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Sewing with viscose

Nervous about sewing with viscose? Don't be! Viscose is a great alternative to expensive, slippery fabrics as it creates a similar drape. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Viscose is beautiful to wear; it's lightweight, it's fluid, it's breathable, it's a natural fibre that's made from wood pulp, and it's so glamorous! However, it can be a little difficult to work with, so I've got some top tips to share with you.

1. PRE-WASH YOUR FABRIC
   • I like to pre-wash viscose, especially if it is being used for a dressmaking project. Even though most fabrics nowadays are pre-washed and tested for colour-fastness, it gives you the peace of mind that your fabric is the right size and colour before you proceed with your sewing.
     
     
2. KEEP YOUR FABRIC FLAT
   • Viscose is a very fluid, shifting fabric and will want to slip off the table! To cut out and pin your viscose, I recommend placing it on a large flat surface (a clean hard floor is a good alternative to a large table), so that if it does slip you can still keep it supported and readjust the fabric easily.
     
     
3. USE PATTERN WEIGHTS
   • To follow on from the previous tip, I do recommend using pattern weights. Although you can pin if you wish, I prefer to use pattern weights when cutting out viscose as there is less risk of moving around the fabric too much, and they can keep both the fabric and pattern templates flat.
   • As an alternative to buyable pattern weights, you could use pebbles or even make your own by filling sewn bags with dried pulses, rice, stones or sand.
     
     
4. USE GRAIN LINES TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
   • When you're pinning the pattern to the fabric, do be aware of the grain lines (in most fabrics, you're going to be able to see these) and make sure your pattern is aligned with the grain line.
   • As viscose is such a fluid fabric and will move while you're pinning it, it's very easy for the fabric to twist, which could result in an uneven hemline.
   • Placing the pattern square to the grain line makes it easier to spot when the fabric has shifted. Taking the time to pin as often as necessary, too, as this will mean the final pinned fabric will be accurate.
     
     
5. USE A ROTARY CUTTER
   • When you finally begin to cut out your fabric, try cutting with a rotary cutter on a self-healing mat. Even when the pattern is weighted down, when you take your scissors underneath the fabric, the latter is going to lift, and could create fabric distortion.
   • A ruler can be used alongside the rotary cutter for straight edges; for curved edges, I recommend practising on a scrap piece of the same fabric so you can get a feel for how to work with it. Essentially, you're 'drawing' onto your fabric.
   • I recommend a 45mm or 28mm rotary-cutter blade, as these sizes are excellent for more intricate shapes.
     
     
6. USE A NEW NEEDLE
   • I suggest placing a sharp, new needle in your machine before beginning to sew with viscose – in fact, Sharps needles are perfect!
     
     
7. INVEST IN A WALKING/EVEN-FEED FOOT
   • As this foot helps the fabric in the machine to be fed through the top and well as bottom, it's worth using it to sew your viscose fabric as it prevents the viscose from moving as you sew.
   • It's also very useful for sewing together two different weights of fabric, as it doesn't allow the two layers to slip away from each other.
     
     
8. USE INTERFACING
   • I suggest attaching interfacing to your viscose around curved areas like the neckline, or any part of your garment where you would like the fabric to sit neatly and to be stable, such as a zip section or the sleeves. It's important to attach interfacing around curves, especially as it stops the fabric from overstretching.
     
     
9. FRAYING
   • Viscose can fray, and quite a lot, so I recommend finishing your seams to stop this from happening.
   • Pinking shears, which cut zigzag shapes into the fabric, are excellent for finishing the edges of viscose and make the process quick.
   • Sewing a zigzag stitch or overcast stitch on your sewing machine are other good ways of finishing.
   • If you have an overlocker, this is perfect for finishing your seams!

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