4 Tips for Sewing Sheer Fabrics

Learn the tricks for setting stitch length, creating a straight line and more on sewing sheer fabrics.

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  1. One of the best ways to cut sheer material is to determine where you want to make the cut and remove one or two threads at that location. This will leave a straight line to cut along.
  2. Fold over hems, pin them in place and iron them flat on a low heat setting.
  3. When it comes to sewing, make sure to use a size 8, 9 or 10 needle made especially for very sheer and lightweight fabrics. Also, use very fine polyester or extra-fine cotton-wrapped polyester thread and set the stitch length to 15 to 20 stitches per inch (on the machine, it will probably be at 1.5 to 2).
  4. Use extra fabric to stitch a sample run to see how things are going. Adjust the tension on the machine to keep the fabric from puckering if necessary.

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