Tips for sewing Vinyl Fabric

BY admin on October 9, 2015

Sewing with vinyl fabric can be tricky, but here are some quick tips to make your experience as easy as possible. First off, vinyl is extremely pliable and has a plastic quality to the fabric. While one side has a glossy, smooth texture, the other side is normally made of polyester. Common vinyl options include non-stretch, two-way stretch and four-way stretch. Thicker,
non-stretch PVC fabric is also known as Patent Vinyl, which is commonly found with handbags, belts and accessories and upholstery items. 2-way stretch PVC has a stretchy texture on the horizontal versus the vertical, and is used for rain jackets or clothing with light stretch. Stretch PVC, or 4-way PVC fabric, stretches on both the horizontal and vertical directions. Cosplay fans often use 4-way PVC as it has a very stretchy quality and is lightweight, ideal for uniform costumes, swim suits or lingerie items.

Vinyl fabric can slip easily, so you’ll have to take extra precautions when using a sewing machine. This sliding quality can create accidental mistakes in your work, so we recommend working slowly and carefully. Use extra pins to hold the fabric in place and to avoid making a tangled mess of your vinyl work. Layer on several pieces of tissue paper used for gift-wrapping to prevent the fabric from being caught in the sewing machine.

Be careful when pinning, and don’t rush yourself. Vinyl is sensitive and may be damaged easily, and what may seem like a small hole with traditional fabrics can actually turn into a much larger one. Get a few practice runs in by using a piece of scrap fabric. This will help you test out your next steps without damaging your final product. It’s best to have all the settings marked on your sewing machine in advance to avoid any errors. If you must use a needle, opt for the most sharp and thin needle you can find.

Tear-away tissue may seem like an easy, no fuss process with typical fabrics, but it’s a different story when it comes to vinyl fabric. You can still use tear-away tissue to help create a seam, but it will take more time. The tear-away template will have excess fabric that sticks to your PVC, so you’ll need to use tweezers to remove them carefully.

Regarding how to mark vinyl – try using soap to mark specific spaces on your fabric, as it will simply wash off from the material later on. One of the biggest things to remember is to not apply heat to the fabric. Adding heat will melt the fabric, ruining your work and creating quite literally, a hot mess. As an alternative, top stitching is recommended for getting finishing seams to lie flat. For more information about sewing tips for vinyl, check out Shauna’s Cosplay Pages penned by cosplay artist Shauna Leva.

Remember to keep these tips in mind as you get started on any project. MJTrends is one of the leading purveyors of vinyl fabric online, so take a quick look at the myriad of options we have available online.

Written by Jade Nicolette

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