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FLAMENCO FABRIC GUIDE Taking the Guesswork out of Choosing Fabric for your Flamenco Dance Costume
www.flamencodressmaking.com Page 2
FLAMENCO FABRIC GUIDE
TAKING THE GUESSWORK OUT OF CHOOSING FABRIC FOR YOUR FLAMENCO
DANCE COSTUME
Publication date 9 December 2015
Written and published by: Anke Herrmann
www.flamencodressmaking.com
©Copyright 2016 Anke Herrmann
All rights reserved.
This publication may not be reproduced without written permission from the
author. Please feel free to contact Anke Herrmann at
www.flamencodressmaking.com/contact
You may store the PDF on your computer and backups. You may print this book
for your own personal use.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the author’s
experience, knowledge and opinions. The author and publisher will not be held
liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book.
FLAMENCO FABRIC GUIDE Taking the Guesswork out of Choosing Fabric for your Flamenco Dance Costume
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CONTENTS
CLICK ON A HEADING TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE TOPIC
Introduction
What to Expect From the Flamenco Fabric Guide
The eBook You’re Reading
Fabric Swatches
What the Flamenco Fabric Guide is NOT
What to Look for When Fabric Shopping
Polka Dots – In or Out?
A Word about Elastic Fabrics
What about Linings?
Fully or partially lined?
Tops
Skirts
Dresses
Vests
Short Jackets
Bata de cola
When to fully line a skirt or dress
What color should your lining fabric be?
Where and When to Buy Flamenco Fabrics in Spain
Flamenco Fabric Season
How Much Fabric Do You Need?
A Word About Fabric Names.
Flamenco Fabrics
Crepe
Stretch
Poplin
Cotton Lycra
FLAMENCO FABRIC GUIDE Taking the Guesswork out of Choosing Fabric for your Flamenco Dance Costume
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Elastic Poplin
Georgette
Chiffon
Cotton
Satin
Elastic Satin
Lace
Embroidered Cotton or Perforated Cotton
Velvet
Piqué
Can Can
Stiff Organza
Elastic Fabrics
Polyester Knits
Cotton Knits
Lycra
Linings
Poplin Lining
Elastic Poplin Lining
Satin lining
Fabric By Use
Conclusion
Note:
Click on any photo of a flamenco costume to see a larger version in an
online album.
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INTRODUCTION Do you remember how you discovered flamenco for you? I bet you do. When
did you know that flamenco was something you didn’t just want to watch but
something you needed to DO?
For me it was a flamenco concert Paco Peña gave in London. Never before had I
heard music that literally gave me goose bumps, music that could make my
eyes swell up with tears. Watching the dancers I could feel the raw emotion
shoot through my body like an electric current.
I loved the dresses – feminine, powerful, elegant.
That evening I couldn’t imagine where this experience would lead me. I just
knew that flamenco was in my life to stay.
If you can relate, if you love flamenco, you know you FEEL flamenco the
moment you put on a beautiful costume. And you know that it takes a good
amount of work and a lot of fabric to create one.
You’ve come to the right place if you want to make sure you choose the right
material for your flamenco costume before spending your time and money,
whether you are thinking of sewing it yourself, having it made by someone else
or buy one ready-made.
Hello and welcome! I’m happy you’re here.
My name is Anke Herrmann. Now I know that doesn’t sound Spanish
and it isn’t so in case you are wondering what I have to contribute
about the fabrics for flamenco costumes – here is the short version
of my story:
I grew up in Germany, then went to live in Australia and the UK
before in 2004, I quit my corporate job, packed up and moved to
Granada, Spain, with the somewhat crazy sounding idea of setting up
my own sewing studio specializing in made to measure flamenco
dance costumes. You can find out more about me and how that
came about at http://www.flamencodressmaking.com/about/
It has been quite a journey and I am now looking back onto more than 10 years
of dressing flamenco dancers.
You’re in the right
place if you want
to be sure you
choose the right
material for your
flamenco costume
before spending
your time and
money.
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I remember my early days well. I wasn’t new to sewing but I had no idea about
flamenco dance costumes and no one to ask for help. And there was virtually
no information available online. So I learnt over time and mostly from my
mistakes.
Sometimes you need to learn from your own mistakes but I don’t think
flamenco costume making or choosing the right material for your costume
should fall into that category. That’s why I created
www.flamencodressmaking.com with the idea of helping flamenco dancers
sew their own costumes.
I invite you to check it out if you ..
feel you simply dance better when you look the part, and
rather spend your time creating than hunting for the right outfit.
You’ll find digital sewing patterns, tutorials and articles in English so you’ll
never again have to dance in an unflattering, ill-
fitting costume but instead look into the mirror
of your dance studio and actually love what you
see, with the added satisfaction that you’ve
made it yourself.
Now if you’ve ever sewn anything you know that
the right type of fabric can make the difference
between a nice outfit and an absolutely stunning
one, between one that ends up in the last corner
of your wardrobe and one you never get tired of
If you’ve ever sewn
anything you know
that the right type
of fabric can make
the difference
between a nice
outfit and an
absolutely
stunning one.
With the help of
the Flamenco
Fabric Guide you’ll
recognize a great
material when you
see it and buy it
without second-
guessing your
choice.
FROM THE CLIENT GALLERY
IMAGE 2 - A TINY SELECTION OF COSTUMES I'VE MADE
IMAGE 3 - DRESS SEWN BY A CLIENT
BASED ON MY CUSTOM PATTERN
FLAMENCO FABRIC GUIDE Taking the Guesswork out of Choosing Fabric for your Flamenco Dance Costume
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wearing. The Flamenco Fabric Guide will help you choose. You’ll know what to
look for, recognize the perfect material for your costume when you see it and
buy it without second-guessing your choice.
If you have any questions or if you’d like to share anything please get in touch:
https://about.me/anke_herrmann
http://www.flamencodressmaking.com/contact/
Youtube
Medium
I’d love to hear from you.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE FLAMENCO FABRIC GUIDE If you are thinking about sewing a flamenco costume (or having one made) and
feel lost or a sense of overwhelm when it comes to fabric shopping I can assure
you that you are not alone.
