I spy bags, can't get plastic right

[Maggi315]

My daughter (14) is sewing I spy bags for a craft show and for christmas gifts. We bought all the materials and the plastic, but no matter what she does, she can't get the plastic sewn right. I am really no help, I don't sew. The plastic keeps bunching and pulling and it won't lay flat.

I told her I would ask on here, hope someone has some ideas for her! Thanks!

[buttercups.nest]

I was told when I bought the plastic for mine that it would do that. I never did make mine (the plastic helped us out with our AC one year :S) but the lady at the store said putting something on top of the plastic might help....what about some really light interfacing that could be ripped off once its sewn?

Do a test run first as I'm not sure what part she's sewing and how it'll look etc but I think that would work.

Good luck!

[LaughingHyena]

I hemmed the "window" of my main fabric first (I think you cn skip this step if you re using fleece or something which won;t fry much).

Then I cut my plastic slightly larger than I needed. I used tape to hold it in place. Do not sew over the tape, it will gum up the machine.

I put tissue paper over the top while I was sewing it, I still found I had to go quite slowly.

Finally I trimmed away the excess fabric and plastic, I didn't want the things getting stuck behind it.

Hope that helps

[sewchris2642]

As people have posted, use paper (tissue paper, computer paper, parchment paper) between the plastic and the pressure foot. Or between the bed of the machine and the plastic. I use parchment paper. It tears off cleaner than tissue or computer/typing paper does. A walking foot or roller foot will also help. So will guiding the plastic through the machine. One hand pulling from behind the foot and the other hand quiding the plastic in front of the machine. Don't pull faster than the machine is sewing. That can break the needle and could cause the machine to go out of time.