Sewing oilskin: In this post, I’ll share all my tips & tricks for working with waxed cotton and achieving its characteristic worn-in look!
What makes oilskin special?
Oilskin is a fabric that is usually made of cotton. It is not stretchy. You should keep this in mind when choosing your sewing projects.
What makes oilskin so special is its coating of natural waxes, which makes the fabric wind- and water-resistant: The wax seals the fabric.
Originally, the waxed fabric, which is also called waxed cotton, waxed canvas or waxcotton, was used as a material for protective clothing. Sailors and fishermen have long appreciated the water- and wind-resistant properties of the durable material.
Oilskin is very suitable for blousons, jackets, bags or backpacks.
One special feature of this trendy fabric: Where it is creased, cut, or perforated, it develops characteristic marks on the surface that stand out brightly against the fabric. Over time, during sewing and subsequent wear, more and more of these creases and folds appear. They give the fabric its trendy worn-in look!
Despite its coating, oilskin is soft and easy to handle, and feels light, cool, and comfortable to wear. It has a higher self-weight than regular cotton fabric.
Oilskin is available in different thicknesses and qualities. If you want to sew a particularly sturdy bag, for example, you should use oilskin heavy.
I’ll show you step by step how you can easily make oilskin yourself in a separate blog post. There are also more tips on working with oiled cloth & co. on SewSimple.
Oilskin for sewing beginners?
In my opinion, it’s the ideal material for beginners. Why?
- Oilskin does not roll at the edges
- Oilskin does not fray
- Pattern paper lies flat and secure on the grippy surface
- Oilskin can be worked fantastically with scissors or a rotary cutter and produces exceptionally clean cut edges
- Seams can be sewn with an overlocker and a regular sewing machine
What is the difference between oilskin and oilcloth?
By oilcloth, we mean what we usually know as oiled cloth: A stiff fabric made of cotton or blended fibers, from which placemats, sturdy bags, the back of aprons, laundry bags, and much more are made.
The back of the oiled cloth is sometimes roughened and has a textile-like feel, while the right fabric side is smooth and shiny.
Because it is so robust and sturdy, oiled cloth* is also very suitable for outdoor use.
The described properties make it very similar to faux leather when working with it.
I’ll share my tips and tricks for sewing with oiled cloth and faux leather with you in a separate blog post.
Marking oilskin
Oilskin can be very easily marked with a small "notch" using a needle point. But also notches, i.e., small V-shaped wedges within the seam allowance, work perfectly: Because the fabric does not fray, they are very precise.
But you can also use erasable pens for oilskin. Well, ironing is not the best for oilskin. But you can easily remove the markings with a warm hairdryer.
Chalk and chalk pens (like my beloved cartridge pen) should either not be used at all or only on the wrong fabric side. Chalk likes to cuddle with the waxy surface of the fabric. The two can form a really close bond. ;)
Marking seams on oilskin clothing
Hemming oilskin is incredibly easy: The forgiving material remembers creases and folds very well. I simply prepare the seams of oilskin jackets by folding the hem around my hem ruler*.
Then I can simply topstitch the hem.
What needle should I use to sew oilskin?
Please distinguish here whether you want to work with oilskin heavy or light.
You should sew the heavier version with a 90 or 100 universal needle* or a jeans needle*. The latter is particularly recommended if you are sewing a bag out of oilskin heavy and several fabric layers meet.
For the lighter version, an 80 universal needle* is sufficient.
Does oilskin have a grain?
Yes, it runs parallel to the woven edge.
Does oilskin have a right fabric side?
Currently, oilskin is only available in solid colors. With these fabrics, both fabric sides look identical.
What stitch length should I use to sew oilskin?
You can sew oilskin with any stitch you like. A slightly longer straight stitch is very good. For jackets, I like to use 3.5, for example. For bag projects, I prefer a stitch length of 2.5 to 3. Especially on curves, the stitch length should be reduced slightly so that the seams can shape beautifully.
