Tips for Sewing with Vinyl

Sewing with vinyl is easy only when you know the correct steps and tricks to master it smoothly. There are many amazing sewing projects that can be accomplished using vinyl. You can make pouches, bags, wallets, home décor, and more using vinyl material. If you want to know more about how to work your way-out using vinyl, you have landed on the correct page!

Tips and tricks for sewing with vinyl

Before working with vinyl, you need to first understand the material properties, the thickness, and certain techniques so that you can start and end without obstructions and complications.

Here are some of the points and tips that will help you create your first vinyl sewing project just the way you want.

Thickness of clear vinyl for sewing

It is better to go for higher gauge vinyl, because working out with them is easy and best. Most vinyl rolls have a tag in them indicating what gauge they are by the yard. You can get these clear vinyl rolls from a local craft shop in the gauge 4 to gauge 20. If you reach out to a marine or upholstery store you might find a thicker version of vinyl that goes up to gauge 60.

However, when considering for sewing purposes like making wallets or purses, it is advisable to go for 12-16 vinyl gauge. This gauge measurement does not hold wrinkles easily and hence working with them is quite simple and efficient. They do not become stiff either, and so sewing with them becomes a lot more comfortable.

If your sewing project requires turning the material inside out and back again, you should go for a slightly thinner vinyl gauge, which can be around 8-12-gauge range. Working with vinyl is fun and inexpensive too. Therefore, you can conveniently go for ¼ yard of several different gauges of vinyl and check for yourself which ones work best.

Finding sewing vinyl

The first thing to understand is that there is no specific type of vinyl that you can sew with. All clear vinyl can be used for sewing purposes depending on how efficiently you can work with them. Vinyl which is specifically used for sewing machines parts projects are easily available in the local craft store or quilt. They come is packages that can be bought by yard for various decoration purposes.

You can easily find them in any home décor section of a reputed fabric store, or simply get them online! A lot of household items, right from beddings, curtains, covers come in vinyl packaging’s. If you find vinyl at your home that is not too wrinkled and has come in a packaging you can re-use it by cutting out the clean parts. So, you can enjoy free clear vinyl sewing!

Making clear vinyl look finished in projects’

The vinyl that you have used in your sewing projects should look finished and smooth whether you have reused it, or bought from a store. In order to make your vinyl project look smooth and neat, here are some tips you can follow:

Iron vinyl with a warm or medium heat iron if you are careful enough to place a cloth in between the iron and the vinyl. Press the vinyl properly to get rid of all the wrinkles that are present. After ironing the vinyl well let the material be on the ironing stand for sometime so that its cools naturally. Make sure you do not use too much heat while ironing the material as it can burn or destruct vinyl.

The easiest way to cut vinyl from patterns and pieces if you need them for your project is to lay the pattern under the clear vinyl and trace over the pattern with a sharpie marker. Use scissors next, to cut the traced shape neatly just along the marker line so you do not go overboard. If the edges are to be covered with a binding so that do not show, you can be a little less neat with the cutting.

When attempting to sew anything with vinyl, try to use clips instead of pins, especially on the areas of vinyl that will show. You can use clover wonder clips or paper clips for this. Also, clips are advised because the holes that pins make will not heal like they do on fabrics. When attaching vinyl to the underside of a zipper project, use a double-sided tape adhesive for sewing. They serve as great alternatives for clips.

Conclusion

Sewing with vinyl might seem difficult initially however once you have known the correct tips and method, you are sure to find your way around. Vinyl is great and used for many sewing projects and you can stich you favourite once too. Just follow the above steps and enjoy the fun and ease of using vinyl. Happy sewing to you!