How to wash linen fabric before sewing

If you're buying linen fabric for a home sewing project you might be wondering whether it needs pre-washing or any other kind of treatment before you get started. For thousands of year linen has been a much-loved fabric for home sewing creations, thanks to its sturdy fibers and natural resilience.

You can wear linen clothing far longer than less robust man-made fabrics like polyester, and it's a more sustainable choice as there's less waste and flax uses fewer resources to grow than other fiber crops like cotton.

If you've done your research and sourced the best quality linen fabric you can afford, there are some simple steps you need to follow before you start to sew.

Home sewing with linen, made easy

In this post we'll explain everything you need to know about how to pre-treat linen fabric so you get the best results, whether you're sewing linen clothing from a pattern, making a pair of linen curtains or upholstering a favorite chair.

One of the mistakes people make is not pre-washing their linen fabric before sewing. If you've never heard of pre-washed linen and don't know that linen can often shrink on first wash, read on!

Sewing with linen

Finding a pattern you love and making your very own, bespoke piece of clothing or home textiles is satisfying, creative and can even save you money. Even a beginner will find working with linen pretty easy, and there are many step-by-step guides to sewing that will help you learn the basics as you go.

Chosen your perfect fabric? Got your pattern, scissors, pins and cotton all ready to go?

Cotton and linen are great fabrics for DIY sewing projects, but you do need to make sure you're properly prepared. It's not only the sewing machine, cotton thread, pattern and instructions you need to consider. The first thing to think about is whether to pre-wash the fabric.

Why pre-wash linen fabric before sewing?

The main reason that linen fabric is given a pre-wash is to prevent shrinkage. Natural linen fabric does have a tendency to shrink on first wash, and this could mean your careful sewing or cutting suddenly gets thrown out of line.

To prevent this, it's a good idea to wash the linen fabric before cutting your pieces or starting your sewing project. Follow these simple tips:

How to pre-treat linen fabric

• If your fabric isn't dry clean only and can withstand a machine wash, run it through a cool cycle with gentle washing detergent.
• If the care instructions specify hand-washing, wash the fabric in a spacious tub with lukewarm (not hot )water and some mild detergent. Agitate the water and move the fabric around, ensuring all areas are submerged. After a few minutes, empty the water and re-fill with clean water. Rinse the fabric in the tub, then empty and repeat until there's no more suds releasing from the garment or fabric.
• Avoid hot water or very cold water in any type of pre-wash as these can cause more drastic shrinkage when pre-treating fabric.
• Dry the fabric as recommended in the manufacturer's instructions. A lot of good quality linen fabric can be tumble-dried, but if you're not sure then hang on a line or rack to air dry, out of direct sunlight in summer.

What to do after washing linen fabric

Once you've pre-washed your linen and it's nearly dry, we recommend pressing the fabric before you start sewing. This is especially useful with linen, due to its natural inherent wrinkles, and will ensure you have a clear, flat surface to work on. Ironing linen fabric isn't necessary normally, unless you like that look, and you could skip this, but after a pre-wash and before sewing it's really a good idea.

Pressing whilst the fabric is still slightly damp means the steam created will help remove wrinkles. When the linen fabric is completely dry and flat you can place your patterns on top and start pinning and cutting. This will give you clean, crisp lines and a more accurate base to work from.

Get sewing!

Now your fabric has been pre-washed most of the shrinkage will have happened. This means you're free to start your sewing project.

Linen makes a brilliant fabric for home sewing as it's durable, thick enough not to buckle as you stitch, and forgiving enough for unpicking any mistakes. Unlike silk or other delicate fabrics, sewing with linen is a joy.

Choose a cotton thread in a similar color to the base fabric, unless you're going for a contrasting finish. Keep your edges and seams clean by pressing again after folding if needed before you stitch.

Washing your linen garment after sewing

Thanks to the pre wash there should be very little additional shrinkage when you wash your finished garment. To be safe, machine wash on a cool cycle again or hand wash as above to protect the fiber in the linen from extreme temperatures.

If, after the first wash as a finished garment or piece, there is no more shrinking then wash or dry clean as you would normally. Then wear with pride and enjoy all the complements on your beautiful linen dress, or relish the envious cries from visitors when they see your home sewn linen curtains!

Pre-wash & sew linen – in brief

• Wash your linen fabric in hand-warm, not hot or cold, water
• Line dry
• Press while still damp
• Pin your pattern onto pressed fabric
• Cut along the line
• Tack or press seams and edges
• Sew by hand or machine
• Press garment to remove new wrinkles
• Wear with pride!