Sewing with Cotton/Lycra Twill
AnneAudette
| Posted in General Sewing Info on
Hi,
I’m making shorts with a cotton/lycra twill fabric. This is the first time I’m sewing with a lycra blend. When topstitching along the crosswise grain, the fabric has quite a bit of stretch. I’ve noticed when topstitching pockets, the shape of the pockets are a little distorted.
The fabric is 97% cotton/3% lycra. I’ve stitched a facing (iron-on interfacing/fashion fabric) to the top of the pocket. The facing is stable. The actual pocket stretches as I top stitch. Do I fuse a strip of interfacing along where I want to topstitch?
Thanks!
Anne
Replies
Hi Anne, First a couple of questions: What is the shape of your pocket? Does pressing the topstitching help to tame the stretch? Interfacing will certainly stabilize the area, so it may indeed be your answer.
wlric
Hi,
My pocket is a "U" shaped pocket. I'm topstitching about an inch below the top of the "U".
Are you asking once I topstitch, does pressing the area with a steam iron help minimize the slight distortion?
Thanks,
Anne
Yes. I have found that pressing the topstitching will sometimes flatten that bit of stretchiness on areas of straight stitching. But, the curved portion of the U may not change with pressing. Since you already know that interfacing will stabilize the fabric, adding a strip along the edge will help.
wlric
Thank you very much!
Anne
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