Always pretreat fabric before sewing to remove chemical sizing from the manufacturing process. Pre-washing also gives you a better sense of the true drape and handfeel of a fabric. We recommend washing and drying fabric in the same way you intend to wash your finished garment. Be sure to separate brights and colours, as some dyes and prints may run the first few times you wash them.

It’s always safest to dryclean silk, but it is possible to wash at home with care. Since silk is a protein fibre, it’s wise to think about it like washing your hair - gently! Silk may bleed more than other fibres; test an inconspicuous area in cool water. Wash separately if the dye bleeds. If it's a print, it may be safer to dry clean. To wash by hand, soak in cool water with gentle laundry detergent like Eucalan or Soak for 30 minutes, occasionally agitating by hand. Rinse well and gently squeeze the water out (never wring!) To wash by machine, use the delicate cycle and a gentle laundry detergent. Remove immediately and hang to dry to prevent wrinkles, ensuring it’s hanging straight and not stretching or distorting along the grain.

Use a warm iron to press; a press cloth will help prevent 'shine' left from a too hot iron. Silk tends to be a bit shifty so use an extra sharp pair of shears or rotary cutter and pattern weights to cut your fabric.