Machine sewing assuit

[chessurecat]

I'm an experienced sewer, but have never worked with assuit before. Those of you who have sewn assuit on a machine, what kind of needle did you use??
I will most likely be ordering some SOFT assuit shawls for my own design. The assuit application is moderate..not too much, not too little.
I think a ball point needle would just bend the assuit itself. And then I think a regular needle may run the semi-sheer fabric around the assuit. Unless it were a thinner needle.
Assuit is too expensive to just whip it out and 'experiment' ... besides, I'll most likely need every scrap of it.
Any thoughts or opinions would be wonderful. Thank you.

[je_ateek]

Anybody? I'd love to know too!

[ssipes]

I have machine sewn antique assuit with no problems. I don't remember what kind of needle I used except that it wasn't ball point. The needle either pierced the metal or slipped past it most of the time. I think I may have broken a needle or two but had no problems with the assuit itself.

Sedonia

[nbahri_rhythms]

Hi there!

I've done some alterations with assuits (by hand of course!), but I've noticed on the ones that I have worked with, show the fabric part that is sewn together have the metal pieces are taken out so you can run it thru the machine easily. The metal pieces are like little "x"'s that you can uncross them. It also really depends upon the quality of the assuit too on how easy one can uncross the pieces (the cheaper, the easier...).

-T

[chessurecat]

This is very reassuring, thank you.
I never considered removing the metal in the seams.

[mekyria]

I've done some sewing on a (cheap) assuit coat, like altering the hem. Sewing with a jersey needle worked fine (I figured using a sturdy needle will improve the chance of sewing through the pieces of metal instead of breaking a needle). I didn't have problems with it, I'll go and check the hem to see wether it pierced the metal or not.

[chessurecat]

Originally Posted by mekyria

I've done some sewing on a (cheap) assuit coat, like altering the hem. Sewing with a jersey needle worked fine (I figured using a sturdy needle will improve the chance of sewing through the pieces of metal instead of breaking a needle). I didn't have problems with it, I'll go and check the hem to see wether it pierced the metal or not.

Jersey needle is a great idea, sort of the happy medium.

[shahravar]

Hi, I went with a medium gague needle and I didn't need to skip the pressed metal.

[mamarama]

It sounds like Assuit is in abundance...where are you all getting it from? We're doing a Saidi next term, and I would love to find some soft Assuit (outside of Egypt that is)...any in Australia? Anyone?

[mekyria]

I bought my asuit dress on ebay, from an egyptian seller. I haven't seen australian sellers with assuit in their store yet.

[mamarama]

Thanks Kyria, after posting yesterday, I realised there was another thread specifically on assuit sources. Checked out ebay, and came up with an egyptian seller also. Wonderful stuff...I am such a tactile person though. Nothing quite like feeling any materials in my own grubby mits!

The WAMED festival in Perth is coming up in a couple of weeks, fingers crossed there will be some gorgeous assuit at the Bazaar.

[ChristinaRizkallah]

Hi-Egyptian designers sew assuit on the machine, so its possible to do it.