Tips for sewing fleece? Scarves, hats

11 years ago

I have never worked on this before. I read that it is tricky to sew, and I have a touchy 30 year old machine.

A few questions: Is it true that fleece does not need to be pre-shrunk? This is No-Pill Fleece, the more expensive kind, a grade up from Blizzard.

At the fabric store they were recommending a walking foot to use it, but it was very expensive (more than I spent on the fabric). Alternatively, they suggested lightening the pressure on the foot. My machine does not seem to have that function: the foot attaches with a set screw, and there is only one height to place it at. The lever at the back to move it up and down does not have intermediate stops, either. There was nothing in the manual. Ideas? If material does not feed well I often gently pull at the back with my left hand and guide with my right.

Edge treatments? Do cut edges roll? I have a scarf I made years back that constantly rolls itself into a tube. I have to flatten it out to wear it. It is a fleece like material but only on one side.

I am making a couple of scarves, some hats, and a cat bed (the cat bed is practice!). They were suggesting leaving the edges unfinished on the scarves, but that's not me. I was going to double the fabric, make a tube, and top stitch the edges. No fringe. Does that end up being too hot and thick in fleece? Am I better off just using a single thickness, folding the edges twice, and hemming normally? Folding once, and hemming? As edges don't ravel?

I know it stretches mostly in one direction. I assume, for the hats it should run sideways, for the scarves lengthwise? Thanks!

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Comments (6)

User
11 years ago
What make and model machine do you have?

Look up the manual on the Internet.

There should be a pressure foot pressure adjustment, often a knob at the top of the machine, directory over the foot.

Use a longish (8 or so stitches per inch) and stretch the fleece slightly as you sew it and you should be OK.

Test with your normal settings first and only loosen the upper tension if you are having problems
nanny98
11 years ago
Double Knit Fleece does not need hemming. The cut edge will not fray or curl. Single Knit... with the fleece/texture on one side only, will curl. If you turn over the double-knit fleece and just hem it, trim the excess close to the stitching, you will have a nice looking edge. My oldest machine (1930's) will sew a straight stitch on fleece, with no pressure foot or tension adjustment. Long stitches and good even tension works. If it does seem "tight" adjust upper tension, but try without first.
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nanny98
11 years ago
Forgot. No need to prewash. The "hem" mentioned should be 3/4 " or more, but practice and find the look that works for you and your project. It needs to be a thick hem, since the fabric is somewhat thick. I have put 1" hems on dog coats...it gives them just enough weight and finished look, smaller hems on small coats. They can also be left alone on small things .... especially on doll clothes.
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you! So far its going well. Cat bed made! She's not much of a critic! She started using it even before I finished it.

I could not find a way to adjust the foot pressure. I think my machine is too basic for that. I am using my longest stitch, but having to pull the fabric through (as expected), the stitches end up as if they were on # 1 or # 2. Today I move on to the hats and scarves, one set of which is all cut out. I used a fusible web hemming tape to stick the hem down on the scarf before I top stitch it. Otherwise I know (based on the cat bed) that my top stitching will drift all over the place because of the loft of the pile. I know this fleece melts easily, so I was careful. It was very hard to get it hot enough to stick without it melting.
clt3
11 years ago
If you want to use something to hold the hem down besides pins, I'd use wash away wonder tape. It's double sided sticky tape. No iron required.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wash away wonder tape
User
11 years ago
What is the make and model of your machine ... adjusting presser foot pressure is a really OLD development. (back to treadle machines of the early 1900s)