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Turn Collars, Cuffs, Pockets, Yokes, Facings, and Other Details Into Eye-Catching Features With Coordinating Fabric
Sometimes a fabric remnant or small piece of fabric can completely change a garment.
You may begin with a very simple blouse, jacket, dress, or pair of pants, but once you add a contrasting collar, printed cuff, unexpected pocket, or beautifully coordinated facing, the garment suddenly looks different.
It looks intentional.
It looks customized.
And most importantly, it looks like something you designed rather than something copied directly from a commercial sewing pattern envelope.
Contrast fabric is one of my favorite ways to personalize a garment because you don't necessarily need to change the basic pattern.
Instead, you change selected pieces.
That makes contrast fabric an approachable designer technique for sewists who are beginning to experiment with pattern customization as well as experienced sewists looking for new ideas.
What Is Contrast Fabric?
Contrast fabric is a second fabric used to emphasize selected areas of a garment.
The contrast can come from:
Color
Texture
Fabric type
Pattern scale
Light and dark values
You might combine a solid navy fabric with a small floral print containing navy.
You could pair brown with a coordinating animal print.
A black garment could have red cuffs.
A floral blouse might have a solid collar pulled from one of the colors in the print.
Contrast doesn't always mean dramatically different.
Sometimes the most sophisticated contrast is subtle.
The goal is to make the fabrics look as though they were deliberately chosen to belong together.
Start With the Main Fabric
Choose your primary fabric first.
Then study it.
If it is a print, look closely at all the colors—not just the dominant color.
A floral print might contain:
Navy
Cream
Dusty rose
Olive
Burgundy
Any one of those colors could become your contrast fabric.
This is one of the easiest ways to coordinate fabrics successfully.
Choose a less obvious color from the print and repeat it somewhere else on the garment.
Suddenly that small color becomes much more noticeable.
Use a Print With a Solid
Combining a print with a solid is one of the easiest places to begin.
If your garment is primarily solid, add a print at the:
Collar
Cuffs
Yoke
Facing
Hem band
Placket
If your garment is primarily printed, reverse the idea.
Use a solid contrast fabric.
A busy floral blouse can look beautifully balanced with a solid collar and cuffs.
A printed jacket might look more sophisticated with solid pocket flaps.
Contrast works in both directions.
Designer Idea 1: Contrast Collars
The collar is an excellent place for contrast because it is close to the face and naturally attracts attention.
Imagine a simple solid blouse with a floral collar.
Or a printed dress with a solid collar.
A contrast collar can make even a very basic pattern look completely different.
You could use:
Floral prints
Polka dots
Stripes
Checks
Small geometric prints
Coordinating solids
Lace overlays
If the collar is already part of the pattern, this modification may require no pattern alteration at all.
Simply cut the collar pieces from your contrast fabric.
Designer Idea 2: Contrast Cuffs
Cuffs are another wonderful place to introduce a second fabric.
A solid long-sleeved blouse could have floral cuffs.
A denim shirt could have checked cuffs.
A printed jacket could have solid cuffs.
You can also place contrast fabric only on the inside of the cuff.
When the cuff is worn normally, the garment appears fairly simple.
Turn the cuff back and the contrast fabric is revealed.
I particularly like this kind of detail because it feels like a little design surprise.
Designer Idea 3: Contrast Pockets
Pockets are practical, but they can also become decorative.
Instead of trying to hide a patch pocket by matching the fabric perfectly, make it a feature.
Use:
A printed pocket on a solid garment
A solid pocket on a print
Contrast pocket flaps
Contrast piping around the pocket
A different fabric for the upper pocket edge
You can also use contrast fabric inside the pocket.
It may only be visible occasionally, but those little details contribute to the handmade quality of the garment.
Designer Idea 4: Contrast Yokes
Yokes provide a larger area for contrast and can dramatically change the look of a garment.
A blouse with a floral yoke and solid body can look completely different from the same blouse made entirely from one fabric.
Contrast yokes work beautifully on:
Blouses
Shirts
Dresses
Jackets
Denim garments
Western-style shirts
Nightwear
A yoke can also be made from lace layered over another fabric for an elegant effect.
Designer Idea 5: Contrast Facings
Contrast doesn't always have to be visible from across the room.
