Learn all about interfacing! We discuss the various types of interfacing, their applications, and how to properly use them in our sewing projects. We also highlight some favourite interfacings from you, our listeners!
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Standard Interfacings:
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Woven Interfacing
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Non-Woven or Bonded Interfacing
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Knit or Tricot Interfacing
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Fusible Interfacing
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Sew-in Interfacing
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Weft Interfacing
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Specialty Interfacings:
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“Cool Fuse” Interfacing
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Flex Weave Fusible Interfacing
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Textured Weft Fusible Interfacing
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Bag Interfacing – Stiff, thick, plush, with or without fusible
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Non-Interfacing Specific Stabilizers:
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Cotton muslin
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Broadcloth
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Silk or polyester organza
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Cotton Organdy or quilting cotton with a spray adhesive
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A scrap fabric from your project!
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Online Interfacing Retailers
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Hi Helen and Caroline! Apologies for the late post to this episode, but I just recently found your podcast and have been catching up! I was delighted to hear the shout-out to my personal favorite source for interfacing, Fashion Sewing Supply. They have a wonderfully detailed guide to matching the correct interfacing product to your fashion fabric, and I’ve never been led astray as long as I followed that guide. And, more importantly, I’ve never been disappointed by their quality.
What I want to mention, though, is that they’ll also send you a sample pack for around US $10, which contains generous and labelled pieces of all eleven of their different types of interfacings. So what I do is this: I keep a few of my favorites in stock at home, labelled in separate large ziplocs, then I keep my sample pack in another separate ziploc. When I get to the point in my project that I need to choose an interfacing, instead of my former method (which, to be fair, got me through my first couple of decades of sewing) of pulling out all my interfacings, trying to remember which is which, and then figuring out which might work for my project, now I simply pull out my pack of samples and compare to my fashion fabric and decide which I want to use. Then I pull out the ziploc containing that particular interfacing, and VOILA! I’m interfacing like a pro and moving on with my project in no time. I hope this is helpful!
On another note, I want to thank you so much for the wonderful podcast, as well as all your incredibly useful show notes linking to the sources you mention during your shows. I’ve been sewing for over 30 years and have learned SO MUCH from the two of you during the past couple of weeks since finding the podcast, and you’ve helped light a fire under me to try sewing new things that I hadn’t considered before: PDF patterns! (I’ve already made myself a very awesome Blackwood cardigan and am set to make another this weekend!) Jeans! Bras! So many new inspirations, and I’m so excited! THANK YOU!
Emily, thank you so much for this comment! We appreciate you sharing these interfacing details 🙂 It is so exciting to hear that you have tried PDF patterns and have had great success. Thank you so much for your support, and best wishes with your future sewing!
Hi Helen and Caroline
I am new sewist here in Seattle and just listened to this episode (thank you for a great podcast, anytime I have a sewing question lovetosew is my first stop). I am mulling making a fiore skirt which calls for interfacing and that made me research the topic a bit. I would like to use an interfacing that’s sustainable, made from natural fibers and non-toxic. The one thing that I am having a hard time finding is – what is the glue (in case of fusible interfacing) made of. Neither pellon nor fashion supply company say that on their website.
Thoughts?
Rohini, good question! There really isn’t a lot of info out there on what the glue is, but we did find this discussion online which you might find interesting: https://www.quora.com/What-is-fusible-interfacing-iron-on-adhesive-made-of-Is-it-OK-to-use-with-paper
For a sustainable option, you could always use sew-in interfacing, such as cotton batiste or silk organza. Sometimes, the garment fabric itself can also be used as interfacing! You can check out this video to learn more: https://www.professorpincushion.com/professorpincushion/sew-in-interfacing/
Many thanks 🙂 Appreciate your response to a comment on an old episode.