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Reuse plastic bags for smooth sewing

August 28th, 2009 in sewing

Threads Magazine, contributor

8 users recommend

Use recycled bags for sewing tricky fabrics.

Photo: Scott Phillips

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I have found a simple solution for taming fabrics that are difficult to sew. If my fabric (such as batting, bulky or loose-weave fabrics, faux fur, or Velcro) doesn’t glide smoothly over the machine plate or gets stuck in the machine foot as I’m sewing, I use a plastic grocery or other store bag to help. I prefer the bags from Jo-Ann Fabrics because they are almost transparent. I cut the bag to make it one layer; if I have a lot of seams to sew, I cut the bag into strips about 2 to 3 inches wide. I place the plastic on top of or beneath the fabric and sew normally, stitching through the plastic. The plastic helps the fabric slide smoothly as the stitches are made, and a simple tug easily removes the plastic after the seam is complete.

—Betty Bolden, Bolton, Connecticut

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