Sometimes the best designer details are discovered only when the garment moves.
A contrast facing can add an unexpected touch inside:
A jacket
A blouse
A cardigan
A dress
A neckline
A front opening
Imagine opening a solid navy jacket and seeing a beautiful floral facing inside.
That small detail may not be obvious when the jacket is buttoned, but it makes the garment feel special.
These hidden details are part of what makes sewing your own clothing so rewarding.
Designer Idea 6: Contrast Plackets
If your blouse, shirt, jacket, or dress has a front placket, consider making it from contrast fabric.
A narrow strip of print running down the front of a solid blouse can create a strong vertical design line.
You could also use the main fabric for the outer placket and contrast fabric underneath.
The contrast then becomes visible only when the garment is partially unbuttoned.
Designer Idea #7: Contrast Sleeve Details
You don't have to make an entire sleeve from another fabric.
Use contrast selectively.
Try:
Contrast cuffs
A contrast sleeve band
A printed lower sleeve
Contrast piping
A small appliqué
A contrast sleeve tab
You could even divide a sleeve pattern and introduce a second fabric into one section.
If you alter the actual pattern piece, remember to add appropriate seam allowances where the new seam is created.
Designer Idea 8: Contrast Hem Bands
The hem is another area that can be turned into a design feature.
Add a contrast band to the bottom of:
A blouse
Tunic
Dress
Skirt
Jacket
Sleeve
A hem band can also add length.
If you've made a garment and later decide it's a little shorter than you'd like, a coordinating contrast band may solve the problem while looking completely intentional.
That is both practical and creative.
Designer Idea 9: Contrast Waistbands
A contrast waistband can visually define the waist and connect other details in the garment.
For example, imagine a floral dress with:
A solid waistband
Matching solid cuffs
Matching covered buttons
Now the contrast color repeats throughout the design.
Repetition is important because it makes contrast fabric look intentional rather than accidental.
Designer Idea 10: Contrast Hoods
Hoods are ideal for contrast fabric because they have both an inside and an outside.
A solid jacket might have a printed hood lining.
A denim jacket could have a plaid hood lining.
A casual knit cardigan might have a coordinating stripe inside the hood.
The hood becomes much more interesting without changing the overall versatility of the garment.
Use Contrast Fabric on Pants
Contrast fabric isn't only for tops and jackets.
It can also be used on pants.
Try contrast fabric for:
Pocket linings
Waistband facings
Cuffs
Side panels
Belt loops
Pocket flaps
A very small amount of print inside a waistband or pocket can add personality without making the pants difficult to coordinate with tops.
Use Contrast Fabric on Skirts
Skirts provide even more opportunities.
Consider:
A contrast waistband
Contrast pockets
A contrast hem band
Alternating panels
A contrast yoke
Contrast belt loops
A printed lining
A simple A-line skirt could look completely different with a bold contrast hem.
Use Contrast Fabric on Dresses
A dress gives you a large canvas for experimenting with contrast.
You could use one fabric for the main dress and another for:
The sleeves
Collar
Cuffs
Waistband
Pockets
Yoke
Hem
Belt
Button placket
Imagine a solid dress with a floral collar, cuffs, and self-fabric belt made from the same floral contrast.
Those three repeated details connect the entire design.
Repeat the Contrast
One of the easiest ways to make contrast fabric look polished is to repeat it.
If you use floral fabric on the cuffs, consider repeating a small amount somewhere else.
Perhaps:
The collar
A pocket
Covered buttons
A belt
A narrow hem detail
The repetition doesn't have to be equal.
Your collar might be entirely floral while the pockets only have narrow floral piping.
The eye recognizes the connection.
That creates visual harmony.
Don't Overdo It
Contrast fabric is powerful.
That means you don't need to use it everywhere.
If the collar, cuffs, pockets, waistband, sleeves, yoke, and hem are all contrasting, the design may begin to look busy.
Choose a few areas that deserve attention.
Ask yourself:
Where do I want the eye to go?
If the neckline is your focal point, use contrast there.
If you want to emphasize a beautiful sleeve, concentrate on the cuff.
If the garment has interesting pockets, make them the feature.
Good design often involves knowing when to stop.
Mix Prints Carefully
You can combine two prints, but it requires a little more thought.
One approach is to vary the scale.
