Hi all -

I'm working on some costumes for Alice in Wonderland. I'm making the card costumes which consist of a piece of muslin folded over (to create more thickness and blocky-ness) and a head hole cut into the top. For the cards, I'm using fusible web to fuse the spades on for their card number, and put a heart with a crown on the back. The fabric is satin (NOT my choice).

I've fused the hearts onto the muslin. I've been trying to sew around the edges of the hearts, but it's ripping apart the fabric. Since I only need the costumes to last until Oct 4, I'm thinking that I might skip sewing the edges to save the look of the costume.

What are your thoughts on that idea? Should I sew around all the edges? Or just leave them and pray they last for 4 weeks (after threatening the actors with death and/or dismemberment if they abuse the costume)?

I'm all for threatening! but then I work in a middle school. LOL
Rose Hall

What type of stitch are you using to sew around the hearts and spades?

I'm using a straight stitch. When I went close to the edge, it was fraying the fabric, so I moved further in (prob about 1/8") and since it's satin, it shows. It does an almost miniature fringe look that looks cool, but not for this.

I know I'm supposed to use a blanket stitch, with the majority of it off the fused piece, but I tried once and it just made an awful mess, so I go with a straight stitch. I did a smaller stitch length to control it better.

You might try to use a wide zig-zag stitch. But if the fusible web has been ironed down tight enough, it should last quite a while.

As a newbie, I have such limited knowledge, so I may have misunderstood your question.

Last week I was trying to applique and used the satin stitch with a tear-away stabilizer and found that to be very helpful. Maybe that would work for you . . .

I'll try the wide zig-zag stitch. I'm concerned that no matter how far away I get the stitch from the edge, the satin will still act weird. I've done my straight stitch method on cotton fabric with fusible and it worked beautifully. As long as I'm not right at the edge, no fraying, no issues, perfect. It's just this dang satan... errr, satin, mistype there :D

I've definitely ironed it well, so I'm thinking I might tell them to treat it nicely and repair if needed, rather than get so annoyed with the fraying satin....

I would just skip the stitching if I didn't care about the longevity of the costume. Don't stress out on throw away stuff.

A blanket stitch won't pucker as much as a satin stitch might. sew the straight line right next to the applique, and the little stitch that goes to the side, goes into the applique. I use this stitch all of the time and never have fraying problems, and this stitch goes rather quickly, too.

What type of fabric are you using?