corsetmakers: Difficult Fabrics...?

lady_marble (

lady_marble) wrote in

corsetmakers,
@ 2006-05-31 04:10:00

Current mood:	contemplative
Entry tags:	fabric, materials, reference, sewing machines, technique

Difficult Fabrics...?
I thought it would be useful to put together a list of tips and tricks for working with difficult fabrics. I've seen lots of useful info on this community, but we need to collate all this marvellous experience in one place, for easy reference.

If we get a good response, maybe it could be added to the memories...? hint hint mods :)

Ok, so I'll start...

Fabric: PVC
Problem: Sticks to itself and the sewing machine.
Solution: There are several methods to combat the stickiness. You could try talc (I've never tried this so can't say if it works) or use tissue paper (stitch through it, and tear it straight off after sewing). You can also purchase a Teflon (or Ultra Glide or Non Stick) foot for your sewing machine, which will glide over the PVC. They're not too expensive, around £9 for Janome.
There is also silcon (silicone?) spray, which you spray onto the bed of the sewing machine to combat sticking.

Fabric: Velvet
Problem: Shifts against itself, causing uneven seams.
Solution:People I've spoken to have tried pinning, tacking and swearing (!) but the best way I have found for sewing velvet is to use a Walking foot on your sewing machine (sometimes also known as a Dual Feed foot or Even Feed foot)Unfortunately they're quite expensive (around £25 for Janome/Brother, and up to £80 for Husqvarna and Bernina!)but I truly would be lost without mine :)

Fabric: Any fine fabric (e.g. chiffon)
Problem: Seams look 'puckered' or 'gathered'.
Solution: You should always lower your stitch length when sewing finer fabrics. Too long a stitch causes the fabric to gather (so, a quick way of gathering a fine fabric is to set your stitch length as high as possible and run a straight stitch along where you want the gather. You can also tighten the tension up to gather even more)
Thicker fabrics need a slightly longer stitch.

That's all that comes to mind right now, but I'm sure I'll think of more to add... anyone else?

(Post a new comment)

	mrw372435 2006-05-31 12:39 pm UTC (link)
	When I'm working with chiffon or any fine fabric I only backstitch one end of the seam, then run my fingers along the seam pulling out any unevenness or puckers. Velvet I baste by hand and use a serger, but not for a corset as serged seams don't lay right. (Reply to this)

	kiantewench 2006-05-31 01:23 pm UTC (link)
	Wow this is really helpful, not only for corsetry but costuming in general. Thank you! (Reply to this)

	jonquil 2006-05-31 01:27 pm UTC (link)
	You also need to switch needles when working with chiffon: you want sharp (i.e. new) fine needles, not all-purpose needles. (Reply to this)

anidan
2006-05-31 01:58 pm UTC (link)

I have a few things I've learnt from recent projects and my wonderful CIT tutors. These are general things, not specific to a single fabric but they seem to be forgotten or skipped in an attempt to save time. I thought I'd mention them here though as people may not know.

Note the strength and thickness of the thread you use with different fabrics. Use a finer thread for thin/lightweight fabric and vice versa for working in heavier fabrics. Some of the puckering issues come from using a thread that is too strong/thick for the fabric, so no matter what you do to the tension it will always pucker.

Learn about the correct needle for different types of fabrics. For instance, I made a shirt from microfibre fabric and my stitches skipped like crazy (five in a row sometimes). My fine needle (70, Universal) wasn't fine enough, it was just bouncing off the tight weave. So I investigated different fine needles and discovered the Microtex which is specifically designed for microfibre and it worked like a charm.

Also on needles—change them!! A needle only has 8 hours sewing life before it dulls. A sharp needle pushes the fibres apart (like the awl for grommet holes), where a blunt one punches holes in the fabric. You may not notice until a couple of washes later and there will be runs or tiny tears in your garment. A dull needle makes a small ticking sound as you stitch, whereas you shouldn't be able to hear a new one.

Pressing cloths aren't just for silk and delicate fabrics. 100% Polyester or blends can develop a shiny patch if you press too long or with too hot an iron. Using the pressing cloth means you still get a solid press, but it won't melt the fibres and make it shiny. You don't need anything fancy, just a piece of plain cotton.