Even my local clients here in Andalusia in the south of Spain, dancers who
usually own several flamenco costumes and who can walk into any fabric store
and expect at least some help, often ask me what type of fabrics they should
use for their new outfit.
IMAGE 4 - POLKA DOT FABRICS AT THE STORE
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The purpose of this Flamenco Fabric Guide is to share with you what I have
learnt about which fabrics work best for which kind of outfit. There are two
parts to it:
THE EBOOK YOU’RE READING
You’ll learn
What qualities to look for in a material (so you can recognize a great
material when you see one)
About fabric names (and why they don’t really matter)
About flamenco costume fashion (and what’s more important)
About when to use elastic fabrics (probably way less often than you
think)
What you need to know about lining your flamenco costume (so you
won’t mess up your project by getting the inside of your garment
wrong)
Where and when to buy in Spain (if you want to go straight to the
source)
General guidelines for how much fabric you need for different
garments (and why that’s such a tricky thing for flamenco costumes)
You’ll find the 20 most commonly used types of fabrics explained, including
material composition,
photos showing costumes made from it,
which garments it is perfect for and which not,
what lining to use (if any),
what I love about it and what to watch out for,
what it’s called in Spanish in case you plan to shop in
Spain or online.
Use the overview of fabrics by garment type at the end of the
book to quickly find the materials best suited for a particular
garment.
FABRIC SWATCHES
Of course there is only so much you can learn about fabrics by
reading and looking at photos. It’s really about touch, isn’t it?
That’s why you also receive actual swatches of all the fabrics
IMAGE 5 - THE EBOOK
IMAGE 6 - FABRIC SWATCHES
FLAMENCO FABRIC GUIDE Taking the Guesswork out of Choosing Fabric for your Flamenco Dance Costume
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discussed in the mail so please make sure your delivery address is correct (and
no, they’re not the ones you see in the photo to the right, these are symbolic.
You’ll get the real thing.). This way you can feel for yourself if you like the
material or take it to your local fabric store to get help finding something
similar.
WHAT THE FLAMENCO FABRIC GUIDE IS NOT Before we throw ourselves into the fibers I need to make sure you are aware
that
I am not selling fabrics.
I don’t earn any commissions from fabrics you may purchase from
shops I mention in this eBook or on my website.
I am not associated with any fabric shops so availability of colors and
prints is entirely out of my control.
The fabrics included in the Flamenco Fabric Guide are not the only ones
suited for flamenco costumes, just the ones I most commonly use when
making costume for Spanish flamenco dancers, just the ones proven to
give great results. Once you know what works your imagination is the
limit.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN FABRIC SHOPPING Now what fabrics ARE the best to use for your flamenco dance costume?
Good question. After all, a flamenco dance costume is in essence a sports
outfit, albeit an elegant one, and needs to fulfil a number of criteria:
It needs to be comfortable to dance in – adapting itself to your body
without restricting movement
Skirts and ruffles should not be too heavy or too stiff and have a nice
flow
Dancers are sweating so the dance costume must be easy to wash, not
shrink and ideally not wrinkle
The material must not be too delicate for a flamenco costume to
“survive” a dance
It must make you look and feel amazing
Take the fabric
samples along
when you go
shopping locally
and let staff help
you find something
similar.
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Certain types of fabrics have proven to work really well for flamenco dance
costumes, some work for some outfits but not for others and there is also an
element of fashion.
Which colors, prints or design elements are popular in any given season is
heavily influenced by the annual flamenco fashion show SIMOF (Salon
Internacional de Moda Flamenca).
The flamenco dresses shown at SIMOF are (mostly) stunning to look at and no
doubt a source of inspiration but they are feria dresses and not made for
dancing. Apart from the cut, which in most cases is too restrictive for dancing,
the fabrics used often make them too heavy and too bulky for a dancer. Or
totally on the contrary – you may find beautiful laces or transparent chiffons
that are way too delicate and not resilient enough for a dance costume.
So by all means admire the collections and use them to get ideas for necklines,
colors, shapes, sleeve details, accessories, material mix or style but know that
you’ll want different types of fabric for your dance costume.
Admire the
collections and use
them to get ideas
for necklines,
colors, shapes,
sleeve details,
accessories,
material mix or
style but know that
you’ll want
different types of
fabric for your
dance costume
IMAGE 7 - FLAMENCO FASHION SHOW SIMOF
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POLKA DOTS – IN OR OUT? Polka dots are the most typical or traditional kind of print for flamenco dance
costumes.
Flamenco dancers outside of Spain often tell me they don’t like polka dots, they
feel they are old fashioned and out of date. They are also worried that they
look “dressed up” if they go for this kind of traditional look.
Andalusian flamenco dancers usually love polka dots. In fact, I can’t think of a
Spanish client of mine who doesn’t like polka dots. This doesn’t mean that all
their costumes sport them but when they are after a traditional look nothing
beats the good old polka dots – big, small, mixed with plain color fabrics or
other prints – you name it, they love it.
What does that mean for you? If you like them and they work with how and
what “palo” you are dancing (for example you wouldn’t wear polka dots for a
guajira) go for them. If not, there are plenty of other options. As always –
you’re the designer, you decide.
IMAGE 8 - CUEVA LOS TARANTOS (EL SACROMONTE, GRANADA) SEVERAL DANCERS ARE WEARING
COSTUMES I’VE MADE
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A WORD ABOUT ELASTIC FABRICS You might look at those figure hugging dresses flamenco dancers wear
and think they are all made from elastic fabrics. How else could they be
that close fitting and still let the dancer move? Some of them are but
actually, most of them are not.
Elastic fabrics are mainly used for practice skirts.
