24
votes
Accepted
Can a pizza cutter cut through fabric?
Unlikely.
There's a reason people keep separate fabric scissors from their regular scissors--cutting through fabric requires a very sharp blade, which you're unlikely to find on the average pizza ...
- 4,074
16
votes
Permanently mark pin placement for shirt
Sharpie might work, but will have some bleed on the fabric when applied that may cause the mark to spread farther than would be covered by the pins. Additionally, while you want something "permanent" ...
- 4,074
11
votes
Accepted
What's the name of this type of fabric pattern?
It's called "paisley" in English.
Paisley or paisley pattern is an ornamental design using the buta (Persian: بته) or boteh, a teardrop-shaped motif with a curved upper end. Of Persian origin,1 ...
- 3,516
11
votes
Can a pizza cutter cut through fabric?
Yes, if it is sufficiently sharpened. But... no restaurant would ever do that. I've worked in multiple restaurants including Pizza Hut (wow, that was 30 years ago).
Most places used a rotary pizza ...
- 261
10
votes
What fabric would work well for a flag?
Most commercial flags are made out of nylon. It's lightweight, durable, and dyes well. Specifically, the flags on many sites are made from DuPont SolarMax™, which is supposed to be nicely color safe ...
- 3,516
9
votes
Can I use Upholstery Vinyl as the fabric for a hardcover book opposed to using Leather?
Yes, using upholstery vinyl for bookbinding is certainly a possibility. I got a large reem of it from my grandfathers and was curious if it would work.
I found my result to be satisfactory (see ...
- 11k
9
votes
How can I secure stiff fabric to wood without risking ripping and without adhesives?
Instead of securing the fabric with the scews, I'd let the fabric secure itself on the outer edge of the wood. The less holes you poke into a fabric, the stronger it is to withstand tearing or wearing ...
Elmy♦
- 13.5k
9
votes
Blocking Acrylic Yarn
Unlike natural fibers which can be blocked by simply shaping the item while wet, blocking acrylic requires heat. Many people try to wet-block acrylic the same way they would do wool, and they aren't ...
- 1,791
9
votes
Accepted
What important tools does a small tailoring outfit need?
It sounds like she already has a basic "starter kit" for sewing. So, instead of getting her a comprehensive kit, I would try to focus on one or two high-quality items that would save her ...
- 1,791
8
votes
What fabric is appropriate for an ironing board cover?
You can buy "heat-resistant fabric" by the yard at large fabric stores in the utility fabrics section (literally called "ironing board fabric" at a popular chain) or online (several sources came up on ...
- 81
8
votes
How to intentionally fray curved edges in fabric?
You have the right idea. Sewing near the edge but leaving the actual edge raw will achieve a frayed edge. Things to keep in mind:
This will only work on a woven fabric, not a knit.
Most importantly, ...
- 131
8
votes
Accepted
What is a linear meter?
This isn't just for fabric, but carpet and all sorts of material on rolls. A linear metre simply means 1 metre length off the roll. It says nothing at all about the width, which is usually more than a ...
- 6,919
8
votes
Accepted
Are these fabric scissors?
Basically what makes good sewing scissors is that they are nice and sharp, and will make a clean cut. So the simplest way to find out if your scissors are good for cutting fabric is to test them on ...
- 1,791
8
votes
Can a pizza cutter cut through fabric?
Just for fun, I tried it, with a well-used pizza cutter and scrap materials on a cutting mat. Though the pizza cutter is old, it still does its intended job of cutting pizza very well.
It wouldn't go ...
- 6,919
7
votes
Efficient cutting and preparation of fabric for sewing clothing
I would hesitate to cut my fabric into smaller pieces for storage, just because I can pretty much guarantee that as soon as you cut your fabric, the universe will send you the perfect pattern for that ...
- 1,576
7
votes
Accepted
What fabric is appropriate for an ironing board cover?
Cotton! My mother made her own iron board covers out of cotton. Since it is natural you don't have to worry about it trapping steam, or melting from the heat of the iron. The heavier the fabric, the ...
- 1,275
7
votes
Robust fabric for making a bag for a 3d printer
You may need to combine different materials to get all the qualities you're looking for. Here are some ideas:
Canvas and denim are strong, abrasion-resistant fabrics. Another option is ripstop nylon, ...
- 2,375
7
votes
Fabric alternative for leather
Waxed cotton has the weight and drape. Here's a wiki link https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waxed_cotton
Another benefit to waxed cotton is its ability to "heal". Once punctured leather, pleather, and ...
- 1,659
7
votes
Best materials for a long-lasting scroll
We actually have a good idea of which scroll materials last for hundreds of years, because we have scrolls that are hundreds of years old. What are they made of?
Parchment
We have two thousand year ...
- 2,325
7
votes
Accepted
What is this texture called?
Nep
Generally, a nep is defined as an entanglement of fibers, that can be caused by environmental factors during growth, processing or are inherent to particular varieties.
abtexintl.net
hm.com
...
- 1,034
7
votes
Accepted
How much fabric is needed in this instructional?
The instructions you've posted call for "two 43" x 65" pieces of fabric." While there are a wide variation of fabric widths available, the standard US widths are (approximately) 45" and 60". As this ...
- 4,074
7
votes
What important tools does a small tailoring outfit need?
The equipment you listed is exactly what I would have suggested as a genral starter pack.
Sewing machine is a no-brainer. The "pizza cutter" is called a "rotary cutter" and is ...
Elmy♦
- 13.5k
6
votes
Accepted
What would happen if I machine laundered dry clean only fabric before making it into a garment?
I think it really depends on the fabric.
If the manufacturer of the fabric states that it should be dry cleaned, that's probably a signal that they're serious about it. Silk and wool can often be hand-...
- 3,516
6
votes
Accepted
Topstitching the inside AND outside seam of pants
Since this was mass-produced clothing, they probably do have a special machine for it! You can see an example in action around 2:45 in this video "How It's Made: Jeans". They're using a machine like ...
- 2,375
6
votes
Layout Foot length Jacket Cape
I'm assuming from your question that you're looking to have the cape flared out around and behind you while you are standing still, as the cape will naturally take that shape when you're in motion. My ...
- 4,074
6
votes
Accepted
Which is warmer for slipper socks—wool or acrylic?
Warmth in clothing comes mostly from trapped air, which is a good insulator. Water is a good conductor of heat, and water vapor can transfer heat.
With acrylic, depending on the characteristics of ...
- 11.5k
6
votes
What's a good fabric to use for an outdoor canopy?
There are fabrics of different materials and weaves designed specifically for that purpose. They hold up to UV and wind, dry quickly, are resistant to abrading through where they are secured or in ...
- 11.5k
6
votes
Accepted
Captain America suit's raised surface pattern?
There are a number of ways to do this and still keep the material flexible. Here are a couple that lend themselves to low-quantity, low-cost applications:
Start with a sandwich of foam rubber, like ...
- 11.5k
6
votes
Accepted
What is the name for cloth that is extremely thin/transparent, but not quite sheer?
It might be cotton muslin, but I don't know if this is the traditional material.
Muslin is a very loosely woven material, but with thick threads. That means you can see through it when you hold it ...
Elmy♦
- 13.5k
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