Sewing With Burlap

Burlap has taken the world of interior decorating by storm.  It's everywhere, and it's just so . . . cute!  I can almost hear my grandparents puzzling over why the fabric used for potato sacks and other such industrial purposes in their generation now adorns our homes!

Burlap has amazing texture and a great natural, down-to-earth kind of feel like linen, but much, much more affordable.  It's made of jute, which is a strong and durable natural fibre derived from plants and is very environmentally friendly; however, it has some catches.  It is not the easiest fabric to work with.  It's heavy, rough, hairy, loosely woven, and it has a kind of musty, root-cellar like smell to it.  Perhaps the biggest catch with burlap when it comes to home decor, is that it's not easy to wash.

For the last week I have been experimenting with burlap in home decor.  Here's some tips I have to pass on to those about to jump aboard the burlap-bandwagon:

1) If you're going to wash it, do it by hand.  
Burlap is strong and durable, but it will disintegrate in the wash.  Hand wash smaller pieces, squeeze out excess water and roll in a towel.  For larger pieces, use the hand-wash/wool setting on your washer with a slow-medium spin.  Prepare to clean out your washer once it's done, it will leave a mess behind! Lay flat to air-dry.  You can use regular detergents and softeners if that's your thing, or vinegar if you're into a more natural clean. It will buckle and wrinkle like crazy, but irons well.

My thoughts on pre-washing:
Honesty - I would skip it.  I've read some things that said that pre-washing can reduce the smell and make it softer - but I didn't find that much of a difference.  Pre-washing left the fabric super-wrinkly, and kind of thin.  I also read some things suggesting that burlap will shrink significantly when washed.  I didn't find the shrinkage too bad, and because of the loose weave, it can be ironed and stretched back into shape after washing.  However, my bottom line is that I just wouldn't suggest using burlap on items that need to be washed frequently.

2) When cutting, give your pieces an extra inch of seam allowance. 
Because of it's loose weave and fibrous texture, cut edges on burlap will fray and unfurl very easily.  You can find yourself quickly loosing ground, so give yourself some extra room.

3) Finish all edges and seams with a zig-zag stitch.
Don't skip this step, it really is necessary. Again, because of burlap's loose weave and fibrous texture, your seams will come apart on you if you don't secure them with a zig-zag stitch.

4) Have a vacuum on hand.
Because of it's hairy texture, burlap tends to shed.  When you're cutting and sewing with it, prepare to have burlap fibres flying everywhere and getting on everything.  Some people can be quite allergic to burlap.  If you're a person who struggles with seasonal allergies, or asthma, burlap will not be your friend. Expect a mess!  You'll want to suck up all of the junk left behind in your sewing room and from the interior of your sewing machine.

5) Have some extra needles on hand.
Burlap is tough and woody!  Don't be surprised if you break a needle or two when sewing thick folded sections (I broke 4!)

6) Use a hot iron.
In my experience burlap has no issues with high heat.  It did not burn or wither with a hot iron, and held a crease nicely when ironed.  I read somewhere that jute is flame retardant, but I didn't personally test that. Cotton/linen setting worked for me!

6) Other care tips:

I've read that burlap will disintegrate in direct sunlight.  I haven't tested this, but I can see the fibres becoming dry and brittle if baked in the sun.  To extend the longevity of your item, I would probably avoid too much sun.

Burlap will disintegrate when wet.  It's probably not the best fabric to use in areas of high humidity like the bathroom.  Moisture also really seems to bring out that musty smell!  When/if you need to wash it, don't let it stay wet long.

The smell:  I read some things saying that pre-washing helped lessen the smell, but I didn't find it helped all that much even when using scented detergents and softeners.  I've heard other suggestions like sprinkling it with baking soda (which just seems really messy to me), or storing it with dryer sheets, but honestly, what worked best for me, was to just let it air out.  After a couple of days, the smell seemed to lessen significantly.

I would love to hear your tips and thoughts!  What have you discovered when working with burlap?

Wanna see what I made?  Check out the new burlap products in my ETSY SHOP!