The Exclusive Guide to Maison Fauve Cotton Sateen

In order to offer you fabrics perfectly suited to our sewing patterns, we have been working for several seasons to research materials that will ensure a flawless hand-sewn project.

The SS 2023 “La Piscine” collection included the Tremplin cargo pants pattern: an ambitious sewing project, with real work on constructing the pattern, and lots of lovely details. Having the perfect fabric and a range of buttons really thought out for these trousers seemed essential to me, because I want sewers to be able to sew clothes that rival the most beautiful ready-to-wear pieces without fear. And I chose a fabric that provides comfort, a beautiful fit, and above all longevity of your handmade pieces when worn and washed: elastane cotton sateen.

What is cotton sateen?

The term sateen (just as I already explained to you for the term jacquard in this article) does not refer to a material, but to a weaving technique. The sateen finish is the result of an extremely tight and dense weave of the textile fibers. There is polyester satin, silk satin, viscose satin, and therefore cotton sateen. Cotton sateen is not to be mistaken for the silky, shiny, easy to drape fabric we often see used for floaty dresses and blouses, linings, and bias cut garments.

Our cotton sateen fabric will have a slightly sateen finish on the right side, and for the needs of our sewing projects, we have chosen a weight of 200 g/m2, a specific composition of 97% cotton and 3% elastane. Its hold is perfect, without too much stiffness, and it is well maintained and ironed easily. The elastane will also make it less creaseable. 

How to sew cotton sateen?

Our cotton sateen is an easy material to sew: it does not slip at all, cuts easily, and does not deform when assembled.

Prepare your cotton sateen fabric carefully before sewing

We recommend that before sewing your coupon, you wash it at 30°, on a delicate program, and do not leave it in the machine after washing to avoid fold lines forming. Shake your fabric well once washed to remove wrinkles and lay it flat.

Always iron your fabric well

Before returning your pattern pieces, iron your coupon carefully at medium temperature (iron pictogram with 2 dots) at maximum 150°C.

Choice of needles

For all projects sewn with our cotton sateen fabric, we used Schmetz universal needles with a diameter of 80. The caliber is perfect, especially when it comes to assembling several thicknesses without risking damaging your fabric (for for example an assembly of belt, fly, loops etc.).

How do I finish my seams?

Our cotton sateen does not fray much, so there is no need to overcast your pieces BEFORE sewing. On the other hand, once your pieces are assembled and in order to guarantee the longevity of your clothes (especially if they are not lined) we recommend that you overcast or overlock your seam allowances. You can also apply a bias tape to bind the seam allowances, your interior finishes will thus have a “decorative” appearance (you know, those little details that only you know how to appreciate hihihi). In all cases, we always tell you in our assembly instructions, and in our free video tutorials, at what stage to finish your seams.

Choose your work wisely

Our range of cotton sateen will allow you to make many projects. We have also chosen a range of timeless colors, so that you can plan many sewing projects with it.

• Z straight-line jumpsuit like Vipère. Its strong cut will be much more comfortable and pleasant to wear with our cotton sateen and its hint of elasticity. In addition, this pattern has several technical points (button placket, belt mounting, darts, pockets) having a fabric that is easy to sew will save you difficulties.

• Beautiful structured wide trousers like the Brooklyn palazzo trousers. The pattern’s characteristic folds and the beautiful fullness of the leg will be perfectly highlighted. The fact that the fabric also adds to the look of these trousers, which are just as suitable for soft, draping fabrics as they are for stiffer fabrics.

 

• Very constructed trousers, with many pieces like the Tremplin cargo trousers. The cotton sateen will allow you to very easily sew the stitched darts at the knee, the rounded details of the pockets, and it will provide the ideal flexibility for comfortable wear. The sateen finish will also add an elegant touch to these type of trousers which is originally a utilitarian garment.

• Comfortable shorts with a sophisticated cut like the Grand Bain shorts. For these too, you will have no difficulty making the embellished Italian pocket and the pretty folds. Installing the zip will also be done without difficulty because the fabric has good hold and will not risk deforming.

• An overshirt, a small jacket or a mid-season jacket, a trapeze dress will also be suitable sewing projects.

• Cigarette trousers sitting close to the leg like our Loulou trousers. The elasticity of cotton sateen will be perfect for comfort when worn and to prevent your trousers from deforming over time.

Stylish sewing down to the smallest detail

We have developed a wide range of buttons that match perfectly with our cotton sateens:

• Dot buttons with their glittery outline are available in assorted colors Encre (Ink), Mahogany, Sable (Sand) and Khaki, with different diameters. It’s the perfect precious touch for your makes.

• The horn-style Jazz cappuccino buttons provide a less formal, more casual style. They are also available in several diameters.

And we obviously offer you the range of sewing threads and zips adapted to our fabrics.

More flexible and lighter than gabardine, comfortable, easy to sew, cotton sateen will be a perfect fabric for many sewings. We are also thinking about what new colors (or prints) to offer you to expand the range of Maison Fauve cotton sateens ;)