Why Are We So Obsessed with Gingham?
How has a simple two-colour check pattern like gingham survived generations of fashion trends? Long associated with a summer country aesthetic, gingham achieved iconic status with Dorothy’s blue gingham dress in the Wizard of Oz and later Brigitte Bardot’s famous pink gingham wedding dress in the 1950s, forever changing the perception that bridal gowns had to be white.
Gingham’s ability to feel vintage or modern, playful, or preppy smart, has enabled it to continuously adapt to prevailing fashion trends. It is a favourite with many sewists and is great for beginners dabbling in pattern matching.
Wonderfully versatile in a wide range of applications there’s very little you can’t do with gingham. To help you understand how you can use gingham in your dressmaking, quilting and furnishing projects, Fabrics Galore has created this guide for you.
What is Gingham?
Definition of Gingham:
- A recognisable 2-colour check, usually with white
- Usually woven rather than printed
- Reversible: it has the same appearance on both sides of the fabric
- Traditionally made from yarn-dyed 100% cotton, it is now commonly supplied as polycotton blends or linen blends
- The check size can vary from very small to quite large squares
The History of Gingham
Across the globe, many countries claim gingham fabric to be a staple of their own textile history and culture. As an example, in Europe, gingham has been associated with country-style, rustic symbolism making the fabric a popular choice for tablecloths, curtains, aprons and practical workwear. Throughout the 20th century, it was worn frequently by Hollywood stars, elevating it from a workwear print to haute couture. In the modern day, gingham is considered to be a vintage pattern which is still a bestseller in fabric shops everywhere.
Gingham fabric is easily recognised by the square chequered design. However, it is not widely known that gingham doesn’t mean check or checked, as "gingham" comes from the Malayan word genggang, meaning "striped.” It is thought that gingham was originally imported by the Dutch who called it “ginggang” as a striped fabric from Malaysia and then by the French who began to manufacture in Vichy, France. In fact, the French and Spanish still call gingham “Vichy". Another theory is that the gingham fabric we know and love may have originated in Guingamp, a town in Brittany, France.
With all the uncertainty surrounding its origins, we do know for sure that by the mid-18th century, the mills of Manchester started to weave the textile into checked or tartan patterns, mostly blue and white. By the 1970s gingham was commonly used for primary school age children’s uniforms in hard-wearing crease-free polycotton blends, especially girls’ summer dresses. Now widely adopted by modern fashion brands , gingham shirts have been a staple of men’s shirt and women’s summer dress wardrobes for years.
Gingham has always been versatile, found in just about every colour of the rainbow, and when made in natural fibres like cotton, it's breathable, comfortable to wear, sturdy enough to give good coverage and can be as bold or subtle as you like depending on the colour and size of the check.
Choosing the Right Gingham Fabric for your Project
Check the Fibre Content
- If you want a breathable gingham for cool summer garments choose 100% cotton gingham.
- If you want an easy care, robust gingham, pick a polyester and cotton blend gingham.
- Always use a 100% cotton gingham for patchwork and quilting projects.
Check the Weight
- Fabric weight expressed as gsm is an important factor in your gingham selection.
- Lightweight ginghams under 115gsm are perfect for summer clothing.
- Medium weight ginghams around 165gsm are perfect for winter pyjamas.
- Furnishing weight ginghams should be a heavier weight around 290gsm.
- Look for quilting ginghams which are a similar weight to your other quilt fabrics .
Check Size is Important
Small gingham check
Best for: children’s clothes, blouses and shirts, quilting, accessories.
Medium gingham check
Best for: dresses, skirts, tops, pyjamas
Large gingham check
Best for: statement dresses, trousers, cushions, curtains and other furnishing projects.
Top Tip: pick smaller checks if you are a beginner sewist, as larger checks require more careful pattern matching.
What can you make with gingham fabric?
Here at Fabrics Galore London, we stock a wide variety of gingham fabrics, which are available in gorgeous colours ready to inspire your next project. So, what kind of creations can you design using these chequered patterns?
Dressmaking Gingham Ideas
Gingham fabric has always been used in dresses, becoming very fashionable in the years following World War I, allowing people to follow fashion and buy inexpensive ready-to-wear clothes. If you are looking to make some beautiful summer dresses, dressmaking gingham is the perfect choice as the cotton allows air to circulate and move freely through the fabric.
