You may have noticed that at Kokka Fabrics we stock a large number of double gauze fabrics. In Japan, double gauze is a favorite amongst sewists thanks to its breathability and fluffiness. It’s one of the most common fabrics in our popular nani IRO line of fabrics.
However, the fabric isn’t as well known outside of Japan and we often get questions about how to use our double gauze fabrics. In this article, we want to answer all of your questions about double gauze and tell you how to make the most of this beautiful fabric. Enjoy!
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What is double gauze fabric?
Double gauze is a fabric usually composed of cotton (and to a lesser extent, cotton-linen blends) made from loosely woven fibers that give its characteristic softness and springiness. The “double” in double gauze refers to the fact that the fabric is two thin layers of cotton sewn together. Double gauze sometimes has a wrinkly grain similar to linen, but there are also double gauzes that have a flatter, more even surface.
Double gauze retains warmth due to its thickness but still remains very light and airy. However, double gauze fabrics are prone to fraying, so make sure to either serge (overlock) the edges or if you’re using a regular sewing machine, use the zig-zag stitch over the edges to prevent the fabric from fraying.
What to make with double gauze fabric
Now onto the question everyone is asking - what should I make with double gauze fabrics?
Thanks to its breezy nature, double gauze is perfect for sewing up dresses, skirts, and blouses for spring and summer.
Double gauze is also ideal for making children’s and baby’s clothing, as well as items for children such as bibs, baby sleepers, blankets, and swaddles.
Double gauze is also commonly used in making non-medical grade masks or mask covers.
nani IRO Double Gauze Fabrics
How to care for double gauze fabrics
Double gauze fabrics are generally made from cotton fibers or cotton blends which are suitable to be washed in a washing machine, however we recommend putting it on a slower cycle and a lower heat to prolong the life of the fabric. As with all fabrics, we recommend pre-washing the fabric in the way you intend to wash the finished product once it's sewn up.
You can also use an iron on double gauze fabrics and we recommend adjusting the pressure of the iron to preserve or straighten out the wrinkles in the fabric.
You can see our full guide on how to care for different fabrics and fibers here.
How to sew with double gauze fabric
Double gauze is an easy fabric to sew with, and we recommend that you use a size 70 or 80 needle when sewing with the fabric.
As mentioned above, double gauze is prone to fraying, so we also recommend using a serger (overlocker) to finish off the edges to make sure the fabric stays in place.
echino Double Gauze Fabrics
Start sewing with KOKKA double gauze fabrics
At Kokka Fabrics, we have a wide range of double gauze prints, with our nani IRO prints being some of our most popular. We would love to see your finished creations made with KOKKA double gauze, so please use the #handmadekokka and #madewithkokka hashtags when sharing on social media so we can see them.
If you have any questions about a particular fabric, then do not hesitate to contact us and our team will try their best to answer your inquiry. Happy sewing!
