Fabric Files: Rayon Challis
By Allie
Allie is the co-founder of Indiesew and creator of all things pretty on the site. Follow Allie and receive other Indiesew updates by subscribing to the blog.
In today's Fabric Files post, I'm talking about my favorite woven apparel fabric. My rayon challis addiction started back when I did most of my shopping at Target. In my early 20's flowy, rayon challis sundresses were my jam. I don't buy clothing from Target anymore, but my love for this lightweight fabric has only strengthened. It's such a great fabric to wear.
If you've never heard of rayon challis, or haven't sewn with it yet, pay close attention. Rayon challis is a somewhat rare apparel fabric that even the adventurous beginner can sew with! There are a few considerations that every sewist should take into account, but overall I expect you'll fall in love with rayon challis after just a few projects.
Rayon Challis Characteristics




How to Sew with Rayon Challis

- Avoid fabric shifting. Be extra mindful to layout and cut your fabric on the grain. After cutting your pattern pieces, avoid carrying them by one side or corner. When I carry my pattern pieces to my sewing machine or iron, I roll them up and carry them in the palm of my hand. I’ve also had great luck cutting my rayon challis with a layer of tissue paper underneath the fabric. The tension of the tissue paper in the scissors will prevent the fabric on top from shifting around as you cut your pattern pieces.
- Decide if you need a lining. You may come across a rayon challis that is semi-sheer. Consider lining your garment before you start your project. Make sure to test the transparency of the fabric in direct sunlight.
- Use your sharpest fabric shears. I find that Gingher Knife Edge Shears glide right through the fabric without any snags. When I’ve used crappy fabric scissors, snags and fabric shifting were more likely to happen.
- Sew with a new universal needle and all-purpose thread. Rayon challis is delicate, but not so much that a tiny needle is needed. Anna Maria Horner recommends using a brand new needle to prevent any possible fabric snags (source).
- Don’t stretch the fabric as you sew. Pay extra attention to how much tension you're applying to your fabric as you feed it through your machine. Because rayon can distort with extra tugging, don’t pull it through or pull back on the fabric as you sew.
- Let your item hang before you hem it. If you’ve finished your rayon challis project and found that you have a wonky hem, don’t stress. This is common. Let the item hang on a dress form or hanger for at least 24 hours and even up the hem before you finish that last satisfying step.
How to Buy Rayon Challis
- Fancy Tiger Crafts: a great selection of designer rayon. The quality from Fancy Tiger is always superb.
- Hawthorne Threads: Enter "rayon" into the search bar and you'll see how big their selection is. It's impressive!
- Fashion Fabrics: I've purchased some great rayon prints from Fashion Fabrics. I can't speak to the quality, as it seems to vary quite a bit. But it's a great place to start.
Designer rayon challis can be quite expensive, averaging around $15 per yard. But it's possible to find non-designer rayon challis fabric for as low as $5 per yard, so be sure to shop around.
How to Care for Rayon Challis
Garments Best Suited for Rayon Challis


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