Pair:
A large floral with a small dot
A wide stripe with a tiny floral
A large geometric print with a subtle check
The prints should also share at least one coordinating color.
If both prints are equally large, equally colorful, and equally dominant, they may compete.
Let one print lead and the other support it.
Consider Fabric Weight
Color and print aren't the only things that need to coordinate.
The fabrics should also behave appropriately together.
A very heavy fabric may not work well as the collar of an extremely lightweight blouse.
A slippery satin cuff may behave differently from a stable cotton sleeve.
Before combining fabrics, consider:
Weight
Drape
Stretch
Shrinkage
Care requirements
Surface texture
Whenever possible, prewash fabrics according to how the finished garment will be cared for.
You don't want one fabric shrinking while the other doesn't.
Use Scraps From Previous Sewing Projects
Contrast details are an excellent way to use fabric scraps.
That beautiful piece of floral cotton left from another blouse may not be large enough to make another garment.
But it might be perfect for:
Cuffs
A collar
Pockets
A facing
Covered buttons
A small yoke
A waistband
Instead of seeing small fabric pieces as leftovers, begin seeing them as design materials.
A scrap basket can become a designer's resource.
Make a Fabric Audition
Before cutting your pattern, lay the fabrics together.
Then step away.
Look at them from several feet away.
Does one overpower the other?
Do they share a color?
Does the contrast enhance the main fabric?
Try folding the contrast fabric so that only a small amount is visible.
This gives you a better idea of how it will look when used for a cuff or collar.
You can also photograph the fabrics together.
Sometimes viewing them in a photograph makes it easier to judge the combination.
Think Beyond the Pattern Envelope
If a commercial pattern shows the entire garment made from one fabric, that doesn't mean you have to make it that way.
Look at the pattern pieces individually.
Ask yourself:
Could the collar be different?
What about the cuffs?
Could I make the pockets stand out?
Would a printed facing look beautiful?
Could I add a contrast hem?
What if the yoke were another fabric?
This is exactly how a simple commercial sewing pattern begins becoming your own design.
Create a Coordinated Handmade Wardrobe
Contrast fabric can also help you connect garments throughout your wardrobe.
Suppose you make a floral jacket containing black, cream, brown, and burgundy.
Those colors can guide your future sewing projects.
You might sew:
Black pants
A cream top
A burgundy blouse
A brown skirt
Then use scraps from the floral jacket as small contrast details on one or more coordinating pieces.
Suddenly several separately sewn garments look as though they were designed as a collection.
That is thoughtful wardrobe sewing.
Contrast Fabric Is a Small Detail With Big Possibilities
You don't need complicated pattern alterations to make handmade clothing look distinctive.
Sometimes all it takes is cutting one pattern piece from another fabric.
Change the collar.
Turn back a floral cuff.
Add a contrast pocket.
Line the hood with a print.
Add a coordinating waistband.
Use a beautiful fabric inside the facing.
Repeat that contrast once or twice elsewhere.
These are relatively small sewing decisions, but they can have an enormous effect on the finished garment.
The next time you pull out a commercial sewing pattern, don't only ask which fabric you'll use.
Ask:
"Which fabrics could I use?"
That one change in thinking opens the door to an entirely different kind of sewing.
The pattern provides the foundation.
The fabric choices make it yours.
Find the Perfect Contrast Fabric for Your Next Garment
Ready to give your next handmade garment a designer-inspired touch? Browse the sewing fabrics and fabric remnants available at The Needle Market Shop.
Fabric remnants can be perfect for adding contrast details without purchasing more fabric than you need. Use smaller pieces to create coordinating collars, cuffs, pockets, facings, waistbands, yokes, bindings, covered buttons, and other special details.
While you're shopping, explore the sewing pattern collection for garments with interesting design elements just waiting to be customized.
Mix a print with a solid. Pull a coordinating color from a favorite fabric. Combine remnants from different projects. Then turn those smaller pieces of fabric into details that make your garment uniquely yours.
Flat-rate shipping on eligible physical items at The Needle Market Shop makes it easier to combine fabrics, remnants, and sewing patterns in one shipment and save on postage while building your sewing collection.
Shop The Needle Market's fabric section and discover how a small piece of fabric can make a big difference in your next handmade garment.
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