How to choose the best fabrics for Slow Stitching
In slow stitching, the fabric is more than a textile to stitch onto; it’s part of your rhythm, your palette, and your story. The weave, texture, and even the fabric's history influence how your stitches feel beneath your fingers. Whether you’re working with linen, cotton, hemp, silk, or a repurposed tablecloth found at the op-shop (thrift-store), the right fabric helps your stitching feel gentle and connected.
Why fabric choice matters in Slow Stitching
The beauty of slow stitching lies in its quiet attention. Every choice, from the needle to the thread to the fabric, changes how your work feels. A loosely woven linen moves differently than a crisp cotton; a piece of old silk invites care and softness. The right fabric doesn’t just support your stitching; it shapes your whole experience of making.
Hand stitching and embroidery allows space for feeling, thinking, and being present. Your needle glides through the fabric with rhythm, and the cloth responds. Choosing your fabric thoughtfully deepens that dialogue between hand, thread, and textile.
It ultimately doesn’t matter what the fabric components are, what matters is what you love the feel and look of the piece while you’re creating it, and perhaps when (if) it’s finished. It’s about the experience.
Having said that, I thought I’d share some more details about what sort of fabrics I like to use for my slow stitching, hand embroidery, botanical dye, and even my improv quilting. There’s no right fabric, experiment and explore, test fabrics out and see what become your favourites.
Understanding fabric weight and weave
When selecting fabric for slow stitching, weight and weave play a vital role in the feel of the stitching, the ease with which you’ll be able to work, the layers you can build up, and ultimately what your piece will feel or look like when you’ve finished.
Fabric weight, often listed as grams per square metre (gsm) or ounces per square yard (oz/yd²), is a crucial factor in fabric selection for slow stitching. Lighter fabrics, like fine cottons and silks typically range from 50–150 gsm (2–4 oz), while medium weights like linen or quilting cotton are 150–250 gsm (4–7 oz).
Silk is also measured in momme (mm), which is a Japanese unit of mass. 1mm = 3.75 grams. A fine silk can be anything from 3mm for a tissue silk, through to 25mm for a heavier weight hand loomed raw silk.
Heavier fabrics, such as denim or canvas, can reach 300 gsm (9 oz) or more. The weight of the fabric affects how it drapes, how it feels in your hand, and how it holds stitches, making it an essential consideration in your fabric selection process.
For slow stitching, a medium-weight fabric usually feels best to use as a base cloth to start with. It’s soft enough for your needle to pass through easily, but with enough body to hold the stitches. Something “a little finer than a tea towel” is often ideal - sturdy yet gentle.
Weave, the way the threads are arranged in the fabric, is another crucial factor in selecting fabric for slow stitching. It affects the texture of your stitches. Looser weaves, such as linen or homespun cotton, let your thread move freely, creating a more fluid and organic stitch texture.
Tight weaves, like quilting cotton, offer more resistance and defined stitch placement, resulting in a more structured and controlled stitch texture. There’s no right or wrong, just what feels right in your hand and suits your project.
I love to use a mixture of different weights and weaves in a piece, depending on what I’m making and the way it will be handled. A thicker linen is so lovely with fine silk stitched on top.
vintage Japanese fabrics, indigo linen and hemp
assorted fabrics and scraps - silk, cotton, linen
Natural plant fibres: linen, cotton, hemp, and ramie
Linen
Linen is truly one of my favourites. Made from flax, it’s strong, breathable, and slightly slubby. Each weave has its own rhythm; the needle glides easily through looser linens, while tighter weaves give more resistance and structure. Linen’s natural tones also pair beautifully with hand-dyed or botanical threads.
Linen fabrics are often wider than a quilting cotton, typically around 150 cm (59 inches). This extra width makes them perfect for base layers or larger projects.
There are variations in quality of linen, so please do look out for this when purchasing. Older linens, table cloth, tea towels, even second hand clothes, can be the most beautiful to use. It seems harder than ever to find these rare vintage linens. European as this is often some of the more beautiful, when buying new fabrics.
Here’s a few places that I purchase linen from, when buying new:
3H Linen have a beautiful selection of delicious colours, and various weights to play with. This is a premium European linen.
Linen Line is good for blank base cloth, for natural dyeing or hand painting.
Cotton
Cotton is soft, versatile, and forgiving; an excellent choice for beginners. Quilting cotton, often around 112–115 cm (44–45 inches) wide, is consistent and smooth, though its dense weave can sometimes make hand stitching slower.
While it’s one of the most obvious choices of all fabrics, it’s worth finding different types to play with.
You can find cotton in all sorts of weights and weaves. The most common would be for clothing - think men’s shirts or lovely summery cotton dresses - or quilting fabric. Though I also find that many tea towels and table linens nowadays are also made of cotton.
Double gauze a soft and floaty cotton. It’s made up of two pieces of very fine gauze fabric that are stitched together. It can be harder to sew, particularly sewing clothes, as it shifts about a lot while working with it. But it’s worth the effort as it’s divine.