Flamenco dancers don’t usually consider them “dressy” enough for a stage
outfit. There are exceptions, of course. Elastic laces or velvets are popular these
days and some dancers value the comfort of elastic fabrics more than anything
else. Some like to combine elastic and non-elastic materials (e.g. the top made
from elastic fabric and skirt and ruffles from non-elastic materials)
IMAGE 9 - MOST COSTUMES ARE NOT ELASTIC
IMAGE 10 - ELASTIC PRACTICE SKIRTS
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IMAGE 11 - THE RED COSTUME IN THE MIDDLE IS MADE FROM A LYCRA TOP AND CREPE SKIRT AND
RUFFLES
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The main reasons you’d want to consider elastic fabrics:
You are not performing solo and mainly want your costume for classes
Your weight fluctuates. No need to alter the costume if you put on or
lose a few pounds
The costume is for a child. Costumes made from elastic fabrics “grow”
with the little dancer and last longer
You just love the look and feel
Things to keep in mind ..
If you want an elastic skirt or dress with ruffles
Keep an eye on the weight of the fabric. Many types of lycra are fairly
heavy and having lots of ruffles makes the skirt
difficult to dance in.
Choose a material that is not or only a little vertically
elastic, otherwise the ruffles will pull the skirt down
as well as bounce up and down while dancing which –
I’m told – is very uncomfortable. You’re also likely to
step onto the ruffles and may even fall.
If you want to add ruffles made from non-elastic
fabric to your elastic costume it is a good idea to use
a zig-zag stitch and expand the elastic fabric when
sewing the ruffle on. This way you’ll maintain most of
the elasticity of the skirt or whatever you’re making.
You’ll also need a serger or sewing machine that can handle
elastic fabrics. If you sew elastic fabrics with a normal sewing
machine, needle and straight stitch (yes, you might not
believe it but I have seen practice skirts made that way) the
stitches will break when you stretch the fabric every time to
put on the skirt.
IMAGE 12 - FABRICS THAT AREN'T VERY ELASTIC
VERTICALLY GIVE BETTER RESULTS
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WHAT ABOUT LININGS? Almost all flamenco dance costumes are lined, interlined to be precise (i.e. the
outer fabric and corresponding lining pieces are joined and treated as one piece
from then on). Only practice skirts and blouses/shirts go without.
As you’ll see in the
following pages most of the
fabrics used for flamenco
dance costumes are
synthetic, lightweight
materials. You’ll definitely
sweat when you dance and
I’m sure just the thought of
feeling thin, synthetic fabric
stick to your skin makes
you cringe.
The lining fabric is there to
Absorb sweat
Give the garment body
Make sure the garment isn’t see through
Reinforce the outer fabric
In most cases you’ll want to use a lightweight, soft poplin lining. But really, the
lining you’ll choose depends on the outer fabric and the type of garment you’re
making. For example you’ll choose a slightly elastic lining for slightly elastic
fabrics, a satin or silk lining for vests and jackets, sometimes you’ll use the same
fabric as outer fabric and lining.
Confused? Don’t worry - for each of the fabric types we discuss in the Flamenco
Fabric Guide I’ll indicate the type of lining I recommend.
Things to keep in mind ..
I remember the first time a dancer brought a flamenco dress with the outer
fabric forming ugly bags between the seams, almost like an accordion. The
dress was also way too short. The girl was hoping I’d find a way to rescue it. At
first I had no idea what had happened until it dawned on me – it’s what you get
when you wash the dress at a temperature the outer fabric can handle but
IMAGE 13 - INTERLINED SKIRT
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which makes the lining shrink. The lining isn’t hanging lose on the inside of the
garment, each lining piece is joined with the corresponding outer fabric piece
before sewing the pieces together. So if one fabric shrinks and the other
doesn’t you have a problem that’s difficult or impossible to fix.
Lesson learnt: Always wash the dress at a temperature both fabrics can handle.
In case of doubt either pre-wash the fabrics and/or wash in cold water.
FULLY OR PARTIALLY LINED?
Again, the answer depends on the fabric you’re using, the type of garment
you’re making and the look you want to achieve.
To get you started here is what I do:
TOPS
In most cases I line the entire body. Sleeves go without lining.
Even if the design is closer to a blouse than a typical flamenco top -
with a collar and front button closure - if it is close fitting you’ll want to
line it in order to reinforce the material and to feel more comfortable.
For lacy tops I sometimes only line the bodice leaving the shoulder
area unlined.
I sometimes line sleeves if the fabric is very delicate or it’s the look I’m looking
for.
Always wash the
dress at a
temperature both
fabrics can handle.
IMAGE 14 - BLOUSE WITH LINED BODY
IMAGE 15 - DRESS WITH LACY SHOULDER AREA
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SKIRTS
In most cases I line skirts down to below the hip but above the knee. That
leaves the lower part of the skirt with the ruffles flowing freely. Also, this way
the lining doesn’t show when you grab the skirt while dancing (many dancers
really hate the lining showing, especially if the color isn’t the same as the outer
fabric).
DRESSES
Just think of a dress as top + skirt in one piece and use the guidelines above to
help you decide.
VESTS
Vests are always fully lined. You’ll wear a vest on top of another garment so
you’ll be using a satin type lining. If you want to make a vest from a light weight
fabric and you’ll find that it lacks body if you just work with your outer fabric
and the satin lining. In those cases I add a layer of poplin between outer fabric
and lining.
SHORT JACKETS
IMAGE 16 - SHORT JACKET WITH LINED BODY AND UNLINED NARROW SLEEVES
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Short jackets for dancing usually have a lined body and unlined sleeves. Apart
from that, what applies to vests applies to jackets as well.
BATA DE COLA
When I made my very first bata de cola the client asked for it to be lightweight.
In my innocence I thought lining the entire skirt and tail area would add too
much weight and require too much fabric so I only lined the skirt part.
Big mistake. The bata ended up being way too light and without the body it
needs to move well. With all the work that went into it the bata was beautiful
to look at but unfortunately not at all functional.
Lesson learnt: A bata de cola must be fully lined.
WHEN TO FULLY LINE A SKIRT OR DRESS
One of my first large orders included making 7 identical white dresses with 7
small ruffles coming up to just above the knee. Not knowing any better I
partially lined them down to just below the hip. The dresses just started to flare
out in that area. They looked great during the final fitting and I was looking
forward to seeing them on stage – a large theater in Almería, in the south of
Spain.
