What is "fusable interfacing" and who uses it to make kilts?

[Dixiecat]

You've had good experience of using fusible products, that's great, but it's not everyones experience

I hate to beat a dead horse, but it's not your experience you're basing an opinion on. Old, beat-up clothing and your tutors (who may or may not have had a vested interest in teaching you tailoring) showing you samples of what to expect when you use a fusible are not the same as actually using the product.

The fact remains, fusible interfacing, chosen correctly, applied correctly will last many years with nary a problem.

I am not trying to push fusible interfacing on you by any means, your craft is at a level both higher and older in tradition that fusibles, but pushing a negative opinion on something that you don't have actual experience in using is just not right.

[Paul Henry]

from my earlier post......

fusible interfacing can be useful , but you will find very few professional tailors making quality garments who use it much or often.It does have a place of course, and it can be useful.....

I've been very careful to make things clear that it's not for me, I haven't ever said that it can't be used

[fluter]

The original poster may want to check a library for one of the popular tutorials on tailoring jackets. You can probably find side-by-side descriptions of sewn in/fusible and hand-sewn/machine sewn. I've been reading this one Tailoring (Amazon link)

If you're still curious.

[Dixiecat]

Links that discuss fusible interfacings:

http://www.simplicity.com/t-sewing-t...px#interfacing

http://www.fabriclandwest.com/Notion...ng.htm#options


paulhenry, you never said it couldn't be used, but you gave a very negative review on fusibles based only on hearsay and bad real life examples. I'd never use it in a kilt, but wouldn't hesitate in using for most garment sewing. In my world anyway.

[Pleater]

I've never thought of using fusible interfacing when making a kilt because to my way of thinking, there are no facings to use it on. I use it on other garments where it is apt, or gets around the use of starch every time it is washed.

The tailored part of a kilt has a lining and reinforcement in the shape of canvas, but they are not really facings.

I suspect that for repairs to kilts which are on their last legs, where the edges are fraying and stitches pulling through, fusible interfacing would save the day.

Some hired costumes for amateur dramatics consisted mostly of fusible interfacing anyway, holding together splits in the fabric where it has worn through, accidental cuts done when making sizing adjustments, edges of hems worn away because the skirt was too long and dragged and snagged on a short actress and now needs to be let down for a taller one.

I am told though that these days you find duct tape in the most surprising places, and that the costume department is more likely to resound to the sound of a staple gun than a sewing machine.

If a kilt was to be carefully disassembled, cleaned if necessary, and then suitable weights of interfacing fused onto the more delicate areas - with careful placing of the threads if required to recover pulled areas, or even reweaving of frayed edges before fusing, it could then be remade - but the interfacing would not really be being used for its original purpose, as it would be in areas which would not originally have required it, only though old age and ill usage having made it necessary.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[vorpallemur]

I've never thought of using fusible interfacing when making a kilt because to my way of thinking, there are no facings to use it on. I use it on other garments where it is apt, or gets around the use of starch every time it is washed.

Interfacing isn't just used on facings. In factory made goods, it shows up all over the place. most suit coats and sport jackets have the entire front used, from hem to collar seam. (Even, fairly often, in cases where there's a real traditional canvas, as well.). leather goods have all sorts of pieces with fusible on them (because you can then use bigger pieces of hide, since you don't have to pay as much attention the way various parts of the animal stretch). You'll even occaisionlly find it in really odd places, like just in a seam allowance, because it kills the stretch in the seam, and allows a seam treatment that isn't otherwise possible.

In a traditional kilt, the waistband is about the only place I could see it being used. (maybe around the slit for the under apron strap to pass through. ) As I said earlier, in non-trad kilts, I use fusibles for pocket welts, pocket insertion points, and things like that.

[Heming]

In a traditional kilt, the waistband is about the only place I could see it being used. (maybe around the slit for the under apron strap to pass through. ).

That is actually quite a good idea that I wish I had thought of before attatching the waistband to my lightweight PV kilts.

It probably won't be necessary on heavy wool, though.