Help! My aida is unravelling

[lilyedith]

Hi guys,

Have you ever had this happened? The edges of my fabric are sewed, and I started noticing that the aida is unraveling. I was pulling out the strands that were coming off, and that exacerbated the problem. What can I do to make it stop?

[Stitchinkitty]

Are the edges overlocked or just sewn in a straight stitch line?Overlocking stops fraying.

[Allyn]

Overlocking (also called serging) the edges as Marilyn suggested works. You might also try a product called Fray Check available in the notions area of stores that carry sewing supplies. It's a liquid in a squeeze bottle. You wet the very edges of the fabric and it dries hard, sealing the edge of the fabric so it stops fraying. The downside is, since the edge is hard, some folks find it uncomfortable to handle the fabric.

I vote for Marilyn's suggestion first, if you have access to a serger.

[cairee]

honestly dont worry to much about it, aida will only fray a certain amount unless the edges are getting handled alot I do nothing to secure the edges of my fabric, I just let it fray. Ive never lost more than 1/4" to fraying.

if it really bothers you you can serge it as suggested, or use a zig zag stitch if you have a sewing machine and no serger.

[Serinde]

No sewing machine? Use masking tape.

[richardandtracy]

Ooh. Masking tape... Goes really manky & sticky after a few months. No thanks.

Regards,

Richard.

[Serinde]

Richard, honestly, that's not my experience -- it usually dries up and falls off if left too long! No doubt it can make the edges sticky sometimes, but I trim these off before framing or lacing or whatever, so I don't have an issue with it. In any case, the way I use the tape is to stick the minimum to the fabric, fold it over and stick the same amount on the other side; mostly the tape is stuck to itself.

[fccs]

Richard, honestly, that's not my experience -- it usually dries up and falls off if left too long! No doubt it can make the edges sticky sometimes, but I trim these off before framing or lacing or whatever, so I don't have an issue with it. In any case, the way I use the tape is to stick the minimum to the fabric, fold it over and stick the same amount on the other side; mostly the tape is stuck to itself.

Same here.

[richardandtracy]

Maybe I use the wrong masking tape then. Mine goes all sticky, after 6 weeks the glue becomes all stringy and deeply tacky. If on a glossy surface like glass, the tape can be slowly slid sideways without the need to take it off. If it goes like that, it's really not suitable for a fabric.

Regards,

Richard

[rcperryls]

Richard, honestly, that's not my experience -- it usually dries up and falls off if left too long! No doubt it can make the edges sticky sometimes, but I trim these off before framing or lacing or whatever, so I don't have an issue with it. In any case, the way I use the tape is to stick the minimum to the fabric, fold it over and stick the same amount on the other side; mostly the tape is stuck to itself.

Same here.

and here too. Sometimes I use Fray Check but that doesn't work as well as masking tape.

Carole

[Serinde]

Maybe I use the wrong masking tape then. Mine goes all sticky, after 6 weeks the glue becomes all stringy and deeply tacky. If on a glossy surface like glass, the tape can be slowly slid sideways without the need to take it off. If it goes like that, it's really not suitable for a fabric.

Regards,

Richard

Oh, that does sound deeply yucky!! I use the sort that you'd use to protect glass when you're painting window frames. Not very sticky. (Wonders: does masking tape come in levels of sticky?) At at this stage my tape is both old and low-stick.

[rcperryls]

Is the tape you use blue? We've always called it painter's tape. I forgot about it and I've used that also. I have no sewing machine and as silly as it sounds, I hate hand sewing. I have clothes never worn because they need a hem

Carole

[Serinde]

Nah. Tape here just comes in tape colour, AFAIK. Trust the US to gussy up masking tape. (However, we do run to blue band-aids -- for catering, when you cut yourself, you don't want to lose the thing in the sauce...)

[Allyn]

Is the tape you use blue? We've always called it painter's tape. ....

That's what I was thinking, too --the blue painter's tape. It isn't nearly as sticky as 'regular' masking tape even though it is a masking tape. It is less sticky so after you paint, you can peel it off drywall and painted surfaces without pulling the surface material off with it. It's usually in the paint department with the paint brushes and drop cloths, not with the other adhesive tapes.

[richardandtracy]

Only ever seen masking tape in beige. Even the professional coachworks next door to my house uses similar stuff to what I've had problems with. Ah well.

Regards,

Richard.

[Fizzbw]

Richard, maybe buy it in a. Pound shop, I bought some in one and it's lucky if it's sticky enough to pick up glitter.......


I do have a serging foot for my sewing machine but can never be bothered to get it out, so I tend to zig zag my fabric instead, works nearly as well.

I've used masking tape but only when I'm using a certain type of frame, and fray check isn't very good (it's just Pva glue....)

Niki xxx

[fccs]

(However, we do run to blue band-aids -- for catering, when you cut yourself, you don't want to lose the thing in the sauce...)

Eeewwww...