I sat in one of the last rows with a feeling of quiet satisfaction. When the
dancers stepped out, in their white dresses with the lights and everyone’s
attention focused on them, all I saw was the sharp horizontal line where the
lining finished, separating the bright white top of the dress from the dull
looking, unlined lower part of the dress. Really not the look we’d intended.
I don’t know how many people in the audience noticed this but the dancers
did. They weren’t happy and I’m sure they never wore these dresses again.
Lesson learnt: If you are using white, off-white, beige or any other light colored
or somewhat transparent fabric (in case of doubt hold it against the light and
check if your hand shines through) you’ll want to line down to where the ruffles
start. If the ruffles only reach up to somewhere below the knee it is usually
easier (and prettier) to fully line the skirt.
If for some reason you don’t want to fully line a skirt with few ruffles at least
take the lining far enough down to where the skirt flares out enough to not be
close to the body (e.g. just above the knee). This way the end of the lining may
Batas de cola are
always fully lined
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be visible when you look closely but it won’t be the first thing someone notices
about the skirt or dress.
WHAT COLOR SHOULD YOUR LINING FABRIC BE?
Choosing the same or a color matching that of your outer fabric is generally a
good bet but ..
Lining fabrics don’t always come in a large range of colors so it may not always
be possible to find the same or a similar color. Given that the lining isn’t visible
from the outside you’re usually fine with white, off-white or black lining,
whatever you like best.
Things to keep in mind ..
Most light colored fabrics are a little transparent. Especially for prints (think
black background with white polka dots or flowers) using black lining leaves
your polka dots looking dull and sad whereas white or light colored lining
makes them really stand out beautifully. That’s why I often use white lining
even if the main color of the fabric is dark.
If you’re unsure just place your fabric on top of some white and then some
black fabric and choose the color of lining you like best. You’re the designer,
you decide.
WHERE AND WHEN TO BUY FLAMENCO FABRICS IN SPAIN You might be surprised to know that there isn’t a huge number of fabric shops
with a large variety of flamenco fabrics. I surely couldn’t believe it when I first
went looking for fabric shops and found that most stock plenty of towels,
sheets, curtains and all kinds of fashion fabrics but only a limited selection of
flamenco fabrics or none at all. And I’m talking about Andalusia, the heart of
flamenco.
Over time I learnt that I usually find what I’m looking for at
www.flamentex.es
www.tiendatelas.com
http://www.tejidosreytex.es/
If you are using
light colored or
somewhat
transparent fabric
you’ll want to line
down to where the
ruffles start. If the
ruffles only reach
up to somewhere
below the knee it is
easier to fully line
the skirt.
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http://www.tejidosalberto.com/
http://tejidosbuenosaires.es/
You can also check out the following article on the topic
http://www.flamencodressmaking.com/2013/02/flamenco-fabrics-where-to-
buy-online/
If you consider buying from any of these places keep in mind that it is not
common for the staff to speak English. So if your Spanish skills aren’t anything
to show off you are better off shopping locally with the help of the fabric
swatches that you receive with this Flamenco Fabric Guide.
FLAMENCO FABRIC SEASON
You’re dancing all year round so you’re probably wondering why there is a
season for buying flamenco fabrics.
Fabric suppliers and flamenco dress designers don’t really think of dancers.
Flamenco fashion is all about the ferias. Most places celebrate their ferias in
spring/summer. The season is opened by the annual flamenco fashion show
SIMOF (see photo above) in January and the first new flamenco fabrics tend to
If you consider
buying from any of
these places keep
in mind that it is
not common for
the staff to speak
English
IMAGE 17 - SIMOF, ONE OF MY FAVOURITE COLLECTIONS EVER BY VICKY MARTIN BERROCAL
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arrive in February, just in time for the dressmakers to get busy creating
costumes for the ferias and other local festivities where the ladies wear
flamenco dresses. For the rest of the year shops just sell what is left, no new
fabrics arrive until the following February. You can imagine that in
December/January your choices are severely limited if you are looking for
typical flamenco colors or prints.
HOW MUCH FABRIC DO YOU NEED? A client of mine, Marie, rings me up and tells me she bought some fabric she
liked and wants me to make a costume for her. We meet and she explains to
me that she’d love a skirt with a few ruffles at the bottom and a large triangular
shawl, perhaps with a ruffle or some fringe along the edges. She pulls the fabric
out of her bag and wraps it around her waist to show me what she has in mind.
I’m looking at the piece of fabric, 1.5m I guess, 1.5m wide, and I’m waiting for
her to pull out more fabric but she doesn’t. To her it looks like a lot of material.
Wrapped around her waist the fabric seems way longer and wider than needed
for a skirt.
But a flamenco skirt isn’t straight, it is usually made from 6 pieces that flare out
from the hip down. 1.5m of fabric isn’t going to get us very far. And we’re not
even talking about ruffles yet, let alone a shawl!
Another client shows
me a dress she’d like
to shorten about 30
centimeters and use
the material cut off to
make long sleeves. It
isn’t until I show her
the pattern piece for
a long sleeve that she
understands that
what seems to her
nothing more than a
narrow tube requires
a piece of fabric
much larger than she
imagined. IMAGE 18 - FRONT, BACK AND SLEEVE PATTERN PIECES FOR A SHORT
WRAP BLOUSE
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It takes experience to accurately estimate the amount of fabric required for a
flamenco costume. It is usually a lot more than you think.
If you have a pattern for the costume you want to make you’ll know how much
fabric you need. But if you don’t you might be wondering how much fabric you
should buy.
The answer, of course, depends ..
.. on the type of garment, the flare of the skirt, number, size and fullness of
ruffles, type of fabric (you’ll need more of fabrics with patterns that need to be
matched or fabrics like velvet)
But as a rule of thumb you’ll need approximately
1.5m for a top or blouse
0.5m for a short vest
1.2m for a short jacket with long sleeves
2.3m for a typical gored flamenco skirt (without ruffles, medium flare).
