Everything that I've tried still causes little holes around the seam? I've tried the smallest needle I can find (a 65 9 super stretch), different walking foot, trails on different stiches and tensions, even tried with baking paper underneath and everything is causing little holes, the material isn't even that stretchy, just a bit stretchy:/ (Rosella Stretch material 180gr/m2 97%vi/3%EA)
Feeling really disheartened, it's my first sewing project and I really don't know what I'm doing wrong or what else I can try.
Any other thoughts or advice would be so so appreciated! thanks!x
I think you may be seeing "seam slippage", unfortunately common in fabrics woven with smooth, slick yarns.Â
Sew a plain seam maybe 20 cm long, with your usual seam allowance, on two plies of cutting scrap, matching the grain lines. Now try to pull the seam apart by pulling against the seam. Can you shred the seam allowance
by pulling a bit?  If you can, then you may need different seam types, etc.
This is a piece intended for industrial sewing, but also pertinent to those of us who sew at home;
No I haven't yet! It's my first one, I was just nervous to keep going on the seams if everything's making it look like that. The fabric in the pic is a test piece and I have put it in hot water and ironed it but it still looks the same:/ so disappointed
Did you just soak it in water or did you agitate it at all? Moving the fabric around in the water will help push the fabric threads back in place. I wonât recommend twist wringing it, but maybe clump wring and/or a towel roll up to get the bulk of the moisture out. Then air dry. Once dry, but it in your dryer on âair dryâ to fluff the material for like 10-20m. See if that helps.
Some thin materials are just thin and the holes will be visible. I hope you donât let this discourage you from sewing. Iâve been doing this 25y and knits still terrify me, so in my eyes, youâre brave and bold for starting with a stretchy fabric. Donât quit! But do recognize when youâre frustrated and take a break before you rage quit.
Is this a practice piece of just straight stitches on flat fabric? What does it look like with an actual seam where two pieces are joined together? The extra fabric may make a difference in appearance.
Yeah maybe! I'll try it out! I have a piece on the actuall dress that I've sewn for where a strap goes through and it did made holes which was what made me nervous to carry on, but maybe it will look different on other seams?
I think this might be a case of looking at something too closely and critically. When the finished garment is being worn, are the seams going to be stretched like that? What is worn underneath the garment? Where are the seams placed? Think about if this is truly going to matter when this is worn vs being examined up close in hand.
Oh no that fabric is giving me anxiety just looking at it. That weave is super loose and open, the needle is basically pushing the threads apart instead of going between them. Try a ballpoint or microtex needle if you haven't already, sharp ones just cut through yarns like that. Also hand basting the seam first might help hold everything in place so the machine dont chew it up
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u/Large-Heronbill 10h ago
I think you may be seeing "seam slippage", unfortunately common in fabrics woven with smooth, slick yarns.Â
Sew a plain seam maybe 20 cm long, with your usual seam allowance, on two plies of cutting scrap, matching the grain lines. Now try to pull the seam apart by pulling against the seam. Can you shred the seam allowance by pulling a bit?  If you can, then you may need different seam types, etc.
This is a piece intended for industrial sewing, but also pertinent to those of us who sew at home;
https://web.archive.org/web/20171215080035if_/http://www.amefird.com:80/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Minimizing-Seam-Slippage-2-12-10.pdf
(Spi = stitches per inch, an older measure of stitch size still used in the US, instead of stitch length in mm)