Master Fusible Web: HeatnBond SOFTSTRETCH Tips for Stretchy Fabric Success

Hopefully, the previous two days have given you a good overview of the fusible web product and some existing varieties. Yesterday, I looked at the different types and formats within the HeatnBond family of products.

So, now that we understand the basics of a fusible web, it’s time to play! Today, I’m playing with the HeatnBond SOFTSTRETCH products. As mentioned yesterday, it comes in different formats (rolls or yardage) and weights: Lite and Ultra.

I cannot stress enough how much you’ll learn if you make samples. These don’t have to take a long time, and they certainly aren’t scientific, but the more you play, the more you learn, and the more knowledge you have when you need to use a fusible web.

To start with, I did a little bit of fabric shopping. I purchased some T-shirt-weight knits (red and navy), fleece (light blue and grey), stretchy dark denim, and flannel (green and yellow). I cut each piece in half, washed one group, and kept the other group unwashed.

Why? The first thing on the instruction pages was to PREWASH the fabrics. Why is that? There are two reasons. One is that if there were any shrinkage to deal with, the prewash would take care of that. Since SOFTSTRETCH is mainly for stretch fabrics, there shouldn’t be too much shrinkage, although there could be some with the flannel.

The second reason would be to remove any sizing in the fabrics. The sizing is a chemical-based coating, which can prevent a good bond between the fabric pieces. I wanted to see how much of a difference there was, so I decided to try both washed and prewashed.

The other thing I noticed about the prewash is that fabric softeners are highly discouraged. Why? Fabric softeners coat your fabrics/clothes to prevent static and to make the clothes feel softer. This coating will affect the bond between the fabrics. So, I did NOT use fabric softeners.

Then, I made many samples (they don’t need to be huge) to test the various weights of SOFTSTRETCH and the multiple types of fabrics I purchased. I went crazy with the samples, but you don’t need to.

Before I show you what I did, let me explain a few details about my process, including many tips for success with your fusible web products.

1. Read the Instructions. You’ll find instructions on each package, and it’s crucial to read them. The iron temperature, the amount of time to fuse the product to your applique, the amount of time to fuse to your base layer, and whether to use steam or not are all indicated in the instructions. If you don’t follow the instructions, you run the risk of the fusible web NOT working. Take some time and become familiar with how to use the product you are working with.

2. As you work with the products, keep the instructions with the product. Many of these products look similar once out of the package, and there’s no easy way to tell the difference. I used zippered plastic bags to keep things in order.

3. Make sure you know how to use your iron. There are many irons on the market, and having access to an iron with variable temperatures and ease of turning the steam on and off is critical to working with fusibles.

TIP Be sure to read the instructions; many of us open the box, plug it in, and start to use it. Did you know it’s best to turn the iron off to fill it with water? At a minimum, you should turn the steam function off to fill it with water. That can help to prevent leaking!

4. Ensure that you do NOT overheat the product! Reading the instructions is very important on this point. People complain that their products are old and no longer bond fabrics. Too high the temperature or too long of time causes the fusible web to melt to nothing. The temperature, use of steam, and length of time vary between products and even within the HeatnBond family, so be sure not to overheat.

I struggled with this one a bit. Depending on the HeatnBond product, the instructions say the fusible web should look milky, not shiny, every time I get shiny! Let’s hope everything adheres well.

5. Remove the paper before you adhere the applique patch to the base layer. This one sounds rather silly, but I’ve done it myself! The beauty of the HeatnBond products with the paper backing is that you do not need to use parchment paper or an applique sheet to work with them.

If you struggle to get the paper off the back, here’s a quick video to help you. I like to start at a corner, and with the paper side down, I quickly bend the corner. That is usually enough to break the seal at the corner.

How to release the protective paper from the backside of the applique shape

If that doesn’t work, you can score the back of the paper with a pin. Then, bend the applique shape along the score mark so you can release a corner to pull up.

When you pull back at the corner, and the fusible web is not fully adhered, give it another quick press. I tend to position the iron in the center and try to incorporate the corners, but sometimes, the corners need a little extra.

6. Ensure the fusible web goes right to the edges. To save time, I made squares for my fusible shapes rather than tracing shapes and cutting with scissors. But even then, you must ensure that the fusible goes all the way to the edges to ensure a tight bond right to the edge.