You’ll get away with 1.2m if you’re making a very narrow skirt but need
approx. 3.5m or more for a skirt with lots of flare (no ruffles)
3.5m for a dress with sleeves (without ruffles, medium flared skirt)
How much fabric you need for ruffles depends on
how many meters of ruffles you need. For a dress or skirt that depends
on how many ruffles you want and how much flare the skirt has. For
example, for just the bottom ruffle of a full circle skirt you’ll need about
5m of ruffles, whereas for a skirt with just a little flare you’ll be fine
with just 2.5m of ruffles
the size of the ruffles – smaller ruffles need less fabric than larger
ruffles
how much volume your ruffles have – loose, just slightly wavy ruffles
need a lot less fabric than dense ruffles with a lot of volume
the type of ruffles you like – gathered ruffles tend to need less fabric
than circular ruffles, especially if you only gather them slightly
The amount of
fabric you need for
your flamenco
costume depends
on skirt flare,
number, size and
volume of the
ruffles and varies
considerably.
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With so many factors influencing the amount of fabric needed it is impossible
to give one ballpark
figure that would
actually be useful.
So I’m giving you a
couple of
examples:
The blue skirt on
the left needs
approx. 5.5m of
fabric for the skirt
+ ruffles
The skirt on the right (not the top, just the skirt) needs approx. 3.5m of
fabric for the skirt + ruffles
For a bata de cola you need approx. 4m of fabric for the skirt, another 4m
of lining (often the same material) and minimum 6m of fabric for the
ruffles + 5-6m
for the
underside
ruffles.
As you’ll
imagine I
recommend buying
a bit more fabric if in
doubt. What you
spend more you’ll
save in time and
frustration. It is so
much more fun and
rewarding when you
can just cut your
pieces and sew your costume instead of spending hours trying to figure out
how to get an extra meter of ruffles out of the tiny scraps you have left.
IMAGE 19 - MEDIUM FLARE SKIRT WITH CIRCULAR RUFFLES
IMAGE 20 - NARROW SKIRT WITH
GATHERED RUFFLES
IMAGE 21 - BATA DE COLA
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A WORD ABOUT FABRIC NAMES. Names are very general and at times seem arbitrary, at least here in Spain.
What a particular type of fabric is called varies from manufacturer to
manufacturer and sometimes from one region to another. For example, a
medium weight poplin, commonly used for bata de colas or feria dresses is
usually referred to as “tana” in Andalusia. If you ask for “tana” in Madrid you’ll
get blank stares or, even worse, a different type of material.
Often a name covers a range of different fabrics. Many times I’ve approached
the shop assistant of a fabric shop or wholesale place (you think they’d know)
with roles of several different fabrics I liked. I asked what they were called so I
could find them again in the future, just to be told that they were all “crepe” ..
Given the huge variety of synthetic fabrics and fabric mixes available I guess it is
impossible to uniquely identify each one. This is one of the reasons this
Flamenco Fabric Guide includes fabric swatches. Holding an actual piece of
fabric in your hands helps you more than 1000 words of description or 100
photos.
FLAMENCO FABRICS The fabrics in this section are listed in order of popularity with the most
commonly used materials first. All photos are of costumes I have made.
CREPE
Crepe is the single most commonly used material for
flamenco dance
costumes.
SPANISH NAME:
Crespon, koshivo or
koshibo
COMPOSITION:
100% polyester
CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in large range of colors and
prints
Doesn’t wrinkle or shrink
IMAGE 22 - CREPE DRESS WITH LACE DETAILS
IMAGE 23 - CREPE TWO PIECE
COSTUMES
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Drapes beautifully
Light weight
Resilient
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Tops
Blouses
Skirts
Dresses
Bata de cola (often for ruffles only, it may be used for the skirt body
if lined with a heavier poplin)
RECOMMENDED LINING:
Light weight, soft poplin
For tops some dancers prefer a heavier poplin so they feel more “tucked
in”.
STRETCH
Stretch is most commonly used for bata de colas but a lot of dancers also like it
for regular skirts and dresses. Even though the name suggests that it is elastic,
IMAGE 24 - BATA DE COLA MADE FROM
CREPE
IMAGE 25 - BATA DE COLA MADE FROM STRETCH
FLAMENCO FABRIC GUIDE Taking the Guesswork out of Choosing Fabric for your Flamenco Dance Costume
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it isn’t. It is a loosely woven material which makes it appear somewhat elastic.
It is a sturdy but light weight fabric with more body than crepe.
SPANISH NAME:
Stretch
COMPOSITION:
100% polyester
CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in large range of colors
Prints are rarely available (I’ve only ever seen a few different types of
polka dots in limited color
variations)
Doesn’t wrinkle or shrink
Drapes nicely
Light weight but with body
Resilient
One of the cheapest fabrics around
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Tops
Skirts
Dresses
Bata de cola
Vests
Jackets
Trousers
RECOMMENDED LINING:
I prefer using Stretch to line Stretch, especially for the large pieces of a bata de
cola. Stretch is loosely woven and joining pieces of Stretch with tightly woven
pieces of poplin lining can be tricky. Alternatively you can experiment and see
whether light or medium weight poplin works for you.
POPLIN
This medium weight, fairly stiff fabric is mostly used for batas de cola and feria
dresses. It is also popular for little girls’ dance dresses. Ruffles made from this
material have a lot of volume which is really cute for little girls.
IMAGE 26 - DRESS MADE FROM STRETCH WITH LACE TOP
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SPANISH NAME:
Popelin, popelin flamenco, tana
COMPOSITION:
65%polyester, 35% cotton
CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in large range of colors
and prints
Doesn’t wrinkle much
Medium weight and fairly stiff
Resilient
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Bata de cola
Skirts (for feria or little girls)
Dresses (for feria or little girls)
RECOMMENDED LINING:
For batas de cola I use the same poplin for outer fabric and lining.
For skirts and dresses use light weight poplin.
