How To Sew With Silk And Silklike Fabrics

[@keeptheminstitches4808]

I always iron out wrinkles before cutting out the pattern. Rule of thumb is to PRESS your pieces, but you can iron uncut fabric, finished garments, and stay-stitched pieces. The difference between pressing and ironing is whether you move the iron on the fabric or press it down and lift it up in a manner that does not distort the weave. When fabric is not supported by selvages, you must PRESS only--no sliding or gliding, not even under a pressing cloth. Happy stitching!

[@ReResAllsorts]

Great tip. Thank you

[@allieg6401]

That's really handy to know- 👍 do you have to let it cool before moving the fabric, you know, before letting it hang over the side of the ironing board and doing the next section?

[@SuperModerngranny]

In practice, holding tight doesn't work most of the time because the seams are not always on straight grain. I usually back with paper and tear away after stitching.

[@sassyk.5173]

How? ;(

[@SuperModerngranny]

@@sassyk.5173 Same as sandwiching except omitting the top layer of paper. If you have an even-feed foot attachment, even better.

[@DanceswithDobermans]

Thank you so much for this lesson. I really appreciate it. I have lots of silk and satin from wedding gown and prom dresses that I purchased from Salvation Army at 75% off. I bought them all. Now I need to learn how to quilt with them.

[@bernadineschacht8175]

Thank you so much! I've been sewing for over 60 years and taking classes in sewing and fashion for over three years, and I've already learned four new useful tips from your video today. These tips will make sewing prom dresses so much easier to deal with.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

I'm so glad you found our tutorial helpful :)

[@elainebau6354]

Me too.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

With knits, I definitely use a rotary cutter to cut out my pieces, to prevent any unwanted stretching. If your pattern has a lot of curves to it, I would invest in a smaller rotary blade. The big blades work great though if you're just doing straight lines. Be sure to do it on a self-healing mat so you don't damage any surfaces. And if you don't want to invest in fabric weights, you can just use canned goods to hold everything in place. good luck!

[@Pureimagination200]

I have the worst luck with rotary cutters

[@ProfessorPincushion]

Thanks! Glad you found our tips handy. Have a nice day.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

I use these techniques with all fabric that's slippery and hard to work with. If you're making something for the first time, make a muslin. This means use a cheap fabric like muslin so you can work through the process and test the fit before using your nicer fabric.

[@AAACEntertainment]

Thank you! I'm relatively new to sewing, but need to make three pieces out of silk-like fabric. You just saved my life!

[@yangelthomas]

This is right on time!!😁😊........ where were you when I started two years ago😯😌

[@irishagold]

Thank you for fast replay! I do have small rotary cutter. Just didn't think of using it! Thank you. For the weights I use a few simple round rocks. I crocheted over them and they look pretty cool.

[@betsylydon3891]

this is exactly what I needed to know for a project a friend of mine has me doing--brilliant and thank you.

[@susanelotmani]

Your videos are always so good - very detailed and with perfect camera angles where we can see everything going on. So helpful for beginners! If you're not already, you should be an instructor at a design school.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

Susan El Otmani thanks so much for the kind words :)

[@ProfessorPincushion]

of course. :) Our tip is just to help out in those cases where you still a little.

[@lorenzie]

This is a life saving video! I was in desperate need for these tips. Thanks so much!

[@ProfessorPincushion]

Thank you for your kind words. :)

[@ProfessorPincushion]

I would definitely use the tissue paper trick when sewing the seams. It'll keep it from stretching as you sew and should help with the puckering. Just rip it off when your seam is done. If your fabric can handle the heat, it might be better to use steam to iron it out.

[@rachel14rod]

What tension you used?

[@ProfessorPincushion]

@Virgina bliss i wouldn't because newspaper is pretty dirty and the ink could stain your fabric. I can usually pick up a pack of tissue paper from the 99cent store.

[@cameodove]

Your video contains great tips and valuable information. I really like how you demonstrate attaching tissue paper to silk fabric! What a fantastic idea!

[@NL-rj9uk]

Thank You! I really like that you made short and simple. I've been forgetting the easy steps and reminders. ;)

[@lindadechow2212]

Thanks so much. I am making a really great dress out of slinky fabric and honestly have not worked with this type of fabric before. This will be fun and I'm sure I'll have fewer issues. Great video, well done.

[@karenjackson3876]

Thanks for sharing this. I'm going to be making a dress for my daughter out of crepe backed satin and will be adding some tissue paper to my list of supplies!

[@ProfessorPincushion]

It really does make a difference :)

[@mostlywildlife]

Using the tape is a new one for me. Very helpful.

[@SewingReport]

Great tips! Slippery and flimsy fabrics can be a nightmare!

[@MichelletheMerry]

Oh these are great tips. I'm making an 1870's formal ball gown for a musical I'm in, and the bustled part in the back is black silk. This should make it much easier to work with. Thanks so much.

[@patriciajrs46]

Great tips. Most people don't mention these things. Thank you.

[@jennyamessler3805]

Brilliant 🌟 trick with the taping of the needle hole 🕳️ !!!!