Many years ago I made this Nani Iro double gauze quilt. I used some of my most ever in the whole world favourite fabric. Thankfully my friend still uses the quilt today.
Have a look at the whole Nani Iro fabric collection here. When we were in Japan last year, I made the trek to Osaka and found her atelier only to realise it was closed for that one day. Sadness indeed. I’ll be back again!
You can generally easily find Nani Iro fabric online, though collections often sell out. Hence my sadness that I’ve used up all the pieces from that one heart-ful collection.
Here’s a few places that sell Nani Iro, by designed Naomi Ito, online:
Miss Matatabi has been selling quality fabrics on Etsy for 18 years. When I’ve purchased from there, I’ve always loved what I received.
Kokka Fabrics are the official distributor. And if you have a meander through their collections you might find some inspiration for a new quilt or jacket or ….
Denim is a certain weave of fabric, though we do often associate it with jeans. It’s the actual twill of the weave, rather than the denim. Check out this amazing video by Front Office Co that explains what denim weave is. I mean, look at that fingerprint denim!
It’s a fabulous fabric to work with, but generally very thick. So do consider what layers you’re putting onto it, and make sure that you have the correct needle for fabric and thread combinations. You may need some pliers to pull your needle through, if your denim is quite thick.
Beautiful soft linen from 3H Linen. {image credit}
linen fabric hand dyed using natural and botanical dyes
Hemp
Hemp is linen’s close cousin; strong, sustainable, and rich in texture. It softens with age and washing, and often comes in wider bolts (around 150 cm). Because hemp fibres are long and durable, it’s ideal for slow stitching that celebrates texture and imperfection. I’ve been using hemp fabric in my business, since the early days. We used to screen print and then sew it up into homewares. It really is a beautiful fabric, and I think very under-utilised.
Hemp requires less water and fewer chemicals during cultivation than cotton, which makes it a great choice when considering the environmental impacts in your creative practice. It is often much harder to find, and I’d be very surprised if you come across any at your local second-hand shop.
But there are some great online shops dedicated to supplying hemp. I’ve been purchasing from Hemp Gallery and Hemp WA for years, and they both have a big selection of weights and weaves, as well as colours. When woven with other fibres hemp provides the antibacterial and durability properties, while something like silk provides the shimmery sheen.
improv quilts sewn with linen, silk, hemp, and upcycled fabrics
improv quilt with naturally dyed linen, cotton, silk, and second-hand clothes
Natural animal fibres: silk and wool
Silk
Silk is a joy to stitch on when you’re seeking delicacy. Its surface can vary from matte to glossy, depending on the type (raw silk, dupioni, chiffon, habotai, and more). I love to use scraps of silk and put them in my dye pots for colour experiments, then they’re perfect for using in my little slow stitch projects.
Lots of fine running stitch build up amazing texture when you layer silk onto linen or cotton. You’ll get a bumpy feel, that can be accentuated depending on your fabric choices, your thread, and your stitch tension.
Be gentle, though; silk can fray at the edges, and your needle needs to be extra fine. Always test first, and if you’re new to stitching on silk, consider using it as an accent rather than a base.
I love using silk from vintage kimonos if I can. Have a look on Etsy if there’s anything nearby to you, or just pop over to the flea markets in Kyoto!
Kraft Kolour in Australia is where I often buy my silk, but We Are The Fabric Store sells a lot of deadstock, which is an excellent way to discover what silk you like using, and make sure you’re using something that may have gone to landfill.
Wool
Wool fabrics, especially felted wool or lightweight wool suiting, add warmth and texture. The needle moves differently through wool, offering a cushioned resistance that can feel meditative. It’s ideal for applique or stitched collages that call for depth and texture.
There's something inherently comforting about working with wool. Its gentle weight and natural spring remind you of where it comes from: the sheep, the land, the seasons. As you stitch, the fabric often softens under your touch, creating a quiet, tactile connection that feels deeply comforting, especially in the cooler months.
I love using woollen felt as it takes natural dyes marvellously, is soft and luscious to stitch with, and doesn’t need finishing, as it doesn’t fray. A blanket stitch is a perfect edging to round off a stitch project.
I buy felt from Indigo Inspirations, and dye it myself. You can also find pure wool felt on Etsy, from many local small businesses in your area.
I’ve also used woollen blankets as the backing for quilts - such a lovely way to have the warmth and nourishment of a blanket, while having the fun of the pieced top.
These Australian wool blankets from Creswick Wool are a beautiful quality - many are made using recycled wool, which is an excellent initiative. A beautiful blanket to sit on while you do your slow stitching.
second-hand silk, Japanese cotton, and Nani Iro double gauze with slow stitching and quilting
wool felt dyed with coreopsis and eucalyptus, hand stitched with slow stitching and blanket stitch
Up-cycled and second-hand fabrics
One of the most meaningful ways to begin a slow-stitching project is to use fabrics that already have a story. A worn tablecloth, a cotton napkin, an old shirt, a vintage dress, or a piece of a family heirloom; these are treasures waiting to be stitched into something new. The history and character of these fabrics can add a unique dimension to your slow stitching project.
