Fusible Thread Pocket Basting

Read on and see what I did for this fusible thread pocket basting.  It made for “Pocket Perfection”.

I recently sewed myself a new version of Jalie’s #3245, Raglan Tunic and Racerback Tank. 

The pattern includes the option of adding 2 cute patch-pockets. 

I “passed” on adding the pockets as I tend to put “stuff” in my pockets.  This fabric is a soft fluid viscose jersey that I purchased at That Sewing Place in Newmarket Ontario, and just couldn’t see myself adding pockets to it.

HOWEVER, this is a sample for a class that I’m teaching, and some of my students DO want pockets. So, as their teacher, I HAD to make pockets so I could include the instructions in my class!

Pocket Perfection Trials Prior to Using the Fusible Thread

I tried to make a sample, following the pattern instructions,  using that same fabric and fought the stretchiness at every step.  I thought that my students, some who are beginners, would also struggle.  I often use strips of paper-backed fusible web, (my favourite is Heat ‘n Bond Featherlite) to baste up hems on stretchy knits before twin-needle or cover-stitching them in place.

I wrote a post when I began to upload sewing videos on YouTube, and one of them shows my hem method.

I tried cutting 1/4 inch wide strips and fusing them to the turned edge of the pocket (which was already a bit wobbly).  It worked well on the straight edge, but not so well along the curved edge.  A glue stick tended to drag on the fabric, stretching it, too.

Welcome Fusible Thread Pocket Basting

I’ve had fusible thread in my sewing room ever since a Husqvarna/viking educator came and taught at my store.  She had us use it on our serger making it easy to fuse-baste a binding into place.  AND, I knew where it was, lol.  

It went in the lower looper.  I lengthened the stitch to 3mm and had already narrowed the stitch to the 1/4 inch for seam allowance by moving my knife to the left as far as it would go.  After testing the stitch, I reduced the lower looper tension to .5.  The fusible thread is thicker than regular serger thread, so that didn’t surprise me.

I also tried it in my sewing machine. Some of my students didn’t own a serger.   It was too thick for even a top-stitch needle so I wound some onto a bobbin.  I had to bypass the bobbin tensioner to get a decent stitch at a length of 5mm.  It’s a bit loopy but will be enclosed in the fused up hem.  I used Gutermann’s fusible thread for these samples.

Both methods worked very well and I was able to turn in the edge and fuse it into place. 

WARNING!  Be sure to cut all your thread tails off before going near the iron.  

NOW I’m Ready to Write my Pocket Tutorial!

It will be my next post, so watch for it later this week. In the meantime, if you sew slippery, fluid knits, I think you should have a spool of fusible thread in YOUR sewing room, too.