Thread: How do you hem with sequins?

I was just wondering how everyone sews sequin trim onto hems?
I serge my hem and then sew it on by hand through the wrong side of the fabric. And I shall pull my hair out if I continue this madness! Then I got a costume yesterday that has a hemline where the sequins are sewn on with a zig zag stitch. It looked fine even though the needle pierces the sequin plastic every so often. How do you guys do it?
I really want to find an easier way.
I have heard of gluing which I don't want to do and I tried the pressure foot that feeds it through the machine but my machine is too old for such fine tuning. Should I get a brand new fancy sewing machine? My birthday is coming up!

How do I hem with sequins? Painfully and time-consumingly. I'm too much of a perfectionist to sew slung sequins by machine, so I end up basting or backstitching them on by hand.

I do the zig zag stitch too. I don't have a problem with the occasional holes, as you can't see them unless you pick up the skirt and closely examine the trim.

Quick and dirty way for me is with fabric glue and prestrung sequins. For a circle skirt you do have to work a section at a time so the glue can dry before moving on to the next section.

I also sew them on by hand, protects the sequins and fabric from catching on the foot feed or the sewing foot.

I've done it, since I often have to do several skirts or accessories for a troupe, I don't have time to waste. .w.:

A good advice, when you sew it, push it under the machine foot this way ,r:;:


Not the other way around, because the foot will lift up the sequins and everything will jam up ..c:: : (He, he, I know cause I've done it )


Qamar

This is an interesting topic. When i was lengthening my Pharaonics skirt, I noticed that the sequin trim on skirt and veil was so uniform and precise. It had to be done with a machine! There's no other way.

i also use a wide zigziag over sequins off a spool. but, i wonder if you could find a reasonably priced second hand commercial sequin stitching machine down town? considering its your birthday soon and your business is growing so much, it might be a wise investment. think of all the amazing sequin embroidery you could create!!! it would save you so much time.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hud3qkGogpo]YouTube - Electronic Sequin Stiching Machine FYD-369[/ame]

wow, cool never seen a sequin machine before, what time saver!

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

This is an interesting topic. When i was lengthening my Pharaonics skirt, I noticed that the sequin trim on skirt and veil was so uniform and precise. It had to be done with a machine! There's no other way.

The question is whether the sewing on your skirt is done with pre-strung sequins or whether the machine attaches the sequins one at a time as it sews them. Obviously you can purchase sequin-embellished fabric, and it doesn't have a separate stringing underneath. (It's just the sequins and the thread that attaches them to the fabric, as opposed to sequin trim that could be picked off intact.) There are higher-end machines that can do this job, such as the one below. From a quick search, it looks like the sequin feature can either be purchased as an attachment to an existing machine or as a dedicated machine--but I suspect they are not conveniently priced for hobbyist/home seamstresses, since they're "send inquiry."

I also found this from Dina Lydia via Shira while I was searching...Ask the Belly Dance Costume Goddess: Machine-Sewing Sequins.

Sewing Machine Feet - Sewing Supplies - Notions - CREATIVE FEET
Sewing Machine Feet - Sewing Supplies - Notions - CREATIVE FEET

A friend of mine recommended this sequin/ribbon foot. If it works with my Pfaff i'll get one for my birthday this summer : )

If I'm doing pre-strung sequins, I have no problem with a few dots of glue and then going back and tacking for security. If that's not an option, then I do it by hand.

A.) For some reason, I find it very relaxing.
B.) Sewing machines and I are not friends.

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

This is an interesting topic. When i was lengthening my Pharaonics skirt, I noticed that the sequin trim on skirt and veil was so uniform and precise. It had to be done with a machine! There's no other way.

I know!!! That's why I want to solve this mystery. How does bella do it?

She is using the foot with elastic but you can see how it would center and help feed in a single strand of sequins.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20_cOFIlb_Y]YouTube - How to Sew in Elastic[/ame]

Interesting, will watch a few more times then see if there is an attachment available for my machine.

Clare Rowley - Creative Feet | Facebook

She said on her FB page that they fit all machines. I might just have to order one if I can sell some stuff on Swap....nothing is moving though : (

I figured it out!
I got clear plastic thread through the needle and regular thread through the bobbin. I set my zig zag to the widest I can and my stitch length to 3 and I get a fine zig zag stitch you can barely see! Plus if you pull the bias you get a curled hem.

Originally Posted by eshtabellydance

I figured it out!
I got clear plastic thread through the needle and regular thread through the bobbin. I set my zig zag to the widest I can and my stitch length to 3 and I get a fine zig zag stitch you can barely see! Plus if you pull the bias you get a curled hem.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!! What foot are you using? Did you have to mess with the tension with the clear thread???

I have an old singer form the 70's. Totally industrial. No computer. I can take it apart myself!
My mom sewed all my childhood costumes on it.
So it's a regular presser foot. The plastic thread is so light you need zero tension. But your bobbin tension should be minimal.
No no tension on the top, smallest amount on the bottom plus widest zig zag stitch. If you get on a roll you will go through the hole of each sequin or wrap the thread around it. I am not annoyed by it going through the occasional sequin. I will post pics!

I like the clear on top idea!

I usually use the prestrung sequins and sew them on by machine.

Originally Posted by eshtabellydance

I figured it out!
I got clear plastic thread through the needle and regular thread through the bobbin. I set my zig zag to the widest I can and my stitch length to 3 and I get a fine zig zag stitch you can barely see! Plus if you pull the bias you get a curled hem.

very cool! maybe i'll see it on the coral? ..g.:

Yes that was my plan. I have the perfect trim for it.

yay!!! sooo excited :)

I once sewed beads and sequins trim on a circle skirt. That sucked on toast. I think I'll need to try it out with a machine sometime.

For single strand 'slung' sequins.
I use the clear thread on top, color on bottom (as you mentioned), longest stitch, widest zig-zag.

I manage to sew across most of the sequins (instead of into them).

Wide sequin trim I either sew by hand with the 'bird in hand' clamp, or straight stitch (longest stitch) carefully throught the middle of the trim.

Oops!
I forgot to mention, I use an 'open toe' foot (this foot is also used for embroidery).
Sequins strands fit perfectly through it in the direction Qamar60 mentioned.

Thanks! This thread helped me with sewing on my sequin trim to a handkerchief overskirt. In the past I just sewed down the middle but the zig-zag works better. I had clear thread but up until now hadn't used it. This works great.