Last but not least, always buy more fabric than you think you need. Pre treat it, it may shrink or warp. Use your extra bits to test stitch length, interfacing, seam styles (open, felled, etc), notions and hem options before you get elbow deep in The Garment. This is a time and sanity saver. Much better to spend an hour or two at the beginning than unpicking a mostly finished garment or just giving up and ditching it.

Hope that's of some use to people :)

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	eggiebert 2006-05-31 03:29 pm UTC (link)
	Spectacular. MOst of this I knew from reading my variety of sewing stuff, but it's cohesiveness is remarkable. As well as the detail about bying more! I'm a chronic buyer of off cuts and continually work with about 1/4 yard less than the pattern recomends. With carful cutting you can get it out but it's always a crap shoot wondering if the interfacing will stick. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	fireburntwater 2006-05-31 09:36 pm UTC (link)
	A needle only has 8 hours sewing life before it dulls. i went to school for fashion and i've never heard of this. where did you hear it? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	lady_marble 2006-05-31 10:02 pm UTC (link)
	We learned that too, I did a course in Clothing Technology. Of course, the life of the needle is considerably shortened if you are sewing something evil, like velcro :) (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	bassgirl 2006-06-01 02:02 am UTC (link)
	I actually keep my old needles for exactly that purpose... Nothing like ruining a perfectly good new needle when you just had a teeny piece of Velcro to sew on! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	anidan 2006-06-01 07:17 am UTC (link)
	My Cutting Operations teacher at CIT mentioned it. Apparently it's somewhere in the info the Schmetz needle company has. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	doc__holliday 2006-05-31 03:24 pm UTC (link)
	(so, a quick way of gathering a fine fabric is to set your stitch length as high as possible and run a straight stitch along where you want the gather. You can also tighten the tension up to gather even more). I find when I try that, my fabric ends up shredding and not holding together (ie. organza), even with the right needle size. :\| (Reply to this)(Thread)

	eggiebert 2006-05-31 03:31 pm UTC (link)
	Organza is a beautiful pain in the butt. I would recomend larger seam allowances personally. And if you need to gather it or ease it, long stitchig and working it sadly by hand have been my paths to better results. I'm not so neat handed that I've ever gotten great results, so if you find a better tip, pass it on! :D (Reply to this)(Parent)

	isara 2006-05-31 03:39 pm UTC (link)
	for PVC, I also recommend covering your foot (if you don't have a teflon foot) and sewing machine with blue painter's tape. works just as well and if you're working with a corset, the PVC/vinyl won't stick to the body of the machine as you're sewing. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	seeinglife 2006-05-31 08:00 pm UTC (link)
	Painter's tape, brilliant. The parents decided to paint the living room and I forsee lots of painter's tape left over. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	taamar 2006-05-31 04:34 pm UTC (link)
	Rayon chalis is another pain in the but fabric. It slips against itself, and the more you mess with it the uglier it gets. Silk charmeuse also slips, but at least you can fix mistakes with it! (Reply to this)

duae
2006-05-31 04:45 pm UTC (link)

NO TALC.

I hear this all the time and it horrifies me that this rumor persists.

Your sewing machine is a delicate collection of well oiled gears turning and sliding and working together. Talc is a substance designed to absorb moisture AKA the oil in your sewing machine.

Now, what's more expencive, a new roller or teflon foot, a little paper, or a brand new sewing machine?

You might also want to add Roller Foot http://www.janome.com/product_show.php?id=22. You can find them for $5 online. They work very well on PVC.

(Reply to this)

	ms_destruction 2006-05-31 05:22 pm UTC (link)
	or use tissue paper (stitch through it, and tear it straight off after sewing). I've heard of this method being used for chiffon and fine fabrics. I've never tried it myself but a girl in my class used it and I think it helped her :) (Reply to this)(Thread)

	eggies_red_dres 2006-11-12 12:31 am UTC (link)
	I've actually used tissue paper exactly for this. It improved my stitch quality somewhat though there were challenges with it. It tended to pull up/ apart the stitches and make them look looped when it was torn off. I think needle size and thread size would've had better results with less work. (Reply to this)(Parent)

wickedladybear
2006-05-31 05:28 pm UTC (link)

I've had good luck with using a walking foot and tissue paper with PVC, but I think the teflon feet would work a bit better.

