1) Cutting the fabric

Lay the smooth silk fabric on the top of a non-slippery fabric or tissue paper. The other fabric or the tissue paper will prevent the fabric to slide while cutting. Attach the two fabrics with a pin, then cut your silk fabric with sharp cutting tools. If your tools are not sharp or are damaged, it may cause your fabric to be ruined.

It is best to cut one layer of silk fabric at a time, so the slippery fabric won’t slide on the top of each other causing the unaligned cutting of the fabric.

2) Pinning your fabric

The pins you use to attach the pattern or other non-slippery fabric or tissue paper to your fabric, will leave holes in your silk fabric. If you stay inside the edges you left for the seam, you won’t see holes in your silk garment.

3) Marking your fabric

Use tailor tacks instead of chalk or markers. By doing that you won’t leave marks on the fabric.

4) Choosing thread

You do not need to use silk thread to sew silk fabric. Just use a good quality thread, such as polyester thread. Silk thread is nice, but may be costly and may cut through your fabric when stress is applied to the fabric during wearing. Silk thread would be perfect for decorating and beautifying your silk fabric.

5) Choosing your needle

The best thing to do is to choose a sharp, possibly new needle, appropriate for the weight of your silk fabric. Use a needle smaller than you would use with cotton or wool. Try to choose the smallest needle you can with your silk fabric. Sew your test seam to find your best stitch quality and quantity. A universal needle will do just fine to sew silk fabric.

6) Sewing silk fabric

Fabric that was too slippery to cut may be hard to sew as well. You may lay your silk fabric on the top of tissue paper and sew them together, then remove the tissue paper when you are done sewing.

7) Finishing the garment

Silk fabrics may fray easily, and because of that it is better to finish the seams to avoid the frayed threads on the fabric. You may also finish it with zig-zag or simple seem fastening. You may roll the edges to prevent a crumple at the edges.

8) Lining your silk fabric

Think about adding lining to your silk garment. It will drape well, move easily and looks nicer inside, because the seams are not showing. If you sell your apparel, it will add to the perception of the quality. The silk apparel will last longer, because the lining will protect the silk fabric from perspiration. Adding lining will add to the structure and the beauty of the silk apparel.