Napped Fabrics: Sewing Velvet, Corduroy and Suede

Nap is the raised surface of a fabric, whether the cut pile of velvet and corduroy or the brushed surface of suede. Stroke it one way and the surface lies smooth and looks lighter; stroke it the other way and it stands up, catching shadow and looking darker and richer. This directional shading is why nap matters so much.

The consequence is that every pattern piece must be cut with the nap running the same way, called a one-way or with-nap layout. Cutting some pieces up and some down produces panels that reflect light differently and appear to be different shades on the finished garment.

• Pile running downward (smooth to the touch): a lighter, more even, harder-wearing surface.
• Pile running upward (rough to the touch): a deeper, richer, more saturated color, common for velvet.
• Corduroy is usually cut with the pile running up for depth of color.
• Whatever you choose, mark the top of every piece and cut them all the same way.

Velvet is the most demanding of the three because its deep pile shifts under the presser foot and crushes under heat and pressure. The two layers creep as you sew, so pin generously within the seam allowance, or hand-baste, and use a walking foot to feed both layers evenly. Sewing in the direction of the nap also helps reduce shifting.

Never press velvet flat against a hard surface, which permanently crushes the pile. Use a needle board or a scrap of velvet face-up beneath the seam, apply steam from a distance, and finger-press or use minimal iron contact. Test on a scrap first, as pile and dye react unpredictably to heat.

Corduroy is a pile fabric whose surface is arranged in vertical ridges called wales, described by wale count, with wide wales being chunkier and pinwale being fine. It is more robust than velvet and easier to sew, but it still has a definite nap and must be cut one-way for even color.

Corduroy frays and its pile adds bulk at seams, so grade seam allowances to reduce lumps, finish raw edges, and consider a slightly longer stitch. A walking foot again helps the layers feed evenly, and pressing should be done gently to avoid flattening the wales.

Real suede is a leather with a brushed nap, sold in irregular hides rather than by the yard, so layouts must work around the shape and any flaws while keeping the brushed direction consistent. It cannot be pinned within the body of the piece, since holes are permanent, so use clips, weights and pins only inside seam allowances.

Faux suede, a napped synthetic sold by the yard, is far more forgiving and behaves like a stable napped woven, but it still has a direction and should be cut one-way. Both benefit from a leather or microtex needle, a longer stitch, and topstitching or glue rather than heavy pressing to set seams.

Cut napped fabrics in a single layer where possible so you can control the direction of every piece and, for suede, work around the hide. Mark the nap direction on the wrong side of each piece as you cut, because it is easy to lose track once pieces are separated.

Because one-way layouts consume more fabric, plan the cutting carefully. Minerva Patterns supplies made-to-measure patterns in DXF AAMA, PLT and PDF, which can be nested for a with-nap layout on a plotter, helping you calculate the extra yardage precisely and keep the nap consistent across every panel.