Dressmaking

[rockyracoon]

Evening all

I've got some lovely fabric to make a dress but it's fraying like billyo, has anyone ever used one of the glue/solution type anti fray products successfully? I'm a bit afraid of trying to do the edges on a machine.

Thanks for any replies :)

[woofgang]

yup, fraycheck works well but its only temporary so far as clothing goes. It will wash/dry clean out or just wear out of the fabric again. Use the fraycheck to stabilise the edges of the fabric while you finish it properly, even if the finish is only zigzag stitch.

[boxtops]

Ive never tried the sticky stuff, but for a garment which frays as badly as that, I'd be tempted to use a French seam or a double machined seam, to enclose the raw edge.

[rockyracoon]

Thanks woofy that's what I was worried about, that it'd wash out. So it will help with sewing the edges?

It's such a lovely fabric and was cheap as chips so I really want to make a bargain of a dress :)

[rockyracoon]

Thanks Boxy, perhaps I'll get the sticky stuff, and use one of those stitches! Hopefully that'll work.

Here I was thinking it'd be easy :)

[ferlew]

Is it possible you could bind the seams?
What fabric is it?

[boxtops]

I made a dress for an exam at school a hundred years ago, and it was a glossy synthetic fabric, beautiful pattern, and it frayed like crazy. I had to do the whole thing with French seams, it was a pig :-(

[rockyracoon]

I don't know what fabric it is, it's very light and floaty (definitely synthetic), maybe a closer knit chiffon if that makes sense. It was only £3 a metre so it wouldn't be disastrous if I ballsed it up, but I love it :)

[rockyracoon]

To be honest, it's a play on the pillow case dress but strapless, I'm starting with easy stuff til I get my confidence up, so french seaming 4 edges shouldn't be too much of a hardship (she says, lol)

I'll practice on an old tablecloth before.

Thanks for all your replies :)

[boxtops]

Cut wider than usual seam allowances, then, to allow for losing some in action :-)... and if you can, try stitching a test piece.

It's ages since I did any dressmaking, I used to do it all the time - the last major items I sewed were the outfits for our wedding, 9 years ago.

[rockyracoon]

Will do Boxy :)

You must have been very good. I'm desperate to do some lessons but there seems to be none local to me at all :(

[boxtops]

I wouldn't say I was very good, but I did it to A level - I thought at one point that I might have been a needlework teacher, but now I'm glad I didn't pursue that career option...!

No classes at your local FE college?

[rockyracoon]

I've just had another look on the council website and one course looks promising (£100 for 10 weeks) and it's not too far from me, I'll give them a ring in the morning.

[boxtops]

Excellent - good luck! They'll probably start you on straightforward stuff on cotton - I'd keep your lovely fabric to one side for the time being...!

[rockyracoon]

I think I might ;)

[jazzie07]

There are some fabric glue that are wash proof, you can try some of those. Just a piece of advice it would be much better if you sew the edges on the machine. You can find some fabric glue at http://www.calicolaine.co.uk