Taking the next steps in soft furnishings...
Tea break
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Tea break - tips and tricks

You may have come across fusible interfacing if you’ve done any dressmaking or stabiliser for machine embroidery, but there is also a fusible stabiliser specifically for soft furnishings. It’s well known in America where it is supplied by Rowley Company, in the UK it is available from Colly Brook Fine Furnishings.

The fabric is 150cm wide and available in three colours — white, black and beige. It’s a woven 100% polyester material which has been coated with iron-on adhesive on one side. It gives body to fabrics without adding bulk. Unlike dressmaking products, it does not alter the fabric’s natural feel or make them stiff.

Instead it stabilises silk, silky synthetic, flimsy or loose weave fabrics which allows them to hang better and appear smoother, while also minimising twisting and movement making them easier to manipulate in use. It also makes tricky fabric easier to sew and reduces puckering. It can be applied to fabrics with a normal steam iron with a suggested temperature of the two-dot setting (but always test before use).

Some example uses include backing lightweight fabrics before making covered buttons, stabilising silk for cushions and contrast borders, backing silk bias strips for piping and supporting loose weave fabrics to keep them stable when making cushions, blinds or borders. It can also help keep light coloured fabrics ‘true’ when joining them to darker ones.

It is also invaluable if you are creating a pleated panel or border to decorate a cushion, blind or curtain. Once you have pressed the pleats into the fabric, you can carefully add a backing of stabiliser which will hold them all in place without lots of rows of stitching.

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