how do I make fabric?

Question

ok so I know most people just go to the store and get however much they need of the flat thingie, but I'm interested in making the fabric itself, specifically for making my own(must be durable) clothes, so it has to be, like, a lot stronger than some lil kiddie project. How do I MAKE the fabric I can make clothing out of?

Answer 1

I fear you are getting yourself involved in an undertaking that, to set it up, will cost a lot and take a very long time to defray the up front costs aginst the purchase of ready made fabric. Not trying to advertise, but I have had the smae idea as you from time to time and found that, after looking around at a great many web site, the designer fabric that is sold for way below wholesale at http://www.iluvfabrix.com/upholstery-fabric/damask-fabric/7.htm is the easiest route to go. If you want to make clothing, look at their chenilles here http://www.iluvfabrix.com/upholstery-fabric/chenille-fabric/9.htm They are wamr, wonderful and really cheap. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

First you need to have fiber. You need to decide if you want to work from raw fiber or from fiber that's already been processed into thread or yarn. Un-spun wool can be made into felt. Heavy felt is quite durable.

If you're not doing to do felt, decide whether you'll spin your thread/yarn yourself or acquire ready-made. I know folk who spin their own. The fabric can be fine or it can be sturdy or it can be both, with a skilled & experienced craftsperson.

Off-loom methods of fabric manufacture are typically knitting or crochet. If it's for pre-1600 recreational use, standard crochet can't be fully documented. Plain knitting can be. Knit wool can be "fulled", which is what felting is called when you begin with a fabric rather than raw wool. Fulled wool is also very sturdy. IMHO this is the most convenient method of sturdy fabric construction.

Thread or yarn may be loom-woven. In simplest form, it may be woven in narrow strips and the strips then sewn together. Such is typical of early American (not early USA, early North American continent and early South American continent) weavings. For wider fabric, rigging/constructing a loom is a greater endeavor.

The warp of a backstrap loop is secured on either a fixed object or ones own foot at one end and on a strap around the small of ones back at the other end. It's totally portable, but not as compact as knitting. i.e. you can knit as a passenger in a moving vehicle, but you can't weave on a backstrap loom then.

Answer 3

Basically, it's like weaving a large rug. You need a large loom & a source for bulk cotton or wool fiber. Try looking up weaving or rug-making. It'll probably cost more than just buying the fabric.
I suggest buying fabric. . for really durable clothing, I'd choose denim, sail-cloth, upholstery fabric, or leather. Vinyl upholstery fabric (like that used in cars) is really strong, too,

Answer 4

If you are looking to actually make your fabric from scratch then yes, it needs to be woven and to do that you need a loom (i think that's what it is called).

But if you are looking for just plain fabric and add your own design to it and "make" your own fabric that way, this site here http://craftchi.com/blog/?p=104 gives a great tutorial using photoshop.

Answer 5

first you need a good weaving loom, you are looking at 5000 dollars for that or so, then you need a bulk supplier of thread or a spinning wheel, about a thousand dollars for that, then you need to find fiber, silk, wool or cotton or linen, that means you have to find someone with sheep, or grow your own silk worms or cotton fields or linen and ret it in a stream and hack it on a nail bed, then get the fibers out of the stem pieces, thats going to take land, water, and seed as well as a season to grow if you are any good at it, otherwise i would just say forget it, you havent the knowledge or ability.

Answer 6

You can learn how to knit or crochet. Using just yarn, (wool, acrylic, or cotton) you can make every kind of clothing you can imagine. Take a look here to learn how: