5 Key Tips & Techniques for Sewing with Velvet [Simple Tutorial]

If there's one thing that velvet fabrics are good at, it's turning people's heads.

Velvet is the ultimate luxury fabric. For many, the deep, rich qualities of velvet bring to mind everything from sumptuous royal gowns to memories of special occasion holiday dresses worn as a child. As this holiday season approaches – and the holiday party invitations start trickling in – I have found myself thinking of creating new velvet pieces for my wardrobe. But I don't want these garments to be worn just for special occasion, I want to be able to bask in the luxury of velvet after the party season ends. 

If you want to sew a successful velvet garment and feel like you need a little help, don't worry. Stick with us, and you'll stitch up something gorgeous without the stress.

Charcoal Stretch Velour: $22/yd

Amethyst Stretch Velour: $22/yd

5 Proven Tips for Sewing with Velvet (Tutorial)

1. Selecting a Pattern

We always recommend sticking to simple, semi-fitted, or loose-fitting designs—especially if you're new to sewing velvet.

For example, this Mimosa top and Oasis skirt ensemble is casual enough to wear to work but elegant enough to go straight to cocktail hour. 

Looking for luxury and comfort? You can't go wrong with the Plaza jacket combined with a cropped pair of our Valencia pants. Isn't it amazing how different they look from the pinstripe pair that Erin wore in the image at the top? The pattern comes in both full length and cropped. Make them in the drapey charcoal Stretch Velour and you've got a whole new look!

These cuts have fewer details, meaning less hassle and a cleaner finish. They minimize seams, darts, and topstitching. That means it will show off the velvet's natural and wavy drape.

Avoid fitted styles like tailored bodices with tight curves or structured blazers. Those shapes fight against the flow of velvet—the opposite of what you want.

Remember: velvet loves room to breathe.

Too many seams or darts will make the fabric thick and lumpy.

2. Preparing Your Velvet

Clean it Properly

Don't toss it in the wash—silk velvet requires dry cleaning. Even cotton or synthetic types can shrink or lose their plush pile if soaked too much. Always check the care label first.

Check the Nap

• Run your hand over the fabric to feel the pile. A downward stroke gives a tougher finish with softer, muted tones—great for pants or skirts that get a lot of wear.
• An upward stroke deepens the color, making it rich and bold—perfect for eye-catching jackets or dresses.

Pick a direction and stick to it while sewing.

Lay It Out Smart

Spread your velvet out flat in a single layer (which means don't fold it in half like you might with other fabrics). You'll be cutting one layer at a time to avoid shifting and distortion.

Place it on the wrong side up (the less fuzzy, duller side of the fabric). This makes it easier to trace your pattern and helps protect the velvet's plush surface while you work.

Use a large, stable surface like a dining table or a clean floor. Don't use pins—they leave permanent holes in the pile. Instead, weigh down your pattern with objects like heavy books, metal rulers, or even clean soup cans. They'll hold everything in place without damaging the fabric.

3. Cutting Velvet

Pick Your Tools

Use sharp fabric shears for better control on curves, and a rotary cutter for clean, straight edges. Make sure the blade is fresh.

Mark It Safely

Avoid tracing wheels—they crush the pile. Instead, use silk thread to make tailor's tacks: loop the thread through your fabric, snip it, and leave the little tufts in place to mark important spots. Or use light tailor's chalk for quick dots—but remember, dark chalk can show through on pale velvet.

For notches (those little marks that help align pieces), make small snips into the seam allowance—the extra space around your pattern edge that gets sewn. One snip means a single notch, two snips for a double, three for a triple. These help guide you without damaging the visible part of the fabric.

Cut it

Always cut in a single layer, not folded. This prevents shifting and keeps the shape intact. Make sure every piece is aligned in the same nap direction—otherwise, one sleeve might look darker than the other.

Go slow. Rushing can stretch the fabric or shift it off-grain, which distorts your pieces before you even start sewing.

4. Sewing Velvet

Baste Every Seam

Hand-baste every seam first. Use double basting for straight lines, backstitch for strength, or diagonal basting for curves to lock the layers tight. This stops the fabric from shifting under the machine, especially on tricky spots like sleeve caps or collars.

Set Up the Machine

Use a size 70 or 80 universal or sharp needle. Larger needles can damage the pile, while smaller ones might break. Loosen the tension slightly so your stitches don't pucker. Thread your machine with 100% cotton or silk thread for strength and a smooth finish

Always sew with the nap, not against it. Going the wrong way leaves ugly tracks on the surface of the fabric.

Keep It Moving

A walking foot feeds the layers evenly and prevents slips. No walking foot? A Teflon foot glides over the pile, or a layer of tissue paper or lightweight stabilizer between the fabric and the machine's feed dogs to keep the fabric from dragging.

Test your setup on a scrap first. Some machines can bruise the pile. No one wants that on a finished project. With these tweaks, your stitches will sink in clean, and your velvet will stay plush and beautiful.

5. Pressing and Finishing 

Pressing and finishing velvet gives your project a polished look. 

Steam it

Never touch the iron to the fabric. Lay it pile-side down on a velvet board, needle board, or a folded thick towel to preserve the pile and prevent it from getting crushed.

Drape a large velvet scrap over the top as a press cloth; it shields the surface from steam burns or shine marks.

Handle Seams and Darts

Trim seam allowances to ¼ inch and grade them—cut one side shorter than the other—to reduce bulk. For darts, carefully slash along the fold, then steam them open.

This flattens them without crushing the fabric around them, giving them a smooth, professional edge. Hold the iron an inch above and let the steam do the work—direct heat ruins velvet fast.

Finish the Hem Right

Hang the garment for 24 hours before hemming. Velvet stretches under its own weight, and hanging it allows the hem to stay even.

Then, hand-hem with a catchstitch or blindstitch using silk thread. A catchstitch crisscrosses inside the hem for stretch, while a blindstitch tucks tiny loops between layers for an invisible line—both keep the outside clean and sleek.

If the velvet doesn't fray (test a scrap), skip the finish and leave the edge raw; it cuts bulk and looks fine on casual pieces.

Things You Need to Know About Velvet Before Sewing

Different Kinds of Velvet

Velvet comes in several types, each with its own personality. The most common ones are:

• Silk velvet dazzles with a glossy, lustrous finish—but it's one of the priciest.
• Cotton velvet holds up well over time with a more subtle, matte surface.
• Polyester velvet is durable and affordable, great for budget-friendly projects.
• Rayon velvet has a smooth, drapey quality, perfect for loose, flowing designs.
• Crushed velvet brings texture and character with its wrinkled surface.
• Panne velvet stretches easily, making it ideal for snug-fitting garments.

Things to Avoid

1. Never press velvet with direct heat. A hot iron flattens the pile and kills the signature soft, plush look.
2. Don't use pins—they leave tiny holes that stay visible.
3. Avoid cutting against the nap. It messes with the color, making one section look dark and another light. The result? A patchy, uneven finish.
4. Minimize handling. Overhandling flattens the pile, making it dull and matted.
5. Avoid machine topstitching. It leaves permanent stitch marks that ruin the velvet's smooth surface.
6. Don't skip basting before sewing. Basting is the process of temporarily stitching layers together by hand to keep them from shifting while you sew. Without it, the slippery velvet slides under the needle and throws off your seams.

Unique Velvet Challenges

Crush Your Next Velvet Project

Velvet's timeless elegance shines through every drape and shimmer. That plush jacket or flowing dress? It's a classic that never fades.

Once you master sewing with velvet, you'll be able to craft pieces that truly stand out.

Sew Confident Sewing Velvet

$18.99