I've found that using a walking foot on *any* of the thicker fabrics helps immensely with the even feed issues. I used to have problems with multiple thick layers (say the 4 layers I use in some corsets. . .)bunching oddly or distoring the bottom layer from the top.

I *so* second the 'change your needles a lot' comment, I've found that it makes the biggest difference in how well something holds together later, if the stitches are done with a new needle.

Sharpen your scissors and shears a lot, we try to do it about every 3 to 6 months,when we've had a busy period. It is amazing how much faster your cutting jobs go, when you aren't fighting your tools!

I love the quilting method of cutting binding and Im fanatic about using rotary cutters for it, with good quality rulers. You can learn an amazing amount of stuff from the other sewing genres (like quilting), I am always off trying a new technique I learned from someone else.

The thing I found the most helpful with velvet, is lots of long shanked super fine pins. Pinning about every half inch or so and petting the nap into place as you pin. Also, I have used shears desinged for microfibers on both velvet and the extremely ravelly lightweight fabrics with some success.

I've heard that one should use a matching fiber for the fabric, ie use silk thread on silk, cotton on cotton, polester for manmades, etc. Anyone else tried this or heard this too?

I think the best advice my grandfather gave me was "Buy the best tools you can afford and keep upgrading as you can afford it. Start with the first tool you use in any process and get the best possible of that first, moving along in the order you work." I've found that spending more on higher quality pins, then shears, then sewing machine helps a *lot* with the end result on quality. I reccommend Iris brand superfine pins (the long shanks for most pinning and the medium ones for detail pinning like applique), I love the drop forged shears (like gingher) and I have a number of different ones for different jobs. Like applique shears for trimming seam allowances.

Eeps, I seem to have run on a bit!

I love this idea, btw, it's fascinating to get new information on how to handle these pesky things so one is not stuck with cotton forever!

(Reply to this)

heckmeck
2006-05-31 08:27 pm UTC (link)

Use the straight-stitch plate and foot for the topstitching. Especially on finer fabrics the stitching will look neater and more regular.
Wondertape is very helpful with shifting layers...you have to wash it out or leave the seam allowances in "one piece",then, of course.
Paper clips are a good substitute for needles, when working with leather/PVC or any other "fabric" that will show holes. I also use them often when working with several layers of fabric, because the "act" of working the needle in the fabric and then out in some distance can very slightly shift the layers against each other...fabric clips or needles stuck vertical to the edge of the fabric will help prevent that...try it, it can really make a difference.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	beloitst 2006-08-17 12:28 am UTC (link)
	This is an awesome idea, I'm going to try it as I am makin a velvet corset soon and shifting seams is one of the things I'm most worried about. (Reply to this)(Parent)

If I may add a few

sstormwatch
2006-05-31 09:33 pm UTC (link)

On pins, use glass headed silk pins on most sewing projects, especially if you are using fine fabrics. I used to use long quilting pins, and those were so thick they left holes behind. The silk pins leave finer holes, if any, and the glass heads mean they will not melt onto the fabrics if you should happen to iron over the top of them. I try not to, but sometimes in pressing you have to work around some pins.

And for velvets, I hand baste with silk thread of a contrasting color before I stitch with my walking foot, then remove basting thread. It really helps, although the seams still aren't perfect, but they are much better now.

Also on pressing fabrics, use long strips of manila paper (like from manila folders) about 1"-2" wide, and place those on each side of the seam when you press. It helps prevent the seam allowance from showing up on the main garment. I learned that one from a pro, and it really helps my garments from looking "home made". And steam the garment more than pressing with the iron.

(Reply to this)

	apathyinspades 2006-05-31 09:44 pm UTC (link)
	For PVC and other sticky fabrics, like micro-suede, I use a roller foot. It works like a charm! (Reply to this)

deliriumfish
2006-06-01 02:03 am UTC (link)

Make sure your machine is in good working order. I mean, it should be a given, but if there's a ton of dust and shreds of things jamming things up on the inside it just doesn't work as well as it should. Especially if your dog foot is filled with little bits of thread and fluff.
And oil the poor thing, I know my machine is meant to be oiled pretty much every week. But remember to run some muslin through before you start sewing good fabrics because (even when you're really really careful a little tends to get places where it shouldn't be and will end up ruining things). I tend to do maintanence like that at the beginning of every big project.
Oh, and make sure your bobbins are the right size, generic bobbins don't always fit right and can cause weird tension issues.