Oilskin jackets can also be sewn perfectly with an overlocker. Then you can fold the seam to one side and topstitch it with a long straight stitch. That looks great on oilskin!
What should I keep in mind when sewing oilskin?
Oilskin can be worked very well with the sewing machine. It is easy to transport and does not stick to the presser foot like you know from oiled cloth, for example.
If you want to use pins, you should insert them within the seam allowance if possible, because otherwise you can see the regular punctures in the fabric. If that doesn't bother you (many marks, scratches, and creases appear during wear), you can ignore this tip.
And yes, fabric clips also leave marks in the fabric. :)
Do you need to finish the edges of oilskin?
You can. But you don't have to. Thanks to the coating, the fabric practically does not fray.
What sewing thread can I use to sew oilskin?
A good all-purpose sewing thread absolutely does the job here. For such occasions, I regularly recommend the Allesnäher* from Gütermann, which I now have in stock in all practical colors. It has simply never let me down. Important: I consistently use it on the bobbin as well!
By the way, a very good idea for oilskin heavy is a jeans thread* in a contrasting color. This gives you striking, durable seams that emphasize the robustness of the fabric.
Can you reinforce oilskin?
If you want to sew the oilskin light version and give your sewing project a bit more structure, you should definitely do it! However, because of the wax in the fabric, an iron-on interfacing is not a good idea. Instead, you can reinforce the pattern pieces with sew-in interfacing.
It works like this: Cut the pattern piece again from interfacing. Here you can use, for example, Vlieseline 295*. Then sew the interfacing all around your pattern piece within the seam allowance.
If you prefer to use iron-on interfacing, I recommend reinforcing the lining fabric instead of the outer fabric.
This works very well in most cases!
How can I wash oilskin?
You can wash the light oilskin variant in the washing machine at 30 degrees. It is best to choose a short program that does not stress the fabric too much. Hand washing in lukewarm water is also possible.
Oilskin heavy should rather not end up in the washing machine: The fabric would get unsightly creases that are then difficult to remove.
But you can also wonderfully clean your oilskin sewing project with a damp cloth.
To waterproof oilskin or refresh the wax film after washing, you can use sprays or waxes. I use the classic Skippis* spray, because waxing is too much of a hassle for me. There is quite a lot of surface area on such a jacket, so it is easy to get carried away... ;)
Can I iron oilskin?
Oilskin should, as far as possible, only be ironed at mild heat between two layers of baking paper. It would be better to avoid it altogether: Ironing heat melts the wax components in the fabric.
How can I remove the creases in the oilskin?
Complete removal of crease marks is usually not possible. They are caused by the wax layer breaking slightly and becoming lighter at the crease points. You also know this effect from sharpening wax candles: Where the smooth surface is broken, light marks appear.
Oilskin is designed exactly so that the fabric gets a beautiful patina through the creases. A little vintage, a little industrial. And simply very cool.
If you want to reduce the creases slightly, you can treat the fabric with a warm hairdryer. This reduces folds and creases slightly.
If you prefer to iron it, I recommend ironing it at mild heat (1 dot) between two layers of baking paper and then letting it cool flat.
Storing oilskin
Although you naturally crease the fabric while sewing, I still prefer to store oilskin rolled up.
Where can I order oilskin?
I discovered the oilskin* for my Lovis jacket at Hemmers. I like to wear bright colors on jackets too. Here I like the classic combination of the beautiful dark blue of the oilskin and the intense red of the tartan fabric*, which I also found at Hemmers.
The two layers work well together: The oilskin is water- and wind-resistant, the signal-red tartan is light and yet warming. This way, the lined version of the pattern does not feel heavy and is ideal for the transitional season.
My conclusion: Oilskin has become a real favorite material of mine.
I like how the material feels and I love the look. I also think it’s great that it is so natural. That’s why I also like to use it for children’s clothing.
The fact that oilskin is also fantastic to work with, of course, does not dampen my enthusiasm at all! ;)
Happy simple sewing,
your Sabine
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