COTTON LYCRA
Cotton lycra is most popular for feria dresses. For dancers it is mainly
used for batas de cola, tops or little girls dresses. When you buy the
fabric it has a smooth surface, body and subtle shine to it. It is a great
choice if you are allergic or strongly dislike synthetic fabrics.
Unfortunately, it loses the slick look quickly (a bit like linen - it’s never
again quite as beautiful as on the roll in the shop). If you like your
dress or top a little elastic for added comfort you’ll love cotton lycra.
But it is a bit like a pair of jeans – tight at the start or when you wash it
and getting loser over time. Often dancers will want it taken in again
and again. As you might guess by now I don’t really recommend it but
you might be conquered by the beautiful colors and prints available
and put up with the drawbacks.
SPANISH NAME:
Saten licra
IMAGE 27 - GIRLS FERIA
COSTUME MADE FROM
POPLIN
IMAGE 28 - BATA DE COLA MADE FROM POPLIN
IMAGE 29 - FERIA DRESS MADE FROM
COTTON LYCRA
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COMPOSITION:
97% cotton, 3% lycra
CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in large range of colors and prints
Wrinkles a lot
Medium weight and fairly stiff (loses stiffness
quickly but still not suited for skirts)
Resilient
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Bata de cola
Tops
Skirts (for feria or little girls)
Dresses (for feria or little girls)
Vests or jackets
RECOMMENDED LINING:
Elastic light weight poplin is the perfect material to line cotton lycra. It has the
same elasticity so you maintain the most treasured quality of the material and
both are easy to work together.
ELASTIC POPLIN
Even though this fabric is mainly used as lining (listed again under
linings for clarity) for cotton lycra it works really well on its own for
fitted shirts or blouses.
SPANISH NAME:
Popelin licra
COMPOSITION:
96% COTTON 4% ELASTAN
CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in a limited range of colors
Wrinkles a lot
Light weight
Slightly elastic
IMAGE 30 - GIRLS' DRESSES MADEF ROM COTTON LYCRA
IMAGE 31 - BLOUSE MADE FROM ELASTIC
POPLIN
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COMMONLY USED FOR:
Blouses and shirts
Lining
RECOMMENDED LINING:
No lining
GEORGETTE
I love georgette. It has a soft drape and a little more weight than crepe so it
moves beautifully. It looks delicate but it really isn’t. It isn’t as “airy” as chiffon
but more elegant than crepe.
SPANISH NAME:
Georgette
COMPOSITION:
100% POLYESTER
CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in a wide range of colors
Beautiful drape
Doesn’t wrinkle
Light weight
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Blouses
Dresses
Skirts
RECOMMENDED LINING:
Light weight, soft poplin
Georgette is a tiny bit transparent so the
color of the lining is likely to shine through.
Go for the same color as the outer fabric or
for a lining color that enhances the color of
the georgette.
IMAGE 32 - DRESS MADE FROM GEORGETTE
IMAGE 33 - COSTUMES MADE FROM GEORGETTE WITH CREPE
UNDERSKIRTS
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CHIFFON
Chiffon comes in many variations – some soft with drape, others rather
stiff, but all rather delicate and at least somewhat transparent. Chiffon
is a great choice for long, wide sleeves. Being transparent it doesn’t
entirely hide your arm so the sleeves won’t look bulky while still
covering the arm. I also love it for ruffles, especially when looking for a
light weight, “floaty” look. Chiffon ruffles are beautiful for elastic skirts
– they add elegance but virtually no weight.
Things to keep in mind ..
Use a more resilient fabric for the bottom ruffle. The nails of your
flamenco shoe will ruin a chiffon ruffle way too quickly.
SPANISH NAME:
Gasa
COMPOSITION:
100% POLYESTER
CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in a wide range of colors
Elegant
Somewhat to very transparent
Extremely light weight
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Blouses
Dresses (if lined)
Ruffles
RECOMMENDED LINING:
Light weight, soft poplin
Things to keep in mind ..
Interlining chiffon with poplin is tricky. Chiffon is usually pretty slippery and
loosely woven so joining it to the much stiffer poplin takes some practice.
IMAGE 34 - TOP MADE FROM CREPE
WITH CHIFFON SLEEVES
IMAGE 35 - THREE WOMENS COSTUMES MADE FROM CHIFFON
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COTTON
Cotton fabrics are not commonly used for flamenco costumes. They don’t
“flow” and wrinkle more than you’ll like for your dance costumes. They can
be a wonderful choice for blouses and men’s shirts though. If you’re looking
for a top with body and a crisp look (and don’t mind ironing) you’ve got a lot
of choices available. It can also be a great choice for little girls’ dresses
SPANISH NAME:
Algodón
COMPOSITION:
100% ALGODÓN
CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in a wide range of colors and prints
Natural fiber
Does wrinkle
Body
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Blouses
Shirts
Flamenco tops
Little girls costumes
Vests or jackets
RECOMMENDED LINING:
Light weight, soft poplin
None for blouses and shirts
SATIN
Satin typically has a glossy surface and a dull back. You’ll find it in a variety of
qualities, from fine and slippery to firm and heavy weight. Satin fabrics, usually
the light weight ones, have become more and more popular in recent years.
When I started sewing flamenco costumes no dancer wanted anything shiny in
their costume. Later they started to use the matte side for the skirt or dress
and mix in shiny ruffles. In recent years many dancers love shiny costumes.
IMAGE 36 – THE EXCEPTION: SKIRT MADE FROM COTTON
IMAGE 37 - COTTON TOP
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I don’t particularly like the slippery satin fabrics for
the body of skirts or dresses. They tend to be more
loosely woven than the poplin lining and often
relax even more over time, so avoiding that
“baggy” look can be tricky.
SPANISH NAME:
raso
COMPOSITION:
USUALLY 100% POLIESTER
CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in a wide range of colors and
prints
Usually one shiny and one matte side
Usually doesn’t wrinkle
Drapes beautifully
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Blouses
Skirts
Dresses
RECOMMENDED LINING:
Light weight, soft poplin
ELASTIC SATIN
Dancers who like the glossy finish of satin usually love elastic satin fabrics.
