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  1. #1
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    Doubling over fabric

    I found some 60" fabric in a pattern I really like. Problem is it's 7.5 oz cotton/poly.... too light for my purposes. I'm considering doubling it over and using an iron-activated fabric glue such as "wonder web" to fuse it together, essentially making it into a 15 oz twill. Does anyone have any experience doing this? How did it turn out? Thanks!

  2. #2
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    I really don't think you will like the result. It has been discussed here before.
    It has been tried with terrible results.
    I remember one member who wanted to do this on the aprons of a Kilt he was making and ended up throwing the entire thing out.

    The fusing of two fabrics together negates the fabrics ability to move and swish. It will cause it to develop large unsightly wrinkles.

    Please, do yourself a favor and find some good fabric to start with.

    The cost to you in the end will be negligible. For example let's say the 7oz fabric you found sells for $4.99 per yard. If you buy 4 yards you spend $19.96.
    If you find a good, high quality fabric and it sells for let's say $10.00 per yard you would spend $40.00 for it. The difference in the two fabrics is like night and day when you make the Kilt but the actual difference in the cost of the fabric is only $20.04. Or 8 cups of coffee.

    That seems like a no-brainer to me.
    Steve Ashton
    www.freedomkilts.com
    Skype (webcam enabled) thewizardofbc
    I wear the kilt because:
    Swish + Swagger = Swoon.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Wizard of BC View Post
    I really don't think you will like the result.
    The cost to you in the end will be negligible. For example let's say the 7oz fabric you found sells for $4.99 per yard. If you buy 4 yards you spend $19.96.
    If you find a good, high quality fabric and it sells for let's say $10.00 per yard you would spend $40.00 for it.
    Yeah, easier said than done though. I want a cotton poly which should be fairly wrinkle resistant, but I can't find any anywhere that has the 12+ oz weight I want.

    The characteristics I'm wanting are wrinkle resistance and a medium to heavy weight. I'd use denim or duck, but have read bad reports on its tendency to wrinkle.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Wizard of BC View Post
    I really don't think you will like the result. It has been discussed here before.
    It has been tried with terrible results.
    I sewed a monster - not the one Steve mentioned, but another. 10 oz Maple Leaf PV (not Marton Mills!) lined with 7 oz hemp/cotton jersey. The two layers are sewn (not ironed) together at the hem, waist, fell, and underneath the lining. I don't think I ever posted any pictures of it, so I'll upload some when I get home.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wompet View Post
    I sewed a monster - not the one Steve mentioned, but another. 10 oz Maple Leaf PV (not Marton Mills!) lined with 7 oz hemp/cotton jersey. The two layers are sewn (not ironed) together at the hem, waist, fell, and underneath the lining. I don't think I ever posted any pictures of it, so I'll upload some when I get home.
    Okay, sounds interesting. I'd like to see what you came up with. What I'm doing here is using a mesh glue (used with appliques most commonly) to completely fuse the two surfaces when the fabric is folded in half. There will be no gaps between the two halves once fused and no air pockets. I don't think I was very clear in my OP, but maybe I was. I wonder if The Wizard thought I was referring to fusible interfacing, which would certainly be a disaster.

  6. #6
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    Hmmm, the folds of the pleats might be a problem because the outside layer of fabric has to stretch around the inside fold as it is forced into place. That would creat a difference in tinsion? between the inside and outside layers, even if they are completely fused together. I think that might result in a stage curtain wavieness with the length of fabric in a kilt.

    Where as, with a single layer of woven fabric the yarns are a bit more free to move around each other. With two fused layers, the yarns are locked in place. I would guess that the swing would not be too good either.
    I tried to ask my inner curmudgeon before posting, but he sprayed me with the garden hose…
    Yes, I have squirrels in my brain…

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ted Crocker View Post
    Hmmm, the folds of the pleats might be a problem because the outside layer of fabric has to stretch around the inside fold as it is forced into place. That would creat a difference in tinsion? between the inside and outside layers, even if they are completely fused together. I think that might result in a stage curtain wavieness with the length of fabric in a kilt.

    Where as, with a single layer of woven fabric the yarns are a bit more free to move around each other. With two fused layers, the yarns are locked in place. I would guess that the swing would not be too good either.
    Yeah, that's kind of what I'm thinking might happen, but what the hey? I'll find out as soon as I get the pleats topstitched. If it doesn't work, I'm out about $22. If it does, maybe I'm on to something, eh? ;) Either way, I'll report back if anyone is interested. Thanks for the input.

  8. #8
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    I think Ted has nailed it. It will be impossible to perfectly align the warp/weft (horizontal and vertical threads) of the two fabrics when you fuse them. From that point on, one piece of fabric will be fighting what you try to do with the other piece. Fold a perfect pleat on the outer half, and you will be folding across several vertical threads of the inner half. Plus the difference in radius that Ted mentions.

    You can get more "heft" from a lighter weight fabric by making the pleats deeper (i.e. put more fabric into the fold) and doubling the apron without fusing the two layers. This isn't the best solution but if you can't find the weight of fabric you want, it's one way to compensate.
    Proudly Duncan [maternal], MacDonald and MacDaniel [paternal].

  9. #9
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    Bossfrog, here are the pictures of my lined Maple Leaf:




    Despite having finished it last fall, I really haven't worn it yet, so the basting is still in the pleats.

  10. #10
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    lining a kilt is one thing. Stitching in multiple layers...that's something else and seems doable.

    Gluing two layers together, especially if you try to glue really large pieces of cloth together....no, for the reasons that the Wizard pointed out. It will be rigid as a board, yuck. Besides, the $$$ you will spend of all that glue-web stuff more than makes up for the extra cost of the different fabric.

    Do you HAVE to have EXACTLY 12 ounce material? How about 10 ounce? How about 13? It's out there.

    Of course, if you just GOTTA do this, then forge ahead and let us know how it goes.

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