$*^@#X)&:" Rayon keeps sliding

[Juno]

I'm trying to cut out a top in rayon and everything slides all over the
place. What's the easiest and best way to stabilize the stuff so I can
cut out and sew things with out the blasted slipping. I'm ready to pull
my hair out or at least say bad words.
Juno

[Judie in Penfield NY]

Years ago when I was learning to sew with knits we were told to try
spray starch if there was a problem with slipping and sliding. That's
about the only suggestion I can think of offhand.

Judie

[Elaine Carpman]

My FIL was a garment cutter and his advice was to pin the fabric and pattern
pieces through an underlayment of paper (tissue paper or what ever you
have,be careful of newspaper because of the ink) and cut out pieces through
all layers.
Elaine
"Juno" <casey...@attremoveinvalid.net> wrote in message
news:pNmWj.200412$D_3.1...@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

[Juno]

Thanks Judie and Elaine, I'll give both methods a try on small pieces
and see what I'm most comfortable with. I told my DH I was having a
problem and his answer was, Have you asked your sewing friends yet? You
know they'll have answers for you. He thinks a highly of this group as I
do. He knows how many times I've gotten help with problems here.
Juno

[Emily Bengston]

On 5/13/08 3:23 PM, in article
pNmWj.200412$D_3.1...@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net, "Juno"
<casey...@attremoveinvalid.net> wrote:

Juno, When I cut out very slippery fabric, which is not often, I do what DM
did, pin it between two sheets of tissue paper. I have very fine silk pins
and use the least number possible, and cut the paper with the fabric,
leaving it pinned together till it's time to sew. Yes, I know some people
never want to cut paper with their sewing scissors; I use Fiskars, which
aren't really expensive if they get damaged.
Emily

[Juno]

Thanks Emily, I'll pick up some silk pins tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I
have a ton of tissue paper in the house. I'll get another note off to
you tomorrow.
Juno

[BEI Design]

Juno, when I was cutting all the satin and chiffon for DD's
wedding attendants' dresses, I used Kay L.'s method:

First, be sure the *grain is straight*, pull a thread and
cut off *both ends*.
Pin the selvedges together about every 5-6". Then pin the
entire piece of fabric to paper, I used large sheets of
tissue paper like you put in gift boxes, and re-pin along
the selvedges, and pin a line 4" in from the fold (about
every 5-6") and another line down the middle between those
two lines of pins (add more if you think it is necessary).
Be careful when you start cutting that you don't cut across
any of those pins.

Then, when you pin your pattern pieces in place pin through
the entire sandwich of paper and fabric. I also weighted
each pattern piece with several tuna cans (as I recall, you
can use others types of cans), to keep everything stable and
prevent shifting. I used angle handle scissors (pinking
shears, but that's just me) and was very careful to avoid
lifting the fabric more than absolutely necessary as I cut,
using looong even strokes. I left all pattern pieces on the
cut sandwich of paper-fabric-patternpieces until I was ready
to assemble each part.

It's a lot of pinning, but worth it in wear and tear on your
vocabulary and prevents excessive tooth grinding. ;-)

HTH,

Beverly

[Juno]

Thanks Beverly. I'm off to Joann's tomorrow for lots of pins and even
though I know I have a lot of tissue I think I'll buy more for my use in
the sewing room.I knew it had more uses than stuffing gift bags.
Juno

[BEI Design]

Juno wrote:

> BEI Design wrote:
>
> > It's a lot of pinning, but worth it in wear and tear on
> > your vocabulary and prevents excessive tooth grinding.
> > ;-) HTH,
> >
> > Beverly
> >
> >
> >
> >
> Thanks Beverly. I'm off to Joann's tomorrow for lots of
> pins and even though I know I have a lot of tissue I
> think I'll buy more for my use in the sewing room.I knew
> it had more uses than stuffing gift bags. Juno

Good luck!

