How Do I Reinforce Fabric When Sewing?

How to Make Tie-Up Curtains
Written By
Jen Anderson
Jen Anderson
Published: Apr 2, 2010
Updated: Feb 23, 2021
1 minute read

Some fabrics are difficult to sew by themselves. Knits can curl at the edges, making it difficult to run the fabric through your sewing machine. Other fabrics need added structure to make the finished clothes drape properly. Machine or hand embroidery goes much more smoothly when the fabric is reinforced, keeping it from slipping around while you work. Attaching interfacing fabric to the back of your main fabric will reinforce it and add stability.

sewing machine image by pavel siamionov from Fotolia.com

Things You'll Need:

Things You Will Need

  • Fusible Or Sew-In Interfacing Fabric
  • Scissors
  • Ironing Board
  • Steam Iron
  • Cut the interfacing fabric according to your pattern so that you have a piece of interfacing for each pattern piece.

    Pin the interfacing to the wrong side of your main fabric. If you are using fusible interfacing, iron the two fabrics together and remove the pins when the two fabrics are fused together.

    Sew the pieces of combined fabric/interfacing according to your project instructions.

    Jen Anderson

    Jen Anderson has been writing professionally since 2008. Her work has appeared in the "New York Times," "Time Out Chicago" and "The Villager." She has a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Brooklyn College.

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