Sewing With Hook and Loop Tape Part One

Hi! I'm excited to invite you to follow along in our course, Sewing With Hook and Loop Tape. Many of you are familiar with our popular course, Sewing Simple Closures, which launched over 5 years ago! It touched on using hook and loop tape a bit, but we've continued to receive questions and have come across new methods and resources which is why we've developed this new class-a deep dive into sewing with hook and loop tape.

 

This course will be divided into 4 instalments.

• Part 1 I'll give you an overview of the products we recommend, fabric choices that work best, and useful tolls for sewing success!
• Part 2 Donna is demonstrating a installation technique that's a bit different than the basic application. Follow along to see how to create a finish that looks similar to a lapped zipper.
• Part 3 Donna is back to share another method for a back closure using hook and loop tape that looks like an invisible zipper finish!
• Part 4 I'll be back to wrap things up with a looks at creating custom color matched Hook and Loop tape for my latest project!

You might notice a few new designs in the video. Both designs re part of the Liberty Jane Malibu Libby collection. The Country Mart Sundress and the Topanga Top patterns will be published in September, stay tuned for the patterns to go live!

Are you ready to jump in? Let's get started with Part One.

 

 

What is Hook and Loop Tape? 

Before going over the difference between hook and loop, it's important to note that what most people consider “Velcro” is a product called hook and loop. “Velcro” is a brand, called the Velcro Companies, and they are the original manufacturer of hook and loop fasteners. Similar to "Kleenex" becoming the common term for tissue, "Velcro" has become the common tern for hook and loop tape but there are other brands that manufacture hook and loop tape.

 

Our recommended types of Hook and Loop Tape:

Over the years we have tried many types of hook and loop. Originally we used a 2-piece product that has hook on one piece and loop on another, each with a flat backside. You can find these packaged products at places like Joanns or Hobby Lobby. After a few years making scaled down, fashion in miniature, I came across a much thinner product, made by the Velcro® brand, called Quick Tie Tape. I think it's most commonly used to wrap around cables, but surprisingly, it work perfectly for tiny doll clothes fashion!

At Pixie Faire we carry this hook and loop product in 3-yard rolls in 3 different widths: 1/2-inch, 3/4-inch, and 1-inch in both black and white.

We also carry another hook and loop product called One-Wrap Tape, offered in a pastel color way as a 3-yard bundle as well. This product has a thicker profile, but comes in a variety of colors, which might outweigh that thickness factor.

For the Liberty Jane pattern collection, we use 1/4-inch wide pieces of the hook and loop overlapped as a common closure. You can use either the 1/2-inch width cut in half, or the 1-inch width cut in fourths for these projects.

Many of the available both on Pixie Faire and elsewhere use hook and loop as the closure in ranging from 1/4-inch, 3/4-inc, or even 1/2-inch for each side. You can use the rolls in the varying width and cut them to your preference.

 

Fabrics That Work Best With Hook and Loop Tape closures.

You might wonder what fabric works best when choosing a hook and loop closure. After years of experimenting with a variety of fabric types, here's my list of recommendations.

• Quilting cottons-Yes! This fabric is ideal for sewing with a hook and loop closure. The fabric is smooth and crisp, tightly woven and doesn't snag.
• Cotton lawn-Yes! Same as above, but with this fabric, because it is lightweight, I'd recommend only the super thin product.
• Knit Fabrics-Yes but with considerations. Hook and loop works really well on a knit fabric, but the hook side can snag the fabric pretty easily when left unsecured. Placing the loop side on the underside of the part that overlaps is best, with the hook side face up on the part that would be under the overlap. This will help to protect the right side of the fabric, the finished side of the garment, from being snagged repeatedly. Reinforcing the fabric with a fusible interfacing for knits or a sewn on lace can also help to strengthen the fabric for repeated use of the closure.
• Sweater Knit Fabrics-Hesitant Yes, with considerations. Same as above, but with even more emphasis on the application. I would also not recommend using hook and loop on a sweater knit if the item is going to be played with (not cared for by a collector). The likelihood that the sweater knit fabric will be snagged is pretty high.
• Delicate Fabrics- Yes to some, No to others. As shown int he video, fabrics such as Rayon crinkle, cotton gauze and other lightweight fabrics work well with a hook and loop closure. As with the cotton lawn, I'd recommend the ultra thin product for these applications. In some instances, and also because of the overall design, choosing a different closure like a snap to hook and eye might be preferred!

 

Basic Installation Method for Sewing Hook and Loop Tape Onto Fabric.

In this video I'm demonstrating the method that I've evolved to over many years of sewing hook and loop on doll clothes garments. There are a few prior videos that show other techniques too, be sure to check then out as well!

My go-to resource for applying hook and loop to my project is double-sided basting tape. At Pixie Fare, we have a product that is super sticky and comes on a 10 yard roll, 1/8-inch wide. This product is ideal for all doll clothes sewing projects. The width fits perfectly into a 1/4-inch seam allowance allowing the sewist to stitch the seams with out stitching through the sticky tape.

It's easy to install the hook and loop to a garment as an overlapping closure.

• Cut the hook and loop to the desired length of the garment opening.
• Cut the piece in half lengthwise (is using 1/2-inch wide).
• Apply a piece of the double-sided basting tape to the center of the backside of the hook and loop. (Choose which side will be hook and which will be loop)
• Peel off the paper backing and position the hook and loop to the garment. Press to secure. This holds the hook and loop in place, no pins needed!
• To begin sewing, position the tape at the middle point of one of the long sides, just at the edge. It is much easier to pivot the corners and it creates a stronger stitching application.
• Edgestitch down the long side, pivot at the corner, stitch a few stitches, pivot again and stitch up the other long side. Pivot at the corners and stitch up to the place where you began. Back stitch to secure.

Design Tip #1 - The double-sided basting tape is strong enough to hold the hook and loop to the fabric with the tape fabric down. You can use this method to stitch from he right side of the garment to achieve perfect stitching! Just be sure to measure the width of the tape so you catch it on the underside.

Design Tip #2 - Stitching rectangular pieces of hook and loop result in a rectangular stitching outline on the finished side of you garment (in most cases, but be sure to watch Donna's alternate methods in part tow and three to apply it differently). One simple way to achieve a less obvious finished look is by using invisible thread on the side of the finished garment. You can wind a bobbin with invisible thread and stitch the hook and loop as outlined above (and in the video) to achieve an almost invisible finish!

 

How to care for garments that have hook and loop tape closures.

The great thing about hook and loop tape is that is's machine washable! It's important to note that you will need to be sure the hook and loop sides are secured together before popping it into the washing machine. If the garment is left open, the hook side will rub all over the garment and the other items in the wash cycle causing snags galore - yikes! If you secure your closure, your garment should wash and dry nicely!

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