They have all the elegance of satin with the added luxury of elastic
comfort.
SPANISH NAME:
Raso elastico
COMPOSITION:
USUALLY 100% POLYESTER
CHARACTERISTICS:
IMAGE 39 - SATIN
DRESS WITH BLACK
CREPE RUFFLES
IMAGE 38 - SATIN DRESS
IMAGE 40 - ELASTIC SATIN DRESS
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Slightly elastic
Available in a wide range of colors and prints
Usually one shiny and one matte side
Usually doesn’t wrinkle
Drapes beautifully
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Blouses
Skirts
Dresses
RECOMMENDED LINING:
Light weight, elastic poplin
LACE
Lace, beautiful, elegant, delicate lace! Instantly adds luxury to your
flamenco costume. It isn’t a material that is traditionally used for
flamenco costumes but it has become increasingly popular in recent
years, especially the elastic variants.
The one thing to keep in mind though is its delicate nature – the very
thing that attracts you to it.
In order to enjoy your lacy flamenco costume you’ll want to
Use a lace that isn’t too exquisite – remember, you’re making a
sports outfit
Use elastic lace or consider lining the pieces if you want a snug
fit (think narrow sleeves - close fitting, delicate lace sleeves are
bound to rip, at the seam if you’re lucky but more likely right
next to it, in the middle of the material)
Make sure you’re not using it for the bottom ruffle. The nails of
the dance shoes will destroy the lace and your heel might even
get stuck.
Use your lacy costume for special occasions only. It suffers not
only when dancing but also in the laundry. It’s not a “battle
horse” material for flamenco costumes. If you’re looking for a
costume to wear every day in class or in a tablao choose a
IMAGE 41 - ELASTIC
SATIN COSTUME
IMAGE 42 - DRESS WITH LACE TOP
AND SLEEVES AND HAND TATTED
DETAIL BELOW THE BUST
IMAGE 43 - LACE DRESS WITH POPLIN LINING
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sturdier material.
SPANISH NAME:
Encaje, blonda
COMPOSITION:
100% NYLON OR NYLON AND POLYESTER MIX
CHARACTERISTICS:
Delicate and luxurious
Available in a large variety of textures and patterns, elastic or
non-elastic
Doesn’t wrinkle
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Flamenco tops
Dresses
Ruffles
RECOMMENDED LINING:
Regular Lace: The lining depends on the look you’re trying to achieve. You
might use just a normal poplin lining or add another layer of outer fabric
between the poplin lining and the lace. Most of the time sleeves are not lined.
Elastic Lace: If you like the added comfort elastic lace gives you don’t sacrifice it
using a non-elastic lining. Ideally you’ll want a material that is pleasant to wear
on the skin and has the same elasticity as your lace, usually a type of jersey or
lycra.
EMBROIDERED COTTON OR PERFORATED COTTON
Embroidered or perforated cotton fabrics don’t drape well but they do work
beautifully for blouses, tops or little girls dresses, where some volume and
bounce is always cute and pretty
SPANISH NAME:
Algodón bordado o perforado
COMPOSITION:
100% ALGODÓN IMAGE 45 - EMBROIDERED COTTON TOP
IMAGE 44 - DRESS MADE FROM LACE OVER
SATIN, WITH POPLIN LINING
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CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in a wide range of colors and patterns
Natural fiber
Does wrinkle
Body
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Blouses
Flamenco tops
Girls dresses
RECOMMENDED LINING:
Poplin lining
VELVET
Velvet is a great choice if you are looking for a
luscious, elegant, special dance costume. It is
available in a variety of qualities and colors, elastic
and non-elastic. If you are making a skirt or dress
you don’t want your velvet to be too heavy or stiff.
You also want to have a close look at the wrong side
of the fabric. The wrong side of some velvets, usually
the cheaper ones that are light weight without much
drape, is made of a material that tends to stick to
your tights
Things to keep in mind ..
All pieces need to be cut in the same direction so
you’ll need more fabric than your pattern might
indicate.
SPANISH NAME:
Terciopelo
COMPOSITION:
100% POLYESTER OR APPROX. 90% POLYESTER + 10%
SPANDEX FOR ELASTIC VELVET
IMAGE 46 - PERFORATED COTTON DRESS
IMAGE 47 - VELVET DRESS & VELVET MENS TROUSERS
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CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in a wide range of colors and
qualities
Beautiful reflections under stage lights
Doesn’t wrinkle
Not easy to combine with other materials.
Velvet costumes are usually made from
velvet only.
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Flamenco tops
Dresses
Skirts
RECOMMENDED LINING:
Poplin lining for non-elastic velvets
Depending on the quality of the wrong side of the fabric you might not need
any lining at all.
Choose elastic material (e.g. jersey) for elastic velvet
PIQUÉ
A few years ago a flamenco school ordered outfits for a
group of little flamenco dancer girls. The teacher and
parents of the girls had already chosen the fabric. It was the
first time I worked with piqué. It is a firm material that until
then I wouldn’t have considered suitable for flamenco
dresses. Making the dresses for that group of girls I learnt
that I hadn’t done the fabric justice. It is soft enough to
adapt well to a dancer’s body and is stiff enough to give
ruffles for little girls’ dresses lots of lift and body. It is
beautiful to work with.
SPANISH NAME:
pique
COMPOSITION:
65% POLYESTER, 35% COTTON
IMAGE 48 - VELVET DRESS
IMAGE 49 - PIQUÉ DRESS
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CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in a wide range of usually pastel colors and patterns
Does wrinkle somewhat
Body
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Flamenco tops
Girls dresses
RECOMMENDED LINING:
Poplin lining
CAN CAN
Can can is a stiff, plastic like material typically used to make the underside
ruffles of batas de cola. You might also consider it when you want to give
ruffles extra lift and volume. You can often see feria dresses or outfits for
little girls that have can can ruffles underneath the normal fabric ruffles.
