Ok, so that doesn’t scan quite so well as the original song
lyrics, but since I decided to write this post, I can’t get that Salt’n’Pepa
song out of my head. And I have to find something to make interfacing a fun
subject!
“Let’s talk about all the good things and the bad things that
may be, let’s talk about it…..”
So there have been some questions during the sewalong about
materials and in particular, interfacing – weight, brand, type etc. In the
book, there is a whole section describing the different types and their
qualities, so I’m not going to reinvent the wheel here. I just
want to highlight that a few of the projects in Stitched Sewing
Organizers rely on a specific type of interfacing to give the best result.
When writing these particular patterns, the thickness of the recommended
interfacing was taken into account when calculating the maths part of the
instructions. For these projects, the particular finish shown depends
on certain characteristics in the products used. Aneela has also recommended
the two brands she has used most, and which she used in the process of developing
the patterns.
For instance, next week’s project, the Project Tote, has stiff
handles with fabric bonded to them, and the Fabric Boxes and Sliding Box rely
on similar materials to keep their structure. The use of double-sided fusible
interfacing means the fabric has a smooth, firm bond to the handles, or boxes,
and prevents the lining of the boxes and inserts from bagging. The heavy weight
means it has the required stiffness to give the structure.
It’s this heavy-weight interfacing that is hard to replace or
substitute. As per the book recommendations, Fast2Fuse Heavy by C&T or
Pellon Peltex 71F (single-sided) or 72F (double-sided) will both give a
successful result. The thickness of these products has been added into the
calculations for the pattern and for instance, using a thicker interfacing
could mean that the smaller Fabric Boxes wouldn’t properly fit inside the
larger box, or the insert wouldn’t fit into the sleeve for the Sliding Box.
With regards to the Project Tote, the handles may not properly fit and could be
very difficult to sew in with a thicker product, especially if you’ve also used
a pieced fabric for the body.
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| Just a gratuitous photo of my cat 'helping' me with the interfacing |
(BTW…..If you absolutely couldn’t get the double-sided fusible,
or you already have the single-sided and don’t want to buy more, then you could
try using something such as Wonder-Under or possibly basting spray to bond the
fabric to the non-adhesive side. I haven’t tried either of these methods so
can’t guarantee the results. Also, keep the heavyweight interfacing scraps as
these will come in handy when making the Covered Tape Measure project later in
the sewalong.)
There are other brands of heavy weight interfacing – for
instance Vilene, Sew Lazy, Timtex – however, they all have different
characteristics, some are stiffer and less pliable; some are sew in, not
fusible; some are less stiff and more flexible; none have been measured and
included in the maths involved in developing the patterns in this book.
If the pattern calls for woven or medium weight interfacing,
then you can use other different brands or non-branded products. For instance,
the Project Tote materials list suggests DecorBond for the bag body, but you
could use a different brand medium-weight, fusible fleece, duck canvas or even
layer up light-weight interfacing to get the desired result. If you’re using a
pieced fabric such as patchwork or a quilted piece, then the wadding/batting
would give you the necessary body. For woven interfacing, you can use
Shapeflex, Vilene G700 or other similar weight interfacing.
I’ve been lucky enough to see the many stages and samples Aneela
goes through when devising patterns, and the things she tries and works at
until it comes good. It takes a lot of prototypes being made during this process to come
up with those instructions that are straight forward to follow and that will
give you the same finish as the item in the photos. Materials
are recommended because they work successfully and give the finish that makes
us all want to rush out and buy her latest pattern. I understand we don’t all
have limitless funds, and I’m really not trying to bankrupt anyone (least of
all myself!) by insisting you all go out shopping (although in my experience,
we don’t need much encouragement in that department!). But I guess what
I’m trying, in a long-winded way, to say is that if you go another route, use
another brand, and don’t get exactly the finish in the book, it may well be the
materials rather than the pattern (assuming you follow it properly) that are
why.
Oh, and if you’ve no idea what song I was referring to at the
start, and you’re not of a delicate disposition, it’s this one.
I warn you though, it’s an ear worm!
