Sewing with... Vinyl

Hints and Tips

Trying a new base can sometimes be a bit intimidating, especially if you don't know where to start or who to ask for help. And after putting together this blog post I definitely feel like I can tackle any vinyl sew now, so hopefully you'll feel the same after reading it.

Handy Tips:

1- Use the right needle:

A universal needle can work for this base BUT if you're wanting the best results possible (and to avoid any snapped needles) grab some leather or denim needles. They specifically have a shaper point and are usually a thicker needle (making them harder to break)

2- Use the right foot:

Did you know that you can use different sewing machine feet for different projects? I honestly just thought the main one that came with the machine was it. But nope! There's a special foot just for working with sticky fabrics like vinyl and its called a "Teflon Foot" or a "Ultra Glide Foot".

These feet are moulded from a special resin which allows for easier sewing of fabrics that may otherwise stick to the normal metal feet.

(sneaky extra tip - if you don't have a teflon foot then grab some baking paper. Sandwich your vinyl to allow for that extra smooth feeding)

3- Adjust your Tension and Stitch Length:

Because vinyl is thicker than most fabrics you will need to adjust your length to 3.0 or longer. And check your thread tension too, as if it is too tight your vinyl will pucker or tear. (The shorter the thread length the more perforations you'll create, causing your vinyl to tear)

It might be a good idea to grab a scrap piece of vinyl and test out your thread on that first.

4- Use Clips instead of Pins:

These guys are my best friends across all sewing projects. Pins can leave little holes in your fabric ESPECIALLY in vinyl, so its a good idea to use sewing clips or even binder clips to hold your fabric in place instead

5- Avoid backstitching:

Some machines might not like backstitching on vinyl, so avoid doing it at the start and finish of your sews. Instead leave the thread tails and tie them off by hand

6- Do Not Iron:

Vinyl can easily melt and warp under direct heat (I learnt that the hard way) so if you're needing to press seams, use a low heat and a cloth. OR just finger press the seams (you can also invest in a little roller that I find helps with little seams too tricky to get under the iron)

REMEMBER:

Always double check your pattern placement and seam allowance before sewing. Unpicking isn't really an option with vinyl so once you've sewn it's a permanent thing - no undos