Gingham dresses
- sundresses
- shirt dresses
- tiered dresses
- pinafores
Tilly & The Buttons Indigo Dress by @zoeandherstitches in our dark blue ginham
Gingham tops
- Puff sleeved blouses
- Peplum blouses
- Cropped shirts
- Camisoles
Friday Pattern Company Sagebrush Blouse and Fabrics Galore reversible double gauze ginghams
Gingham Skirts and Trousers
- Mini, Midi and Maxi Skirts
- Trousers
- Culottes
- Shorts
Gingham Accessories
- Scrunchies
- Headbands
- Bucket hats
- Bags
- Aprons
Gingham Quilting Ideas
Gingham fabric is the perfect choice for quilting, as the designs and colours are so diverse, you can really experiment with different designs. The small and medium-size ginghams can really add something unique to quilting projects to create interest, especially when mixed with plain cotton patchwork fabrics or a contrasting pattern.
- Patchwork quilts
- Table Runners
- Baby blankets
- Quilted bags
Why Quilters Love Gingham
- Easy Cutting lines
- Adds structure
- Pairs beautifully with plains and florals
- Creates visual interest
Gingham for Home Furnishings
There are so many different furnishing projects you can undertake with gingham fabric. The classic café look starts and ends with red gingham after all, although the various colours and sizes of gingham fabric are perfect for creating any household linens that you can think of. For example, if you are looking to enhance your dining room space, a check tablecloth and matching napkins go a long way in tying the dining room together, sewing your own simple kitchen curtains is a great project, especially for beginners. Blending gingham with other prints like florals is a great way to create a vintage cottagecore look for your home.
Gingham Furnishing Project Ideas
Kitchen Ideas
- Cupboard and sink skirts
- Tablecloths
- Tea Towels
- Napkins
- Café style curtains
Bedroom Ideas
- Cushion Covers
- Lampshades
- Bed skirts
- Headboards
- Storage Baskets
Living Room ideas
- Curtains
- Roman Blinds
- Cushion covers
- Chair covers
Tips for Sewing with Gingham
- Pre-wash gingham with cotton content in case of shrinkage.
- Iron before cutting to press flat.
- Establish whether your gingham is woven and is the same on both sides. If printed make sure you are using the correct side.
- Before cutting, decide whether you want the checks to run straight or on the bias.
- Use the edges of the check as a cutting guide.
- Check the pattern placement and check again!
- Check your pattern instructions and tutorials for advice on pattern matching side seams, collars, cuffs, pockets and shirt fronts.
Best Sewing Patterns for Gingham
A child’s or teen gingham dress
McCalls Child-Teen Dresses Pattern
A gingham skirt
Tilly & The Buttons Luella Skirt Pattern
A gingham Pyjama set
Matchy Matchy Ruffle Brunch Set
The Gingham Collection at Fabrics Galore London
With so many gingham fabric options on our website, you could let your imagination run wild. Our selection grows by the day and is one of the most popular fabric options we have available. We stock dressmaking ginghams from just £5 per half metre, which are suitable for dressmaking, quilting and face masks.
Our Dressmaking Ginghams
Gingham Dressmaking Fabrics at Fabrics Galore London
We stock 3 different sizes of gingham check which are all perfect for summer dressmaking and make great dresses, blouses, shirts, and children’s wear.
3mm "Mini Gingham”
- 100% cotton, OEKOK-TEX 100 certified, 145cm wide and a lightweight 115 gsm in 16 colours
Mini Gingham Fabrics at Fabrics Galore London
9mm Wide Width Gingham
- 100% yarn dyed cotton, OEKOK-TEX 100 certified, 145cm wide and a lightweight 115 gsm
9mm gingham dressmaking fabrics
17mm Bigger Gingham
- 100% yarn dyed cotton, OEKOK-TEX 100 certified, 145cm wide and a lightweight 115 gsm
We also have some super soft reversible double gauze ginghams with a larger 3cm gingham check on one side and a smaller 8mm size gingham on the other. In 100% cotton and 120gsm they are perfect for relaxed dresses, tops, and nightwear.
Reversible double gauze gingham fabrics
All the above ginghams are also suitable for quilting projects.
New to the collection are our super cute, embroidered cotton ginghams with a small gingham check embroidered with tiny orange hearts. They are perfect for summer dressmaking and make great dresses, blouses, shirts, and children’s wear.
Our Furnishing Ginghams
We have recently stocked some amazing Indian cottons in a big 10cm gingham check and a smaller 2.7cm gingham both in 6 colour ways with more on the way….
Furnishing ginghams at Fabrics Galore London
If you would like to learn more about the extensive range of gingham fabrics available at Fabrics Galore London, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team. We would be more than happy to help you decide on which colours, gingham size and weight to choose for your specific project. Do give us a call on 020 7738 9589 and we will make sure you are happy with your choice of gingham.