I cut the pieces of HeatnBond slightly larger than the square size I wanted. Then, trimming on all four sides was easy, with the fusible right to the edges.

While this is easy to do when using the larger sheets of fusible web, it’s sometimes a challenge to make that happen with the thin strips.

In this photo, you can see that I missed the edge slightly on one of these flannel samples. It’s not a big problem, but it may cause fraying when washed.

7. The products come with a cello tape to hold the rolls or yardage in place. Carefully remove that tape before starting to use the product. It can be tricky but find the end. If you wish to tame the product after use, use a piece of removable cello tape to keep the product neat in the zippered bags.

8. Be patient. Let the products cool after applying the heat. If you try testing or playing with it before it cools, it may not be “cured” (my word).

And now, let’s look at the samples I  made. I’m making hems using the HeatnBond SOFTSTRETCH rolls in the Lite or the Ultra weight. Remember, today is all about the SOFTSTRETCH, which is used for stretchy fabrics and recommended for flannel.

I started with the knit fabrics. Per the instructions, I used a high heat and was concerned about how some fabrics would stand up. I did not start a fire! Phew!

I placed a ⅝” [15.9mm] wide SOFTSTRETCH length along the edge on the wrong side of the T-shirt knit and fused it per the instructions. Notice I tried to get as close to the edge of the fabric as possible.

Once it cooled, I removed the paper.

The final step was to turn up the hem and fuse in place. Notice how the heat of the iron discolored the fabric while it was hot, but when it cooled, the color returned to normal. I can see this being helpful for those who struggle to hem a knit garment, whether using a cover stitch machine or using a twin needle on the sewing machine. Get the hem positioned, fuse it, and finally stitch it. Or am I being lazy?

And now comes the critical part – is the fabric hem stretchy? YES – the hem was very stretchy, and using the fusible web did NOT impact the stretchiness. The fabric feels thicker, and there are now two layers of fabric, but it’s still very soft and pliable.

The stretch denim was a bit worrisome as it was very stretchy. I’m not sure of the exact fiber content. You could smell the artificial fibers, and the denim appeared to ripple slightly under high temperatures and lengths of time. However, it looked fine after the paper backing was removed and the hem fused.

Then I tried the fleece. I used the fusible web to hem a piece of fleece. The nap on the back of the fleece took a beating with the duration of the fusing time and the weight of the iron. I should have moved the iron around to prevent the marks from the steam vents. But this is the wrong side, so technically, it doesn’t matter. I wonder if the nap will come back after it’s washed? Or did I permanently “fuse” the artificial fibers at the required high temperature?

Let’s look at the front. It’s beautiful! And I pressed this right on my ironing surface. In no way protected the nap of the fleece.

Here are the other samples that I made using the SOFTSTRETCH fusible products. I used squares to speed up the sample-making process for these samples. Four sample groups use combinations of prewashed and non-prewashed fabrics and the two weights – Lite and Ultra. I added some stitching and plan to wash all the samples to see what happens. I’ll share my findings later.

Sample Group 1

Non-prewashed fabric and HeatnBond SOFTSTRETCH Lite.

Sample Group 2

Non-prewashed fabrics and HeatnBond SOFTSTRETCH Ultra. I did NOT stitch these samples as Ultra is a No-Sew product.

Sample Group 3

Prewashed fabric and HeatnBond SOFTSTRETCH Lite.

Sample Group 4

Prewashed fabric and HeatnBond SOFTSTRETCH Ultra. There is no stitching, as Ultra is a No-Sew product.

Now, I’ll carefully label and wash everything so as not to mix the samples up. It’ll be interesting to see what happens. I’ll share the results with you later this week.

From my experience today, I LOVE the HeatnBond SOFTSTRETCH products. Imagine how much time you could save hemming costumes! Or even garments! I wish I had known about this years ago when my daughter was in school plays. I think it’ll help those who struggle with the hems of knit garments. Use the Lite SOFTSTRETCH to make cover stitch hemming super easy! And applique for knit garments? It’s a breeze with SOFTSTRETCH, and the applique moves along with the garments.

Wow – I want to have one of every type in my fusible web stash!

Be sure to return tomorrow as I’ll work on the HeatnBond LITE, FEATHERLITE, and Ultra weight products for woven fabrics.

And now I’m off to do some laundry.

Have a super day!!

Ciao!

This is part 3 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 2: Mastering Fusible Web: types, uses, and essential TIPS