Fabrics That Are Difficult to Sew + Tips

Dear users, dear authors,
are there any fabrics that aren’t suitable for sewing beginners? Do you have any tips on this?

You can find all kinds of sewing patterns via the link.

Problematic fabrics include velvet, for example, because it has a nap direction—depending on how you stroke it, it appears either matte or shiny. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up with two different directions in your pants, jacket, or skirt. Also, because of the pile height, beginners can have trouble keeping the fabric aligned precisely when they start sewing.
It’s similar with terry cloth—you have to be very careful there, just like with some types of plush fabric.
Then there are thin fabrics like voile, organza, silk, and sometimes jersey. With jersey, it’s also the fabric’s stretch that can be a problem.

Best regards, Inge

To sew thin fabrics properly without them sliding back and forth under the presser foot, there’s a very simple trick: place a strip of white greaseproof paper or baking parchment on top of the fabric under the presser foot—make sure it’s white so you can see where you’re sewing. This prevents the fabric from slipping, and if you’re worried that the machine might “eat” the fabric, you can also place a strip of the same paper under the fabric, directly on the needle plate, and sew—it’s best to pin it in place a little. This way, your sewing glides smoothly under the presser foot and can be sewn without wrinkles or creases. The paper peels off easily after sewing.

Best regards, Inge

Oh, how perfect—that comes at just the right time!

Hi, everyone!

How do I sew lace fabric? The seam goes through holes at times and then just hangs in midair—how does that hold up?

Best regards,
Veronika

It’s best to use a zigzag stitch—and if your machine has it, the three-step zigzag stitch (that’s the zigzag with the dashed lines)—but make sure it doesn’t get too wide. Today’s machines are all pretty good at this; you can make the stitch size smaller or larger. You can also do what you do with thin fabrics and put some greaseproof paper in between, just to be on the safe side.

Best regards, Inge

Thanks. That’s the problem—I sew almost everything by hand and only have a tiny sewing machine that can only sew straight stitches with one stitch length.