SPANISH NAME:
Can can
COMPOSITION:
100% POLYAMIDE
CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in a range of basic
colors
Stiff, plastic like material
Loses stiffness over time
Adds body
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Underside ruffles of batas de cola
Ruffles for little girls or feria
dresses to give volume and bounce
RECOMMENDED LINING:
none
IMAGE 50 - GREEN CAN CAN
RUFFLES
IMAGE 51 - RED CAN CAN RUFFLES
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STIFF ORGANZA
Organza is a stiff and transparent material - a great alternative to can can,
although a more expensive one. It is available in a wider range of colors than
can can and a good deal easier to handle because it isn’t quite as stiff. It still
works well for batas de cola though.
SPANISH NAME:
Organdi Flamenca
COMPOSITION:
100% polyester
CHARACTERISTICS:
Stiff (not quite as stiff as can can)
Transparent
Available in a large range of colors
More expensive than can can
COMMONLY USED FOR:
Underside ruffles of batas de cola
Ruffles for little girls or feria dresses to
give volume and bounce
RECOMMENDED LINING:
none
ELASTIC FABRICS
Earlier we’ve talked about when to use elastic fabrics for flamenco dance
costumes. When choosing elastic fabrics you want to look for light weight
fabrics that drape nicely. Usually dancers prefer darker colors since light color
skirts may be somewhat transparent (no dancer likes their undies showing
through) and/or show sweat when dancing. There are lots of different types of
elastic fabrics available (well, here in Spain I’d love to see a more reliable supply
of materials, colors and prints but you may have more luck where you live). I’d
split them in 3 big groups:
IMAGE 52 - UNDERSIDE RUFFLES OF BATA DE COLA MADE FROM
ORGANZA
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POLYESTER KNITS
The most commonly used materials for
dance skirts or dresses are made from 100%
polyester or approx. 90% polyester and 10%
spandex. They tend to maintain their elastic
quality well, don’t shrink and don’t wrinkle
– just what you want.
COTTON KNITS
Cotton jersey knit fabrics can be very
tempting. You can find beautiful colors and
prints and they often have a gorgeous, soft
touch. They can be a good
choice if you are aware of a few
things:
May or may not shrink
so it’s best to pre-wash
Colors may wash out
over time
The light weight ones
that have the drape you’re
looking for are often pretty see
through. If that bothers you
consider lining the skirt or wear
it with an underskirt
They usually lose their
elasticity over time (sometimes
much quicker than you’d like)
LYCRA
Up until very recently I would have said that flamenco dancers
don’t use “real”/swim suit lycra for their costumes.
But a few clients of mine have now discovered it and love it, both
with glossy and matte finish
IMAGE 53 - POLYESTER KNIT PRACTICE SKIRTS
IMAGE 54 - COTTON KNIT DRESS
IMAGE 55 - LYCRA TOP WITH CREPE SKIRT AND RUFFLES
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Things to keep in mind ..
Very elastic, usually in both directions so you want to go easy on the
ruffles (or choose a very light weight material for the ruffles) because
they will drag the skirt down
This kind of lycra tends to be way more expensive than other elastic
fabrics. Given that a flamenco costume requires a fair bit of material
the difference can be substantial.
It isn’t the easiest fabric to work with. It is slippery and very elastic so
it’ll take some practice to get it to “behave”
If you like colors other than black or red you need to be aware that
your costume won’t look “flamenco” unless you add some ruffles or
typical “flamenco” complements like fringes or Manila scarfs etc.
LININGS
We’ve talked about how and when to add lining to a flamenco costume earlier
in the book. Below you’ll find the characteristics of the most commonly used
lining fabrics. As always, they are not the only ones possible. Sometimes you
might want to use the heavier poplin to give a garment more body. For elastic
laces for example you will probably look at polyester or cotton knits, one that is
more or less as elastic as your outer fabric.
POPLIN LINING
SPANISH NAME:
Forro de popelin, popelin fino
COMPOSITION:
65% POLYESTER 35% COTTON
CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in a decent range of colors
Wrinkles a bit
Light weight
Pleasant to wear on the skin
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ELASTIC POPLIN LINING
It is the same fabric as elastic poplin we talked about for shirts or blouses
earlier.
SPANISH NAME:
Popelin licra
COMPOSITION:
96% COTTON 4% ELASTAN
CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in a limited range of colors
Wrinkles a lot
Light weight
Slightly elastic
SATIN LINING
Satin linings are used for garments that are worn over other garments, in the
context of flamenco costumes we’re talking about vests and short jackets. They
can be found in a variety of fibers from rayon to silk (check out other options in
this blog post on Craftsy) Silk probably wouldn’t be your first choice for a
flamenco costume but then again, you won’t wash a vest or short jacket as
often as your practice skirt. So if you really love it go for it.
SPANISH NAME:
Forro de raso
COMPOSITION:
DEPENDS ON THE MATERIAL
CHARACTERISTICS:
Available in a wide range of colors
Glossy finish
Light weight
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FABRIC BY USE
Skirt Dress Blouse / Shirt
Top Bata de cola
Vest Jacket Trousers
Crepe
Stretch
Poplin
Cotton Lycra
Elastic Poplin
Georgette
Chiffon
Cotton
Satin
Elastic Satin
Lace
Emboidered or perforated cotton
Velvet
Piqué
Can can
ruffles
Organza
ruffles
Knits/Lycra
- great choice
- can work under certain circumstances. Use when you know what you’re
doing. Review the section dedicated to the fabric for tips
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CONCLUSION Now that you know a lot more about the fabrics that give the best results for
flamenco dance costume I hope you feel inspired to get creative yourself so you
can show up at your next flamenco class or performance in your very own,
brand new dance costume and turn heads.
If you haven’t yet looked at the larger versions of the images online click here
to view the online album.
I’d love to hear from you (http://www.flamencodressmaking.com/contact or
email me directly at [email protected]). I’d love to know
whether you found the Flamenco Fabric Guide useful, if there is anything else
you would have liked to see included, what you didn’t find interesting, what
else other than fabrics would you like to learn etc. so I can provide the best
possible service to you.
Thanks so much & wishing you lots of fun sewing!
Anke
Anke Herrmann
about.me/anke_herrmann