Help with making a polar fleece jacket

Lisa, I tried Nancy Cromwell's tip from "Polar Magic: Adventures with the New Fleece". First, stabilize. I used a tearaway stabilizer on top to keep the stitches from sinking into the fleece. Also mark your buttonholes directly on the stabilizer since marking fleece is hard. I also used her method for stabilizing on the bottom with self fabric. Cut a small piece of matching fleece and put it crossgrain to your main fabric. That way your stretches work against each other. Make your buttonhole and then cut the backing piece of fleece close to your stitching. It really helps to keep the buttonhole from gaping open on the ones I made. That worked for me and I had about given up on fleece buttonholes up to that point. My first attempts were nightmares. Have fun.

Marilyn

I do all of the above things that Marilyn posted and also use a cord in my button hole, just because. The foot has a little sticking out thingy (technical term) on the back that you loop the button hole twist to and then hold it while the button hole sews out and it's under the back and forth thread (another technical term). I think it sort of gives a nice finish to it.

Being very technical, Val

Lisa, you've had some good suggestions on making buttonholes, but I'll add another.

You can make the simplest of all buttonholes simply by stitching a box slightly larger than your button and making a slit. If you want it to be stronger, thicker, and more interesting, you can add a second layer of fleece (contrasting or not) cut in an interesting shape, then sew the box through both layers and cut the slit.

You can also use the shape idea by laying it on the wrong side of the buttonhole area, stitching a narrow "football" shape, slitting it from end to end without cutting the stitching, and then turning the shape to the front side. If you grab both ends firmly and "snap" the fabric, it should turn and stay turned. (This is an old Robert Carr trick, from her Spanish Snap Buttonholes).

Have fun experimenting!

Karen Maslowski in Cincinnati

The best buttonholes on polarfleece usually aren't. ;-) Plain stitched rectangular boxes work the best for me, if you want to try, but consider zippers, snaps, button or toggle and loop closures usually are more appropriate on thick knits (which is what Polarfleece is). I've heard tell that Totally Stable can help you do a decent zigzagged buttonhole, but I've not been able to get one I like.

I asked about the same questions as you did a few years ago; the best advice I got came from Penny Schwyn, who basically told me to quit worrying and just sew it up. And she's right. :-)

I've got a bunch of my old posts on working with fleeces stuck together into a sort of a faq. It's on our autoresponder. To get a copy, send an empty email to snipped-for-privacy@fern.com, and you should get something back in a few minutes.

Kay Lancaster snipped-for-privacy@fern.com

300 is a bit thick for bound buttonholes, but you might loke to experiment with machine sewn ones. I'd recommend stabilizing the back with nylon or poly taffeta (anorak fabric rather than dress fabric!) and using a corded buttonhole.

I usually use separating zips in this stuff.

I just finished a reversible jacket made from polar fleece, with three buttonholes. Thank goodness I practiced on some scrap material first - well, a lot of practice. I actually thought something was wrong with my machine, but when I switched material it was fine. I wish I'd seen all these posts first, though :>)

What I ended up doing: I hand basted interfacing between the layers where each buttonhole would go. Then I placed tear away stabilizer under and over each buttonhole. I decreased the upper foot tension (took a lot of testing). And I still had to "help" it along. The buttonholes on the inside look great, on the outside they're ~~ok. Luckily fleece covers a lot of blemishes.

Sharon (who hates buttonholes on fleece)

How about trying a "corded" (reinforced) buttonhole if your buttonhole foot will allow it?

Mack

Thanks for all the suggestions!! I considered a zipper, but the pattern looks so nice with the buttons. Another question...there's a facing on the front pieces. Should I keep that or get rid of it? I'm trying to imagine 2 layers of 300 weight polar fleece and I can't see how that would work.

how that would work.

Actually that's what I am doing now. I have lined the jacket with the same

300 fleece to cover some embroidery I put on the back and front. Also, I added two more layers (same thickness as I am too cheap to go buy some more thinner stash stuff) for the pockets so I am sewing over "four" layers! So far so good but the Memory Crafter opens wide to accept the thickness (maybe 1/2 inch?). I did need to add some tear-off stabilizer to get the fleece to move on some thicker spots over the feed dogs.

Good luck.

Mack

I dislike the extra bulk of facings in 300, so I usually use something else... With zips I usually dispense with the facing altogether, but some things need facings, and I usually use a toning or contrasting woven fabric or a layer of single sided microfleece left over from another job. The joys of a stash! If you are new to this lark and look like doing a few of these projects it's well worth buying a yard or two of single sided microfleece in a neutral colour like Navy to use for this purpose.

Hmm...the fabric I have is a double sided fleece. A lighter purple on one side and a dusky purple on the other. The facing for the pattern is a cut on facing. I assume I do need it since I will be doing buttonholes. Will have to think about it.

Check out the Malden Mills website. In their FAQs section they have a couple of ways of doing buttonholes in fleece.

BP~