5 Rules to Follow When Working with Neoprene

No. 96

Music by Kevin MacLeod

There are 5 rules you need to know when working with neoprene:

1 - Many sewing machines can't handle neoprene. The material is more like a rubber than a fabric. Because of this, it's a good idea to test your machine on a neoprene swatch before beginning your project. You do not want to cut up your old wetsuit just to find out that you're not able to sew it into anything.

2 - Wetsuit neoprene has a rubber side and a fabric side. When sewing on a machine, the rubbery sides need to be facing each other so that the feed dogs and presser foot only make contact with the fabric side. Otherwise, the rubber will completely stop the material from moving through the machine while sewing.

3 - Neoprene can be very thick. Be aware of this when choosing a needle for your machine. Thin needles will pierce through the material easily but thick needles will be less prone to breaking. Test different needle sizes on swatches before you begin your project to find out what works best for you.

4 - Don't force the material through the machine. If you do, it is extremely likely that you will break a needle. Let the machine do the work. Slight coaxing can be allowed but no forcing.

5 - Use a stretch stitch. Neoprene is stretchy. If you try to use a straight stitch on this material, the stitch will eventually break.

Sewing neoprene can be difficult but you can do it! Take it slow. Have some chocolate. If the project starts causing you stress, put it down, take a breather, and come back to it later. You got this!

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Amazing Plan - Silent Film Dark by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...

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