When hunting for materials at the op-shop (thrift-store), look for natural fibres - cotton or linen, silk or wool. It can be hard to determine if the fibre is 100% natural, as some synthetic fibres are very good replicas. Honestly, it doesn’t matter too much. If you can’t tell if it’s silk or acrylic, pure linen or a man-made rayon it doesn’t matter. If you love the feel of the fabric, and want to add it into your stitching then that’s ok.
There is so much fashion waste, that using second hand clothes is a great thing, regardless of it being the ‘right’ fabric.
Do make sure to check that the weave isn’t too dense. Lower thread-count fabrics are easier to stitch through, while poly-cotton blends can feel stiff and resist your needle.
Old table linens and bed sheets make excellent base cloths, as do natural-dye test pieces or scraps from quilting projects. And really, there’s no fabric too small. Even tiny pieces can be layered or joined into patchwork-style slow stitching works.
I love using vintage Kimonos or Saris. While I did buy my kimono silk and cotton direct from Japan, there are quite a few places online that sell it.
You can often find endless baskets of scarves at the second-hand shops near me - these can be a good sized piece of fabric, and are often light and floaty. I find that they’re often polyester fabric, but search whenever you have the time and you might find a hidden treasure.
Table napkins or placemats found second-hand make beautiful starting points, and their ready hemmed edges can even frame your stitching. Shirts or coats can have fabulous features to utilise in your stitching projects.
Check out denim jackets, men’s shirts, summer cotton dresses, and even children’s clothes are good options for different weights of fabric. Don’t be limited to only looking in the haberdashery section of your second-hand shop.
The joy of using second hand fabric is in more than just the feel of the fabric itself, but the challenge of working with wonky shapes or sizes, special features, or colours you might not usually chose.
Sustainability and the beauty of using what you have
Slow stitching is not just about the art; it's also about sustainability. It’s about using what’s on hand; valuing the imperfect, the worn, and the leftover. Every reused fabric piece prevents the consumption of new resources, making each stitch a small act of care for the planet. It's a way to be responsible and eco-conscious in your craft.
In Australia alone, around 227,000 tonnes of textiles are sent to landfill each year (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2022). In the United States, the EPA estimates 11.3 million tonnes of textiles end up in landfills annually (EPA, 2021). And the American quilting industry, for all its beauty, produces an estimated 60 million pounds of cotton waste each year through offcuts and remnants (Textile Waste Journal, 2020).
Slow stitching and improvisational quilting turns that narrative around. It reminds us that even scraps have value, and that creativity often begins where waste would otherwise end.
second hand fabrics, silk / cotton mix naturally dyed with eucalyptus and iron water
slow stitching onto offcuts from Brisbane fashion label Dogstar. Ramie fabric
Mixing fabrics and embracing imperfection
While natural fibres are generally best for hand stitching, that doesn’t mean synthetics are forbidden. Some synthetic fabrics mimic the feel of natural fibres so closely that they’re difficult to tell apart. I can be found searching for hidden tags up the seams of dresses and shirts at op-shops, or rubbing my fingers across the weave and putting the fabric up to the light to catch the shimmer.
If you’re not making a garment or quilt that requires breathability, there’s no harm in using what you already have. The most important thing is the connection to your materials. As long as your fabric moves comfortably under your needle, and you’re inspired by it, it belongs in your slow stitching.
Mixing fibres, say, a cotton base with silk scraps or linen overlays, can create lovely textures. In fact most of my pieces are a combination of fibres, weights, and weaves. I don’t limit myself to just using one thing. I pick up what delights me or inspires me. I add something here and there if it works, if it feels right and sings to me.
Here’s a few other places I like to purchase fabric from:
Ink & Spindle: You can buy meterage of their hand screen printed linens, but they also sell lovely off cut bundle packs that are a great way to add small precious patterns to your stitching.
Merchant and Mills sell divine fabrics that are sourced from India (block prints), Japan (delicious fibres and colours), recycled cotton, and European linens and cotton.
We Are The Fabric Store is a treasure trove off different fabric possibilities. They source dead stock (which is end of roll that designers off cast from their seasonal ranges) which is a fabulous way to get your hands on some special designer prints you’d usually see in fancy shops. They also have a wonderful linen range, as well as lots of other fabrics.
I often like to buy sample pieces from a new fabric shop, if I’m purchasing online. Not only is this a good way to test if you like the feel, but it gives you some lovely little pieces to add to your stitching.
The fabric beneath your hands
There’s no single “perfect” fabric for slow stitching; only the one that feels right in your hands. Maybe it’s a piece of soft linen, a faded cotton sheet, or the corner of an old tablecloth that’s held a thousand family meals. What matters most is how it feels as the needle moves through it.
Slow stitching isn’t about perfection; it’s about connection. When we choose fabrics that already hold history, we honour both the material and the moment.
You might like these other blog posts about slow stitching, natural dye, and how to choose fabric:
