Fusing Interfacing

I've long since dispensed with those plastic sheets of instructions you get with your interfacing. They are almost always the same and results vary depending on how hot your iron is, how much pressure you use, and your fabric anyway.

When fusing anything but cotton I do a test fuse first, just to make sure the interfacing is really going to stick. Sometimes with fabrics that are not washed (they are instead pre-steamed), I just can't get the interfacing to fuse permanently. That is not necessarily bad....the fusing will hold it in place at least long enough for it to get sewn in place and then it can act as a sew in.

Here's my usual procedure. I photographed two trials, one with so-sheer and one with pellon b/c each showed different aspects better.

• Press fabric flat.
  
• Place interfacing on the fabric...here is the best hint I can give you....don't smooth it out. Let is sit loose and wavy like on the fabric. And if it doesn't sit loosely on the fabric like this, use your fingers to loosen it up a bit...the idea is to give the interfacing a bit of ease in comparison with the fabric. I have a theory that this helps avoid bubbling later on when the garment is washed.
  
• 
• Now, hold your iron just over the interfacing and steam the bejeebers out of it. See the edge curling? It's shrinking up a bit.
• 
  
• Next, lay a press cloth (I like silk organza), misted with water (careful on dry cleanables of course) over the interfacing
• Press and hold for about 10-15 seconds. Really put some pressure on it.
• Pick up and move the iron to another spot and repeat.
• You will have to go over everything twice, with the iron in a different position, to get rid of the "holes" from the steam holes on the soleplate.
• When it's done, remove the press cloth and don't touch it until completely dry. Yeah, it's hard, I cheat sometimes too.
• If this process doesn't work, well, then, I use a sew in!