Beverly

[Olwyn Mary]

This is the only time I use my rotary cutters for garment sewing - I
normally prefer not to use something which cuts faster than my brain
works. However, when my 24" x 36" cutting mat was showing signs of
splitting, I bought a second one, and now when cutting something
slippery like that I lay them next to each other on the cutting table,
lay out my fabric VERY carefully then put on the paper pattern pieces
and weight the whole thing down with pattern weights. I cut out one
garment piece at a time, lift it very carefully from the table, pin the
pattern piece to it and set it aside before I cut the next piece. I cut
VERY slowly, to make sure I am not messing anything up.

It works for me, even on the most slippery silks. The secret is not to
move the fabric AT ALL after you have laid it out and positioned it, I
find that using pins invariably makes it shift slightly.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

[Phaedrine Stonebridge]

In article <969ef$482a3ce7$18...@news.teranews.com>,
Olwyn Mary <Olwy...@aol.com> wrote:

I usually do it exactly the same way you do. I also use my smallest
diameter rotary cutter so I can achieve the most control.

Phae
--
"The tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time
with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
-- Thomas Jefferson

[Kay Lancaster]

Cut it on paper. Cut everything on paper. You'll be amazed at how much the
apparent quality of your patterns and your sewing improves. When you cut
fabric that is stablized and on grain when relaxed, when the fabric relaxes
on you, it hangs correctly. Not to mention not having to deal with a
back inseam that's an inch and a half longer than the front inseam
because the fabric got a little stretched when cutting. Or a neckline that
looks like late Picasso instead of a smooth curve.

Save your sanity! (well, at least it saves mine!) http://tinyurl.com/6psskt
which is: <http://groups.google.com/group/rec.crafts.textiles.sewing/bro
wse_thread/thread/d1e361ee1526b3e5/af9cda
8514f25ae5?lnk=st&q=#af9cda8514f25ae5>

FWIW, I use an endroll of newsprint. The backside of a roll of leftover
wrapping paper works well, too. Just needs to be not polished-slick.

Kay

[Olwyn Mary]

Kay Lancaster wrote:
> On Tue, 13 May 2008 20:23:49 GMT, Juno <casey...@attremoveinvalid.net> wrote:
>> I'm trying to cut out a top in rayon and everything slides all over the
>> place. What's the easiest and best way to stabilize the stuff so I can
>> cut out and sew things with out the blasted slipping. I'm ready to pull
>> my hair out or at least say bad words.

I forgot to mention in my earlier post, ALWAYS cut slippery fabrics in a
single layer. If you have to make a mirror image of a pattern piece
which was designed to be cut on the fold, go ahead and do it, it will
still be easier and faster than trying to manipulate two layers of a
slippery fabric.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans

[Mary Fisher]

"Elaine Carpman" <car...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:3aidnRHC9dJOhbfV...@comcast.com...

> My FIL was a garment cutter and his advice was to pin the fabric and
> pattern
> pieces through an underlayment of paper (tissue paper or what ever you
> have,be careful of newspaper because of the ink) and cut out pieces
> through
> all layers.
> Elaine

That's how I ws taught too. It works.

But I'd love to hear the bad words :-)

Mary

[Mary Fisher]

"Olwyn Mary" <Olwy...@AOL.com> wrote in message
news:166e3$482ab43a$21...@news.teranews.com...

>
> I forgot to mention in my earlier post, ALWAYS cut slippery fabrics in a
> single layer. If you have to make a mirror image of a pattern piece which
> was designed to be cut on the fold, go ahead and do it, it will still be
> easier and faster than trying to manipulate two layers of a slippery
> fabric.
>

And I forgot to say that it's better to sew the fabric with the tissue paper
still in place. It tears of easily after you've finished.

Mary

[Juno]

Thank you all, again. I'll follow along with the paper route.
I appreciate all the help.I wish I had asked sooner. It would have save
me a lot of frustration. Again as my DH said yesterday. "You know the
sewing group always helps you!"
Juno