to cut, the best way is to pull a thread or pull two threads straight down. Once I pull a thread and it will give me a straight line. As I’m pulling the straight line, it’s actually giving me the straight grain. So, as I pull back, I now have a straight line to cut across. After a few snips with the scissors, you can continue like this to cut completely across, or you can also tear. If you watch my video on how to tear georgettes to silk chiffons, it is the same process. Just grab the two cut edges, twirl the fabric around your fingers, and tear up and down - you will then get a nice tear. And there you have it, cutting and tearing silk." - Melissa from d’Italia

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