Denim is a durable and strong fabric that has stood the test of time. Also referred to as jeans, the material softens over time due to the many washes. Mostly, denim extracts their colors when washing; thus advisable to clean them separately. You may also be interested in reading Sewing Garments With Quilting Cotton.
Denim Is Not Easy To Work With
When mixed with other fabrics, their colors quickly run off. Denim is quite different and a difficult fabric for some people. For you to sew denim, you must be well-equipped with suitable and high-quality stitching tools. Otherwise, your work may turn out unpleasant. The ordinary needles and threads cannot work with such sturdy material.
How to Sew With Denim
When you sew jeans fabric using sharp blades, make it easier to cut appropriate patterns. Based on how thick the material is, you may have to cut the denim a layer at a time.
In this case, ensure that you keep flipping your pattern pieces as you progress. It is also essential to work with strong pins. The standard pin types tend to bend; thus unable to go through the material.
Additionally, while sewing the denim, focus on your seams. Creating the seams right saves you a lot of time. Ensure you use the iron to flat-press the seams correctly.
Working Slowly and Carefully is Key
When sewing, keep trimming the seams to reduce the fabric bulk. Be sure to take your time and not to rush. While feeding it through the machine, hold the material firmly; without pushing or pulling.
Sometimes, your machine may have difficulties with a particular bulky seam. At this moment, incorporate the hand wheel. Above all, always be careful. The needle can easily break when working with denim.
Try Using a Denim Presser Foot
Importantly, when sewing the denim; as much as you can use a standard presser foot for your machine, consider switching to a presser foot that is specifically for denim. It not only makes your sewing easier; but also saves your time immensely.
However, depending on the make and the machine’s year of manufacture, the jeans presser foot might be available or not. If your machine is older, you may not find one easily.
Also, for topstitching, consider an edge stitching foot. It is worthwhile in creating a perfect knit. Remember that; during the stitching process, utilizing a walking foot keeps the material from shifting all over.
The Advantages of Working with Denim
- A well-crafted flat seam gives you the exact outfit, like that of ready-made denim sold at trade stores.
- You can easily create several denim pairs from a cotton bale, hence a profitable venture.
- Despite the hard work in stitching denim, the fabric is always desirable. Its high durability and comfort make it highly marketable.
- Whenever you have a suitable sewing machine, stitching denim becomes easier.
The Disadvantages of Working with Denim
- Denim is one fabric type that easily unstitches. It is the reason why you must have sharp tools. Notably, selecting a zigzag stitch, rather than the cut-edge one for the interior seams is vital. It will keep your denim fabric from loosening.
- Denim is one of the hardest fabrics to work with. Cutting the material into pieces for stitching is a complicated process. You need to pick small pieces and practice cutting them. Over time, you gain confidence and attain perfection.
Utilizing a Seam Ripper To Perform a Stitch Test
This is a very important step. It could save you a lot of time and money. You don’t want to get more than half way through a job just to have something happen that sets you back to the beginning. The things you will discover with this test are as follows:
- Whether the tension is right
- How the fabric generally appears
- To determine the most suitable length for the stitch- Remember that a longer than average stitch is ideal for this fabric. It should be around 3 to 4 inches long.
Tips to Remember When Sewing with Denim
Use the heavy jeans thread; specifically for topstitching, that associates with flat felling. If you miss this particular one, you can use upholstery thread.
Utilize sharp rotary cutters, as well as the sharp Advanced-grade sewing scissors
Employ heavy-duty needles. They can be those made particularly for stitching denim, or the universal needles, with a minimum size of 90/14.