For What It's Worth Wednesday, Vinyl Tips

For what it's worth: Sewing with Vinyl is a pain in the butt. It doesn't stretch, It doesn't do what you want it to do, and worse, if you make a mistake and have to seam rip it those holes are there forever.

That being said, once you know a few things about sewing with vinyl, it's really not that bad!  I had so much fun this week working on my outerwear creation for the PR&P sew along.  So let me share with you what I've learned from sewing with vinyl this week so you don't have to make the same mistakes I did!

1.  If you are sewing vinyl side up, you HAVE TO put something on the bottom of your foot so the vinyl will move through.  If you don't it'll stick.  I used peel and stick interfacing because I found it made it glide better than regular tape, but good old scotch tape will work too.  

2.  You have to top stitch the crap out of it.  Topstitch any seam that you want to lie flat because sewing with vinyl is like dealing with a petulant child.  It doesn't naturally want to do what you want it to do, but with a firm hand and guidance, you can make it into something you're proud of!

3.  Use a jeans needle.  Trust me. 

4.  Use clothes pins instead of straight pins.  Any hole you put in this stuff will stay.  FOREVER.

5.  If you make a mistake and have to seam rip, turn the fabric vinyl side down and steam it with an iron for a couple of seconds on medium heat.  This will help shrink the hole, but it won't disappear completely.  

I bet right now you're thinking I made a rain jacket for the outerwear challenge.  Maybe I did...


OR DID I!?!?!?  :-)