Looking to add a little color and texture to your winter look? You’ll definitely want to check out our stock of colorful corduroy! From plush wide wale to delicate pinwale, we’ve got a beautiful corduroy fabric for every project on your sewing list. Whether you shop online or in person at the Berkeley store, we think you’ll love all that our corduroy collection has to offer!
Corduroy fabric is woven and then shorn, creating a ridged pile pattern parallel to the selvage edge. The ridges, or wale, have a stripy appearance and a cozy, velvety, brushed texture. Corduroy is soft, warm, and durable—it’s a fantastic choice for jackets, pants, and an assortment of cozy garments you’ll want to wear through winter and beyond!
Still haven’t found your ideal shade of corduroy? Not a problem! Our white 8-Wale corduroy is PFD, which stands for prepared for dye, so grab your favorite Rit Dye and mix up a custom color for a corduroy all your own!
Corduroy is available in several different weights, designated by the number of wales, or ridges, per inch—the higher the number, the finer the fabric. The number of wales per inch comes into play as you consider the patterns that will work best with your fabric. Here are some of our favorite pattern matches for every weight of corduroy we carry!
Pinwale corduroy has 16–21 wale per inch; it is soft and lightweight with a gentle drape, so it’s a great match for patterns like the Regalia Blouse, the Davenport Dress, and the Guise Pants, all of which use gathers and pleats to add dimension and drama to lightweight fabric.
Standard corduroy has 10–14 wale per inch—it’s the classic corduroy that you’re most likely to see in ready-to-wear garments like tops and pants. We think our standard corduroy would be a lovely fit for garments like the Jo Dress, The Assembly Line Oversized Shirt, and the Emerson Pant.
Wide Wale corduroy has 4–10 wale per inch, with a soft, fluffy texture that makes it delightfully cozy. It’s perfect for warm layers, especially jackets and pants, and we think it would be totally fun made up into garments like the Nova Coat, the Donny Shirt, and The Assemby Line Hoodie Dress.
Stretch corduroy has a small percentage of spandex content for just enoughstretch—it’s exactly what you want to add comfort and flexibility to close-fitting garments! We recommend our stretch corduroy for garments like the Isle Jeans, the Swatch Cap, and The Thelma.
Have a question about choosing the perfect pattern for your corduroy or another favorite fabric? We’re always here to help. Send us an email at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to advise!
Ready to start sewing with corduroy? We have a few helpful hints to share! Corduroy has a directional weave, or nap, to consider when you’re laying out pattern pieces and preparing to cut your fabric. Before you purchase your fabric, take some time to lay out all of the pattern pieces for your size and determine the yardage needed to fit them all—it may be a bit more than the pattern recommends, and this extra preparation will ensure that you have enough fabric for your project. When you have your fabric in hand, prewashed and ironed, you’ll want to arrange all your pieces with the nap oriented down—so if you run your hand down the length of the garment, it feels smooth.
