I want to make a jacket out of fleece, but I've not sewn with it before. For those of you who have, can you tell me if there's anything special I need to consider? Do I use a ball point needle and a stretch stitch? Is regular all-purpose thread OK to use?

And for those who machine embroider, I'd like to put a light design on the pockets. How should I stabilize? I thought I'd use a sticky-backed stablizer on the bottom and a water soluble stablizer on top. Is this the way to go?

Thank you

I have not used the soluble stabilzer on the front of fleece unless it is super thick - just havne't found a need and I do fleece blankets (personalized) all the time.

As for sewing - the hardest part is the "stretch" that occurs - ui have to move my sewing machine to my dining room table so there is absolutely no pull on the fabric from hanging down.

When my Late DM made jackets for me, she surged the seams which prevented a lot of the curling with fleece. I love them!

When I sewed with fleece, I used a narrow zigzag stitch for the seams. This builds in enough "give" so that the seam doesn't break if the fleece is stretched.

Fleece edges don't ravel, but the seams can be kind of thick. A different way to do the seams is to overlap the fabrics and zigzag on top through both layers. I think a 5-thread serger can make a stitch like that too. This finishes all of the seams decoratively and they are only two layers thick.