I needed a nice easy project that would fit in with how manic life is at the moment. Last few days of the school term are coming up, though, so things should ease up soon. Enter a simple refashion.
These are a pair of 80's Harem trousers in a size 20. Easy job, I thought - take in an inch each side and again on the inner leg seam.
But I can't control the fabric! It's a slippy-slidey thin rayon. And it either moves under my needle, or gets pulled down to be chewed up in my machine. Not sure what I am doing wrong. I am cross, as I have just bought 2 metres of the loveliest softest drapiest rayon, and these pants were supposed to be my dress rehearsal for sewing it!
Any tips, peeps? Think the pants might end up in fabric recycle, but I don't want my new fabric going to waste.
I feel your pain... I detest sewing with slippery polyester - even with tissue paper it slips & slides - I draw around my pattern pieces while on a single layer of fabric & then cut out the traced lines - so much work when it could be silk.... I especially resent it when I hand baste the seams & darts "and it's only poly!!!" (Rant over) - mind you, this is possibly why I have far too much silk chiffon & slinky jersey knits in my stash, 'cause they're more worth it ;)
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of hints floating around, apart from soaking the rayon in glycerine first (test for colour fastness!!!), DixieDiy covers most of them here: http://dixiediy.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/sewing-with-slippery-fabrics.html - Best wishes with it!!! ;)
DeleteThanks for that link. Glycerine? Oh I have some.
DeleteAh I forgot the tissue paper trick. I know what you mean about expending energy on a project that is not really worth it.
ReplyDeleteI was just about to suggest the tissue paper trick - never tried it myself but seems to work for lots of people. My viscose I used for my Gabriola skirt was quite slippery - I found lots of weights when cutting and more pins than usual when sewing sorted things out. Hope you work things out!
ReplyDeleteThink I definately need to take more care, and go slowly.
DeletePins and basting, I think. Not sure about the fabric being pulled into the machine, but if it's when you are back stitching, how about skipping it if another future seam will cross it? And/or tie a knot in the thread instead?
ReplyDeleteYeah good point. Going to junk this project an read up. Then come back to my nice fabric with fresh eyes and enthusiasm.
DeleteI'm not too hot on slippery fabrics, but I've read of people using special starch sprays to give the fabric a bit of grip. I would say though that not all rayons are created equal and your new fabric could handle v differently to the pants fabric. Don't let these pants bring you down!
ReplyDeleteSpray startch? going to google, thanks for the tip. No Not letting it get me down am too bushed to care at the moment. One more day of school. One more day!
DeleteThreads & Colette do such a great job teaching and distilling information. Here are a few things I found when searching for "sewing with silk, tips". While not rayon, silk is just as difficult and slippery, if not more so, than rayon. And I figured there'd be more bloggers talking about the woes of silk because it's such a coveted fabric. Personally, the only time I've sewn with charmeuse is as a lining to a tropical weight wool. I made french seams which held up, but were a pain in the arse to sew and keep straight. I wish I had known about these other tips. Hand basting helped me. I was learning tailoring techniques. But you could also try something like steam a seam and adhere the seam with heat & glue prior to sewing. There'd be more residue than spray stabilizer or tissue paper. Choosing the proper needle helps - Sandra Betzina has good tips in her fabric book on that. I didn't used to give any credit to the needle until my knits started having skipped stitches. Boo! Anyway - here are some things I found:
ReplyDeleteColette: http://www.coletterie.com/tutorials-tips-tricks/5-tips-for-sewing-delicate-fabrics
Sew4Home: http://www.sew4home.com/tips-resources/sewing-tips-tricks/sewing-silk (great tips on stitch length, etc)
Sew4Home RAYON:
http://www.sew4home.com/tips-resources/sewing-tips-tricks/happy-holidays-freespirit-rowan-working-rayon-and-linen (Hey! They suggest the seam tape like I thought of! Cool!!)
Sellers like Emma One Sock & Marcy Tilton also have great tips:
http://www.emmaonesock.com/guides/rayonlycrajersey.asp
When in doubt, I always turn to anyone I've observed to be a master craftsperson in their field. To me that means people like Sandra, Marcy, Threads contributors, Sarai of Colette, or other bloggers who also consistently present themselves in the same manner. Hope that helps!
Hope that helps?! Wow thank you so much what fantastic advice and signposts. I am so grateful, thank you.
DeleteAh, I feel your pain Louise! I'm sewing a lovely bit of rayon right now too. It was the laying out of the fabric and making sure it was on the straight of grain that I found to be THE most challenging. Slipping and sliding all over the place. I am using a 70/10 universal needle and a 2.5 stitch length. I agree with another commentor...the feed dogs want to eat up the fabric at the start of sewing. What I do, is start about 1/2" into the fabric, go ahead just a couple of stitches, then backspace for about, oh 4 stitches, not going back right to the edge of the fabric...then I stitch the seam. I haven't had any problems with the feed dogs eating fabric mid-seam.
ReplyDeleteThank you, it's all learning experiences isn't it? I'm self taught and I see this kind mishap as a valuable lesson. I don't even mind too much if I waste the fabric learning, it was relatively cheap and definately cheaper than lessons around here.
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