How to Sew with Sequins Fabric

Today I want to share my Top Tips for Sewing with Sequins, plus some BONUS information about this amazing fabric! Many of the tips came from our customers' frequently asked questions.

We are always looking for new and innovative ways to give your handmade projects that luxury look! For decades, sequins have continued to be a popular material for bags. With our new Sequins collection, your projects will appear to be luxury-made items!

WHAT IS SEQUINS FABRIC?

Sequins fabric is either a woven, stretch, lace, or mesh fabric with plastic shaped pieces that have been sewn in place, called sequins. The sequins may be stitched or adhered flat to the fabric, or attached with a single stitch, so they can move freely. Sequins can vary in size, shape, color, and nap. This type of material is often used for dance apparel, formal wear, home decor, and bags.

Sallie Tomato Sequins Fabric is a mesh fabric with circle-shaped sequins stitched in place.

Of course, our Faux Leather and Cork Fabrics compliment our Sequins Fabrics! You can mix, match, and amaze your friends with your finished projects featuring these materials!

TOP TIPS FOR HOW TO SEW SEQUINS FABRIC

After reading these tips, if you can't find the answer you're looking for, feel free to contact us anytime!

It's recommend to start each project with a new needle. Schmetz Ball Point or Microtex size 70/11 works best. For most projects, you can use Sequins in place of wherever cotton or canvas is recommended.
For finer sequins, such as Sallie Tomato Sequins, you can try simply sewing through the sequins as you would for a normal seam.
For larger sequins, it's important to remove sequins from the seam allowance. To do this, mark the seam allowance along the outer edges of each pattern piece using a seam gauge. Use a scissors to cut the plastic pieces off, not cutting through any of the stitching or base fabric. If you cut through the stitching, depending on how the sequins was manufactured, it might cause more than one sequins to come loose and unravel the fabric.
Try using a single-hole throat plate on your sewing machine so sequins aren't drawn down into the sewing machine.
It’s important to note the direction in which the sequins lay, which is called the nap of the fabric. You’ll want to make sure the fibers are towards the bottom, for the most natural, uniform look. You don’t want to end up with the sequins going in opposition directions on your final project.
Use paper tape, masking tape, or painter's tape to hold sequins down out of the way of the seam.
Do not wash this type of fabric in a washing machine. Simply wipe your fabric clean with damp cloth to treat local stains. For more stubborn stains, add a little detergent to the soiled area and gently brush or wipe the stain clockwise with a soft brush or cloth. Do not tumble dry. Instead, air dry this fabric for the best results.
Do NOT iron fabric directly. Cover with a press cloth or scrap of fabric and iron on a low temperature setting.
If using a mesh fabric base sequins, and you don't want to be able to see through the fabric, use HeatnBond Lite to fuse the sequins to your desired backing fabric.