[@bagga2010]

Thanks alot.....your video is very detailed and very good tips to stitch with silk fabrics, as i am already working with the silk fabric......was very helpfull for me.Great...

[@nsearch7397]

Thanks for the helpful tips as I can't stop myself from sewing a silk duvet!

[@nancyhall7713]

Thank you! That was really helpful! I was also wondering about any tension adjustment needed but will set it to mid-range (around 3).

[@hovawart16]

Thank you for taking the time to teach me!

[@ProfessorPincushion]

I'm glad you enjoyed our tutorial :)

[@SStroud2024]

This is a GREAT channel - I love how you are able to magnify the image of the needle/machine. It even looks high definition. Thank you so much for offering this help! I will check in often! Suzy

[@ProfessorPincushion]

We try our best to make our tutorials in high quality. Thanks for your kind words. :)

[@GardensLadyBug]

Thank you. This is just the information I've been looking for.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

Someone Somewhere I'm so glad you found our tutorial helpful :)

[@RoseFante]

this is an awesome vid with great tips! Thank you. It covers everything I was looking for

[@tamarah.4908]

Thank you! I'm sewing an "Elsa" costume for my daughter, and will try the tissue trick when sewing the areas with Chiffon.

[@anngranger7369]

Your tutorials are just brilliant thank you

[@roxxiet32]

This video was so helpful. Thanks for all of the great tips.

[@meriemzerarti4215]

Thank you Mme , i'm impressed by the amount of information and detailing I had from this video , thank you

[@ProfessorPincushion]

You're very welcome!

[@rachelclo6305]

Really great videos! So clear & precise. I have no trouble understanding this & I am a very new beginner to sewing!

[@ProfessorPincushion]

Rachel Clo I'm so glad you found our tutorials helpful! You can do it :)

[@janholman6192]

You can totally prevent your fabric from being "sucked down into that hole" by simply using a throat plate made for just the single needle (most manufacturers make one). And using a foot that is also made to accommodate a needle width only. No need to mess with tape. 😊

[@PuffKitty]

I can only find them for newer, high end machines unfortunately. 🤷‍♂️

[@iamtheglass3744]

Much Love, Appreciation AND&AND Admiration!! 💃🏼💨

[@ProfessorPincushion]

yay! glad we were able to help :)

[@ProfessorPincushion]

Thanks for the kind words :)

[@ccpperrett7522]

Thank you for these great tips.❤

[@Pureimagination200]

Tension also makes the stitches lay flat. Sew samples with different tension and stitch length

[@rosas6230]

I’m always wondering how come store clothing has no pucker at all ?:(( how do they do that ??

[@ProfessorPincushion]

It was just my regular presser foot, nothing fancy.

[@abbyovitsky]

Thank you for: 1. talking slowly and focusing the camera :) 2. breaking everything down to step-by-step slowly 3. the scotch tape trick 4. showing me how to thread the machine. I had actually figured out the holding the cloth part but the tension was off (your other video shows how to adjust that, i put it on 3.5). The fabrics I am using are all very thin and all very shiny, like silk, they are all from lessemf. can you help me figure out how to design & sew a cloth cpap mask?

[@ProfessorPincushion]

I would say size 11 sharp should be ok

[@chaconda2002]

Once again thank you for your videos! I get so fraustrated when my fabrics get jammed in the machine.

[@louiehans577]

thank you for sharing your tips and techniques, i've learned a lot

[@0ChildStar]

Thank you, the tape idea over the hole helped a lot!!! 8D

[@10gale]

Great advice! Just what I needed! Thank you!

[@kazzya1281]

Clear , succinct and informative. I love it when you show the differences. Great tip. Subscribe!!!!!.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

+Karen Yau thanks so much for subscribing! :)

[@ProfessorPincushion]

Does your machine just seem to get stuck in position? I hate when that happens! I find that the tissue paper trick seems to work well. So on the wrong side of your fabric you should have interfacing covering the buttonhole are. On the right side, lay a strip of tissue paper over the area you're going to do a buttonhole. Transfer your buttonhole mark to the tissue paper. You may want to pin your tissue paper to the fabric to hold it. Stitch buttonholes, tear off tissue paper. voila!

[@nimvaughen9895]

Thank You so much!!!

[@bleumustang6362]

Very helpful thank you soo much i should have watched it because i sewed my satin jacket!

[@tanyagt]

Excellent guidance, thank you!

[@SandraRomero-hg3rk]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge 😎👍

[@jezusova]

Thanks for the video! before I start working with silk what material do you recommend me to start with. to practice and which exercises with a stitch sewing machine? Thank you

[@truthseekerfemale7805]

I like the tissue paper the best, ty

[@eclecticdancer1]

I'm trying to sew a chiffon onto a silk charmeuse at the hemline. I washed the chiffon and now i'm wondering if I should iron the material before i cut out the pattern. The finished chiffon will be ironed but it stretches a lot when I do that. I don't want the seems to pucker when the customer washes the dress.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

@ellineka thank you so much. :)

[@viviewalsh66]

Very helpful !!! Thank you soooo much !

