the Best Tip for Cutting Slippery Fabrics!
November 21, 2011 · 23 comments
Way back when, when I did this post on working with silks, there was a very clever reader that gave me a great technique that I’ve used ever since. Slippery fabrics can be a b*%&^! to cut. Ugh! I’ve used my self healing mat and rotary cutter with them, but honestly, I’m a shears girl. I’ve always worked with shears and for me, they’re just easier to handle. So if you’ve got a thing for your shears too, here’s a very handy tip.
Keep a length of muslin handy at all times. I have a yard that I have hanging up in my “sewing closet” (and yes, I actually now have a full closet dedicated to sewing + an entire room! Yay!). Lay the muslin down first and then lay the slippery fabric over the top of it and begin pinning your pattern pieces in place through all layers. Now, with your shears perpendicular to the table, cut only your slippery fabric out. And Voila! The pattern doesn’t shift around, the slippery fabric doesn’t shift around and the shears will make nice even cuts instead of jagged edges (which is what usually happens for me when I don’t use this technique).
It’s OK, if you think this is like magic, because really it is. It’s also OK if you have some doubts that this just won’t work for you. It may not, but hey, you’ve at least got to try it once. Next to sliced bread, this is a pretty neat trick. Show your friends! They’ll be terribly impressed! Enjoy!
xoxo,
Sunni
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
What a great idea! I have used a modified Margret Islander method for a long time, she advocated using tissue paper as a stabilizer. This sounds much better, thank you so much. I have several blouses to cut out (I hate cutting!) and will try this.
Corinne recently posted..The Free-Motion Stitch Library-Happy Thanksgiving
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Doh, I just cut out a Jasmine blouse from slippery fabric, literally about an hour ago. You must have been reading my mind Sunni! I got really cross in the process as the fabric kept changing shape, so I’ll definitely bookmark this tip for next time. Great tip, thank you. x
Jane recently posted..Apple Print Ginger
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Thanks for the tip! I will definitely be trying this next time I use a slippery fabric.
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This is a really great tip!! Any suggestions on a brand of shears to invest in? I am going to ask my husband for a pair for Christmas!
Thanks!
Tracey
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This is brilliant! I am a shears girl, too. I use my rotary cutter for crafty things like pillows and aprons, but when I am sewing garments, I’m old school. I can’t wait to try this! xo
Anita recently posted..Sunday {Game Day} Sipping and Snacking
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Oh, what a brilliant tip! I wish I’d known that about a month ago!!
Nikki recently posted..Sewing and little singing…
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Brilliant! Great tip, thank you so much! I’ve been a bit hesitant about cutting silk (I’m a shears girl as well, just haven’t taken to rotary cutters), but I’m def going to try this one when I get to the silk in my stash (hopefully before Christmas).
Erika recently posted..Tailoring a cut-on shawl collar
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Love this! I hate cutting out clothing patterns with rotary cutters, unless it’s something like an actual rectangle-shaped piece, because it’s way too easy to slip and cut into the pattern itself. And this seems much less wasteful than the paper method. I will definitely be using this the next time I have a tricky fabric– thanks, Sunni!
Becky recently posted..Derailing the plan
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Thanks so much for this tip! I have some slippery rayon lining I need to cut out this very day, so I’ll be able to put this to very good use.
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Brilliant! I will try this next time – right now I’ve just been using tissue paper underneath the slinky fabric to stabilise it a bit while cutting. This looks like a better idea and I wont have to keep hunting for tissue paper
As for shears vs rotary – I only have shears and love them. I dont have a proper cutting mat, only cardboard so a rotary cutter wouldn’t be good anyway.
Esz recently posted..We’re Not in Kansas Anymore…
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Another method that works and may not be as costly as cutting muslin is butcher’s paper. It is quite stable and comes in wide sheets.
Gail recently posted..Princess Gail
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I am definitely going to try this. I have tried to work with lining fabrics twice, so far, with a year in between because the first time left me so frustrated.
So I am always on the lookout for ideas!
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Thanks for posting this!
It’s something you really do have to try to to believe. Since the under-fabric (muslin, or an old rough cotton sheet), is *not* cut there is no waste. When I regularly taught Shirt-Making in my studio workroom, I always demo’d this to my students…it always was an oooh-ahhh moment!
I have a separate cutting table that is thinly padded and wrapped with heavy muslin in my workroom that my tailors and I use to accurately cut pockets and collars. Because along with slippery fabrics like silks, linings, etc, it works great for very fine cotton shirting fabrics….no “creep”
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Brilliant! I am going to try this out soon. I hate using a rotary cutter and often times mess up cutting because of my loyalty to my lovely shears. Thank you.
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Oh, I like this trick! I will definitely give it a try next time I get up the courage to tackle a slippery, difficult fabric…
Tanit-Isis recently posted..Make me one too!
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Wow, this is amazing! I usually find wrestling with slippery fabrics annoying, to say the least, so this is a real lifesaver! Yay! Thank you!
Ginger recently posted..There’s a New Lady in my Life!
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Wow, this is such a great idea! I really hope it works well for me bc I wanted to kill my silky fabric yesterday after spending so much time cutting it out! LOL. Thanks so much!
Reyna
Reyna recently posted..Holiday Outfits
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I’m SO glad I found this post! I had been using the tissue paper method, which is such a pain that the last few times I just didn’t bother and ended up with misshapen pieces. I thought slippery fabrics and I were parting ways. Thanks to your post, we’re getting back together!
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Thanks for this! Usually I have one leg up on the table, my elbow on fabric and am staring the cats into a frozen pose to help hold down the pattern on a slick fabric. Muslin hunting, here I go!
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Thanks for the tip – the cutting out seems to be more than half the battle with slippery fabric, doesn’t it – I will definitely try this soon.
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