If you've ever tried your hand at sewing, you've probably heard people talk about the "right side" and the "wrong side" of a fabric. You'll hear the phrase "right sides together" all the time, in particular. But what exactly are the right and wrong sides of a fabric? How do you tell them apart? And why does it matter to get it right?
Why is it important to identify the right and wrong sides of your fabric?
The right side and wrong side of a fabric are simply its two faces (think front and back, or heads and tails, basically). In practice, it really just comes down to aesthetics: you pick the side you like best as the "right side," and the one you like least as the "wrong side."
The "right side" is the part of the garment that shows on the outside, and the "wrong side" is the part that stays hidden (against your skin, or even completely out of sight if it's covered by a lining, for example). That's why it's worth choosing carefully.
On a jacquard, for instance, you simply choose the side you like best as the right side. Both sides are exactly the same, except that one is the negative of the other. So it's purely a matter of taste!
That said, once you've decided which side is which, it's essential to stick with it throughout the entire project. In other words, cut all your pattern pieces on the same side of the fabric, so you don't end up with some pieces cut on the wrong side and others on the right side.
Even on a plain fabric where it's hard to tell the two sides apart with the naked eye, cutting some pieces on the right side and others on the wrong side can show in the finished garment (there will always be slight differences in the fabric's sheen or color).
While it's mostly a matter of taste, and we encourage you to simply pick the side you like best as your "right side," every fabric actually has a distinct right and wrong side from the moment it's made. So how do you spot them?
How to tell which side of a fabric is the right side
1. The obvious cases : look at the fabric's texture
On many fabrics, it's easy to spot the right side because the fabric has been woven or specially treated on one side only. This is the case, for example, with velvet (which has a soft pile on the right side and not on the wrong side), satin (shiny finish), oilcloth (glossy finish), Swiss dot (small embroidered dots, raised on one side only), sequined fabrics, and so on.
2. Printed fabrics
On many printed fabrics, it's also easy to spot the right side: it's simply the side with the print. The wrong side isn't printed. We call the printed side the "right side" because it's the prettiest one.
3. Plain fabrics : look at the selvedges
When you're working with a plain fabric, it can be harder to tell the right side from the wrong side. You can check which side is shinier, more richly colored, and so on, but that stays pretty subjective, and in some cases the difference is very subtle.
In this case, you can refer to the selvage of your fabric.
The selvage refers to the finished edges of the fabric. Selvages serve to prevent the sides of the cloth from fraying. They sometimes feature small holes, which are formed by the pin hooks that hold the fabric in place during the manufacturing process. These pins pierce the wrong side of the fabric and push through to the right side, creating a slight raised texture on the right side of the fabric.
This produces the exact same effect as piercing a piece of paper.
Therefore, fabric selvages marked with these pinholes will feel smoother on one side and slightly rougher on the other. You can determine the right side of the fabric by looking at and touching its selvages: the right side corresponds to the side where the selvage feels rougher, while the wrong side corresponds to the smoother side.
4. The special case of knit fabric and jersey
By definition, knit fabric is not woven, but knitted. On these fabrics, you can identify the right side by looking closely at the stitches: if you see small "Vs" nested inside one another to form vertical columns, you are looking at the right side. On the wrong side, instead of small Vs, you will find small "waves" or "bridges" arranged in a staggered pattern.
We are showing you chunky knit fabric here so you can see the distinction clearly, but jersey is also part of the knit family (it simply uses very fine stitches). Jersey is commonly used to make t-shirts and hoodies, and you can easily distinguish its right and wrong sides by inspecting these tiny "Vs" and "bridges" up close.
5. The special case of twill / gabardine
Twill fabrics are easy to recognize: this specific weaving technique creates distinct diagonal lines across the fabric (it is the same weave used to make denim, for example).
By observing the weave pattern, you can easily identify the right and wrong sides of your fabric: stand directly facing your fabric. If the diagonal lines point down toward the bottom right corner of the cloth, you are looking at the right side. If the diagonals point down toward the bottom left corner, you are on the wrong side.
Sewing symbols : right and wrong side of a fabric
When learning how to sew, you may encounter specific sewing pattern symbols representing the right side and wrong side of a fabric :
Right side sewing symbol :
Wrong side sewing symbol :
These sewing symbols are frequently used in fashion schools and sewing books (for garment construction diagrams and study guides) to help you clearly understand how your pattern is assembled.
Conclusion : understanding fabric grain and right vs. wrong side in sewing
Now you know everything about identifying the right and wrong sides of fabric! You are all set to start sewing with confidence.
If you are a beginner in sewing, we recommend starting with small sewing accessories to master these basic techniques and get comfortable before moving on to larger garment projects.
Explore our sewing kits : they include the sewing pattern, fabrics, and all necessary haberdashery supplies (thread, buttons, zippers, etc.) to complete your project. You can also order our sewing patterns individually if you prefer to sew our designs using your own fabric stock. All our models come with step-by-step assembly guides designed specifically for beginners, as well as a video tutorial walking you through every stage of the sewing process.
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below, we will be delighted to help you !
