SEWING WITH VINYL
Hi everyone,
I was so happy to see your excitement and entusiasm on my newest pattern Vinyl Zipper Pouch. Thank you so very much!
As I mentioned in my previous post, I used 0.5mm PTU printed vinyl to make my pouches (I got mine from Sullivans Trim and Zipper Valley online shops).
I heard from a few of you being a bit unsure about this material and how to work with it, so here are some of my tips to hopefully help you feel more confident about sewing with vinyl:
Use a rotary cutter, ruler, and a cutting mat to get perfectly straight edges when cutting your vinyl.
I used a standard presser foot on my sewing machine without any trouble but a teflon foot would work great if you have one. You could also try sticking a piece of scotch tape to the bottom of your presser foot for an easier gliding over your vinyl.
Use a 90/14 needle for your sewing machine.
Use sewing clips, not pins, to hold panels together as pins would damage your vinyl.
Use good quality polyester thread (universal guttermann thread is my favorite).
Adjust stitch length, a slightly longer stitch works well, I set my Juki sewing machine to #3 (3mm length).
Sew slowly to prevent any bunching of your material.
If your vinyl keeps sticking to your sewing machine table as you sew, you can place a piece of tissue paper in between the vinyl and your sewing machine to help it move smoother.
If there are any creases in your vinyl, stretch it out and place a few heavy books on top of it for a few hours. Another option is to run your hot iron across your ironing surface and then place your vinyl over it, the residual heat should help smooth out the wrinkles.
Store your vinyl rolled up rather than folding it to prevent any unwanted creases.
And, if you’re more of a visual learner, here’s a link to my detailed step by step video on how to make these super handy pouches. Enjoy :)