[@MissTaken333]

Very helpful video.. Thanks a million for this..

[@Tamerahoney]

What is the thinnest silk with a dull side along with a silk side? 100% silk preferably stretchy maybe even a mixture of silk and elastic

[@rshabir6196]

Thanks for really useful tips.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

Rukhsana Shabir You're welcome. So glad you found it helpful :)

[@gretijuhasz9406]

Hi! I would like to ask that how do I know how "heavy" my fabric is? I'm going to work with a 100% polyester silk like fabric. Thank you so much for the anwer!

[@busyfish6353]

so helpful. thank you.

[@vanessanandez]

You dont mention needle size, tension or stich lenth. Also, if im making some type of dress or shirt with silk and it has all this small wrinkles it would ruin my project...

[@spicybrown75]

She did mention size 70 or 80.

[@spicybrown75]

Also, using less tension may also help, sometimes zig zag or satin stich helps too.

[@patriciaray2669]

great video - love the tape tip!

[@ProfessorPincushion]

patricia ray I'm glad you found it helpful :)

[@ade7741]

Thanks for sharing, very useful tips here. Hope you will share more on sewing jersey knits :)

[@ProfessorPincushion]

***** Thanks for the suggestion. I'll add it to the list

[@JAGUARBURST]

Thank you

[@RoseDaVinci]

Thank you for this video, it is so informative and helpful :) ! I do have a question, with regards to fabric puckering. Could adjusting tension also help fix that?

[@allieg6401]

When uding the paper lsyers what Scissors would you use?? 😮

[@unixnes]

Thanks! Very good tips

[@ciabern8383]

How do I do this with double sided silky fabrics? And this is a huge fabric piece, and I am almost hesitant to cut it up in case I need the extra space

[@JLew-ch8yu]

Beautiful, thank you so much!

[@hanadaabdelfattah4086]

What about the best tension degree, and the bottom teeth, is better they are high or going down?

[@jpowersgirl7271]

Thank you for this. I just bought some material for a costume and it's a silk-like material. I'm terrified I'm going to mess up. This video makes me a little less nervous about tackling this project. :D

[@ProfessorPincushion]

+Jennifer Powers practice on some scraps to gain some confidence. :) I think the sewing isn't so bad, it's the cutting that can be the trickiest with slippy fabric. You can do it!

[@emoooooly7350]

Jennifer Powers yea, I just bought LOADS of poly satin for a costume and I've only ever sewn cotton and canvas. I'm freaking terrified, but I figured I've gotta start sometimes so better sooner than later.

[@sofiyahayes]

Thank you ma

[@olgatorra4328]

Excellent video, thanks!

[@MyFungal]

what presser foot do u use? great tips for silk

[@minikaur4993]

Hi! I have seen people tearing satin before stitching why do they do this? Can you explain it?

[@vm980]

Help! My seams pucker like you show at the end of the video - holding it tight is a great tip, but what if the fabric was cut on the bias? I have so much trouble making my seams look neat when I sew slippery fabrics on the bias, and I can't find any resources online that help with this!

[@Kamereone]

Shorten stitch length, reduce the thread tension (top and bottom), and use a sacrificial tissue layer. Or a walking foot.

[@chinnyxo]

amazing video, thanks!!

[@ownSystem]

Like the tissue paper idea 💡 good job🥸

[@lisafeldmann9863]

Thanks for the wonderful tips and instruction! Should I use tissue paper alterations? I want to make some tucks in a Off the Rack blouse that is made of a poly crepe.

[@ProfessorPincushion]

yup, I use tissue paper a lot when I sew.

[@goddessgreen]

I have a question: If your are sewing by hand what needles would you use?

[@ursulamai]

Thank you very much, this was helpful.

[@lindatoews6462]

Thank you so much for your information!!! It will be very helpful. Also, one thing I wondered, do you adjust you tension at all?

[@ProfessorPincushion]

Linda Johnson it varies according the fabric so you just want to practice on scraps. Usually I loosen the thread tension a bit and put my foot pressure at a higher number.

[@hellosweetheart3350]

Thank you 💖

[@ProfessorPincushion]

glad to help out. :)

[@Dibdib35]

Brilliant!

[@CaressLorthaya]

VERY HELPFUL!!!!!!

[@lisettegarcia]

Who else recognizes that shade of Miss Marion? 😉

[@Gweynn5]

Thnx

[@BLW_Studios]

Thanks a lot :D In mexico fabric stores don't have tags on their fabrics, just the ones with prices (at least the ones I know). I'm just starting to learn how to sew. Are there specific situation where knowing this characteristics are necessary?

[@cherylharris2895]

Thanks this helps alot

[@kaboomgoesiran]

im having trouble sewing a buttonhole on silk!!! CAN U HELP?

[@robinmosenfelder6226]

I wonder if sewing with a walking foot would prevent some of the puckering...?

[@ProfessorPincushion]

sometimes it does help :)