And I will never regret buying a walking foot for my machine. It's totally brilliant.

(Reply to this)

Another tip for those not-so-smooth seams.

bassgirl
2006-06-01 02:06 am UTC (link)

When you're winding your bobbin, try not to wind it very tightly! That means when you've run out of thread just when it's most inconvenient, don't get frustrated and just stomp on the pedal to fill the bobbin quickly. This stretches the thread and when you sew, it will relax again and shorten. This is most noticable in long seams like the side of a skirt or a hem, especially in satin, but it will improve the look of your seams in all your sewing.

(Reply to this)

peachymanaangel
2006-06-01 03:02 am UTC (link)

fux fur. . . cut the back only, use scissors with a shallow cut or a razor blade. Clean the loose pill off before stitching, and trimming out the seam allowance makes sewing easier.
Protein fibers (silks, wools) like acidic environments, were as Cellulose (linen, cotton) fibers like basic environments.
Hand stitching use hoops, I find they help keep the stitching more even. I used to hate them.
Old pill bottles with a hole in the lid is a great way to dispose of old needles, or hold beads (same with film cases).
Paint chips are a great way to match fabrics that you can't carry a sample around with you.

Everyone has such great info and tips thanks!

(Reply to this)

chatondesse
2006-06-01 03:06 am UTC (link)

Trying to sew stretch pvc with a regular sewing machine but finding that it starts skipping stitches? The plastic coating on the fabric of the pvc is probably sticking to the needle as it goes through, stopping the bobbin thread being picked up properly. Grease the needle with a teesy spot of moisturising cream at regular intervals and things will go much smoother, not to mention neater.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	das 2006-06-01 09:59 am UTC (link)
	Does it have to be a moisturiser? Do you think something maybe.. glycerin based would also help with the needle-sticking? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	chatondesse 2006-06-01 10:53 pm UTC (link)
	No reason it would need to be moisturiser at all… That’s just what I usually have on hand that doesn’t kill my fingers after an hour of constant reapplication. :) (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	eggies_red_dres 2006-11-12 12:35 am UTC (link)
	I would think Thread Heaven would be a good alternative, it's a silicon lubricant that you use generally for (as the name implies) thread. It'd may have same results without fear of staining the lining for example of a hard won corset. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	abitofanenigma 2006-06-01 12:55 pm UTC (link)
	Tissue paper works an absolute dream on fine fabrics like Chiffon and Organza. It really helps to stabilise it and stop it from gathering. Just make sure to secure the start and end of your stitching by backstitching or tying a knot, otherwise when you pull the paper off it will go insane. (Reply to this)

	lady_marble 2006-06-02 11:46 am UTC (link)
	The lovely hahns just directed me to this fantastic post: http://community.livejournal.com/corsetmakers/704205.html Tons of info for sewing PVC :) (Reply to this)

aurora_natrix
2007-03-13 03:27 am UTC (link)

With PVC I find regular tissue paper sometimes very difficult to rip out of each stitch. I've taken to saving the tissue paper that comes with steam-a-seam after I've taken the fusible stuff off and using that with the wax side out. It works like a charm and rips out really clean leaving the stitches tight. I just bought a new machine though so I'm just going to pick up a teflon foot as soon as they come back in.

(Reply to this)

kittycatcorsets
2007-06-07 08:55 am UTC (link)

just curious about PVC.. (thought i'd save you all from a new post)

i want to make sure that my seams don't rip out when the corset is pulled tight... is there a good method that can be used for this.

currently i'm thinking of constructing it the same way as usual, but just adding in an extra top seam to add more support.

also using fray check on the inside seam.. or is this a bad idea for the chemicals

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	lady_marble 2007-06-07 09:34 am UTC (link)
	Extra topstitching would definitely help. Also, if the corset it to be used for tightlacing, why not flatline it to something stronnger, like coutil? I don't think you'll need fraycheck, as PVC generally doesn't fray (it's bonded rather than woven) (Reply to this)(Parent)

	lucky_kitty_13 2007-08-26 09:57 pm UTC (link)
	I'm sewing my first corset and its from PVC - I use the oil for my sewing machine to make it glide. ;) No stains, no problems with the sewing machine. :) (Reply to this)

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