Satin fabric guide
Satin Tunic Design with AI
For a satin tunic, most mills quote charmeuse satin at 80 to 120 g/m²: a classic pairing.
Of the 12 cloths this guide lists for this cut, it sits between silk crêpe de Chine and cotton poplin in weight.
Next to cotton poplin, it is lighter, more fluid, shinier and more demanding to care for.
Satin Tunic at a glance
- Cloth to ask your mill for
- Charmeuse satin
- Typical weight
- 80 to 120 g/m²
- Drape
- Fluid, falls close to the body
- Stretch
- None
- Breathability
- Low
- Warmth
- Neutral
- Care
- Dry clean
- How common
- A classic pairing
- Typical cloth price
- $8-25/yard
Typical trade ranges, not one mill's figures: confirm them with your mill.
The tunic, in numbers
- Typical length
- 75 to 90 cm, from the high point of the shoulder
- Defining details
- Side slits, split neck, long or three-quarter sleeves, hip to thigh length
- Cloth needed
- about 1.6 to 2.2 m of 150 cm cloth, roughly $14 to $60 of cloth at typical prices
Typical figures for an adult size M. The pattern tier is set from the real piece count when you order.
How satin behaves on a tunic
On a tunic it slides over the shoulders and falls close to the body, so the cut needs very little ease and buttonholes want a light interfacing.
Cut long, a fluid cloth pools and trails, and its weight pulls the hem down, so it is hung for a day before hemming.
It is neither warm nor cool, so it works across most of the year.
The finished piece is usually labelled dry clean only.
The floats snag on jewellery and rough surfaces, and water marks show, which makes it an occasion cloth.
About satin
Satin is a weave, not a fibre: long floating yarns on the face give a smooth, glossy surface over a dull back. It is woven in silk, polyester, acetate and blends.
Duchess satin for bridal wear is a specialist product; charmeuse satin is made widely, in polyester and in silk.
Satin dresses are often lined or underlined, because the floats are delicate and the cloth shows every line beneath it.
Cutting, sewing and color
A fine microtex needle, pins only in the seam allowance and a walking foot; it slips, so cut it single layer.
The sheen lifts color, so a satin and a matte cloth from the same dye lot will not look alike.
Its high sheen catches every fold, so light it from the side and keep the background quiet.
A description to start from
A tunic in charmeuse satin, 80 to 120 g/m², with a fluid drape and a high sheen surface, for most of the year.
If satin is not quite right
- Lighter: Silk, in silk crêpe de Chine
- Heavier: Cotton, in cotton poplin
- Warmer: Leather, in lamb nappa leather
- More structure: Linen, in shirting linen
Also: how the studio works, prices and questions and answers.
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