Felt is an excellent beginner material and is ideal for sewing projects for children. It doesn’t fray, it’s easy to cut, and it comes in a variety of colors and patterns to suit any DIY project.
However, knowing the fundamentals of sewing with felt will help you complete your new sewing project without frustration, whether you’re sewing felt on a sewing machine or sewing felt by hand.
What Is The Best Thread For Sewing Felt?
Cotton embroidery floss is frequently used for hand sewing or appliquéing felt. It is flexible, soft, colorfast, fade-resistant, and available in 458 different colors! It is also reasonably priced. Each skein contains six easily separated strands. Depending on the project, use two or three strands.
However, Embroidery floss is ideal for hand stitching, particularly when appliquéing felt. Embroidery thread is made up of six individual threads that can be quite thick for some projects.
Several sewing experts discovered that sewing felt sheets together with a general all-purpose polyester thread works great. As if that wasn’t confusing enough, some argue that any cotton or cotton-blend thread is preferable depending on the felt.
If you intend to embroider with stitching, consider using cotton or metallic thread. If you’re not sure which one to use, try out a few different types on a scrap piece of felt! There will be some trial and error in the thread you use, so experiment to see which one gives you the desired aesthetic!
Important Hints And Tips For Sewing Felt Fabric
Felt is a fantastic fabric! It’s bright and colorful, and it can be used for a variety of craft, fashion, and home improvement projects. It’s simple to sew and widely available in stores and online, making it extremely popular.
What sensations are there? To refresh your memory, felt is a fabric created through matting, pressure, or heat (rather than weaving). Depending on how much you need for your craft project, you can buy it in sheets or large rolls. It can be made of natural materials like wool, synthetic fibers like polyester, or a combination of the two.
Tips For Hand Sewing
You could sew your felt fabric by hand. Sometimes there isn’t a machine nearby, or your project doesn’t require one. Hand sewing is especially useful for adding a finishing touch or securing a raw hem on felt. It adds a personal touch as well as a finished look to your project. Felt does not fray as much as other fabrics, but it is a good idea if you intend to use your item frequently.
What is the best needle to use when sewing felt? For decorative hand sewing, you can use a large darning needle, though the size of the needle you’ll need depends on the thread and fabric you’re using.
If you’re doing appliqué or a decorative hand stitch technique on felt, use cotton or even metallic thread. There will most likely be some trial and error, and some threads may work better on certain types of felt than others.
Tips For Sewing On Machine
All-purpose polyester or cotton thread is suitable for sewing machines. You can also use quilting yarn. However, no special thread is required; regular sewing thread will suffice.
Wool felt or a predominantly wool blend should be sewn with cotton thread. Polyester and polyester-rich blends, as well as other synthetics, should be sewn with polyester thread.
While not embroidery thread, consider using the same polyester sewing thread you would use for machine sewing to edge handmade toys, buttons, beads, and small items on toddler toys. These threads are strong and dependable. They are ideal for reinforcement seams as well as straight edge seams.
Related Questions
Should I wash the felt prior to sewing it?
Don’t wash felt before sewing with it. Because most felt projects aren’t meant to be washed, there’s no need to prewash your fabric. Decorations, pincushions, and felt toys should never be washed. If you have a felt item that will need to be washed frequently, you should definitely prewash it. Check the felt’s care instructions. In general, do a cold hand wash and dry flat in the shade.
Is it better to sew felt or glue felt?
While sewing felt is a long-lasting and strong option, there are times when gluing felt is faster and better. If your felt item will not be washed, you can glue it together instead. For best results, use a clear-drying craft or fabric glue. Applique felt is ideal for gluing rather than sewing, whereas felt seams should be sewn.
What is the best method for sewing felt?
Felt is a relatively soft material, so unless your felt is extremely thick, you can usually use a regular sewing needle (like one made from dense wool). When it comes to scissors, always (!!!) use fabric shears rather than paper scissors. When cutting fabrics, fabric scissors provide a clean edge and are safer to use.
Conclusion
In short, for a decorative look, use either strengthened polyester thread or embroidery floss. Embroidery floss is sold in twisted strands that allow you to separate the stands and vary the thickness. Thicker threads are ideal for a decorative look, especially when contrasting colors are used.
Beatrix Ainsley (Bea to her friends) is an abstract artist who was heavily inspired in her twenties by the abstract expressionist movement of the 1940s. Since then Bea has acquired three degrees in Science, Education and most importantly Fine Art. Her art works showcase exploring emotion and introspection of self. To achieve this – the use of bold, sweeping, intricate layers of color, and spontaneity of form is enhanced by reflecting on decades of life experiences. Bea has amassed a vast knowledge of art in all its forms, and hopes to pass it on with her contributions here.
