Another factor to consider is comfort especially with fabrics such as denim for the reason being that heavier denim fabrics will be much denser and sturdier. This means they will be durable for a lot longer. However until worn in the stiffness of the fabric can make the garment difficult to put on and can be more uncomfortable to move in than the lighter weight denim, therefore a compromise of a mid-weight denim fabric (about 12oz) is often a suitable option. Typical fabric weights and uses

For my pattern weights, I used a rectangle 18 cm x 9 cm. You can make yours whatever size you like, but to get that nice triangular shape, the rectangle you use will need to be roughly the same size as 2 squares joined together. Fabric weight is the outcome ofhowafabrichas beenwoven, itsfinishand sometimes the fibre type. Looking at the weight can help you to decide if it will be the most suitable fabric for its end use. GSM and OZ Whenever I make clothes for myself, whether I use a commercial pattern or a pattern that I made myself, it’s the cutting out stage that always takes longest.If you need somewhere to keep your pattern weights, you could make a little box or a bowl. The smallest of these fabric boxes would probably about the right size! Scraps of fabric, rice, barley or something similar (uncooked!), usual sewing supplies. Cutting Out Each Set Includes: 4 dress weights, 1 carrying case & an adhesive refill kit for even extra applications. The net dressed weight can vary dramatically from animals of the same type depending on how much fat is trimmed in the dressing process, how lean the animal is at butcher time, and if the animal has eaten shortly before slaughter. [2] From the perspective of economics, understanding the average dressed weight as a ratio to the live weight is a necessary function of the cattle and other meat industries, as it allows a rough estimate of the available return for each animal. The dressed weight of an animal will still be higher than the net retail weight of final product at the market, as additional trimming and deboning generally take place for the individual cuts. Wool is a luxurious warm fibre often used for tailoring. Three season wool is suitable for autumn/ winter and spring and weighs about 10- 12oz. For very cold countries you can get heavier winter wool which can weigh as heavy as 600 GSM. Wool can also be woven specially to make it into a much cooler, lighter fabric for hotter countries.

Although I am not in a competition I’m all in favour of saving time. So I decided to make some pattern weights to speed up the process! How to Make Pattern Weights You Will Need GSM is a metric measurement meaning grams per square metre- it is how much 1 square metre of fabric weighs and the higher the GSM number the denser the fabric will be. Ounce per square yard (oz/sq2) is the imperial measurement which is also commonly used. A lightweight fabric is typically between 30- 150 GSM, medium weight 150-350 GSM and heavyweight 350+ GSM, such as our clear window PVC (640 GSM), although this can vary depending on the type of fabric. Have a rummage through your fabric scraps. They’re a great way to use up odds and ends of lovely things that are too small to do much with, but that you don’t want to throw away!This is not an idea that I have dreamt up myself. It’s something else I have learnt from The Great British Sewing Bee. The weight of a fabric is particularly important when having to choose between two similar fabrics which are of different weights. If the fabric of one cotton t-shirt has a higher GSM than the fabric of another cotton t-shirt, then it is likely to be more hard wearing. Choosing the weight of a particular fabric will depend on how often it is going to be worn or used and what its purpose will be, for example, lightweight denim is suitable for a shirt and a heavier denim for jeans. Weather conditions Find sources: "Dressed weight"– news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR ( October 2012) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)