Marine vinyl upholstery is versatile, durable, and waterproof, making it an excellent choice for outdoor and indoor furniture and boats. However, sewing marine-grade vinyl fabric can be challenging. The material is thick, stubborn, and requires special care and technique. Follow these four easy tips to sew marine-grade vinyl fabric so that you’re confident in your future projects when using this challenging material.
Don’t Use Pins
Safety pins can leave big holes in your marine vinyl, and who wants huge holes in their final product? Instead, use double-sided craft tape to keep your fabric secure while sewing. Another alternative is to place your marine vinyl between two tissue pieces to allow the material to move smoothly through the sewing machine.
Use Your Best Needle
Although there aren’t any explicit rules against which needle you can use when sewing marine-grade vinyl, you should stick to certain sizes for optimal performance. Sewing experts avoid plastic-coated needles. Instead, they use 16, 17, 18, 21, and 22 gauge needles.
Marine vinyl upholstery requires more force from your needle than cotton because of its thickness and stickiness. If the recommended needles don’t work, try using leather or denim needles.
Use the Correct Stitch Length
Marine vinyl’s appropriate stitch length is longer than your typical fabric. The sewing machine’s needle holes will turn into a tear strip, making it challenging to sew and making the vinyl less durable. The tear strip is standard in other types of vinyl rather than the coated vinyl materials.
Have a Wide Surface for Cutting
Marine vinyl can’t fold and bend like ordinary fabrics due to its thickness and is prone to creasing. Forcing your material to bend will create irreversible creases, which will ruin the entire look. So, to prevent that from happening, ensure that your surface is large enough when measuring and cutting. Also, when storing your fabric, roll it up instead of folding it to prevent damage.
The best tip for sewing marine-grade vinyl fabric is to keep practicing your craft, experiment with different sewing techniques, and have fun while practicing. It can be challenging to work with marine material, but it will become easier with time!
All Vinyl Fabrics has a wide variety of marine-grade vinyl and other sturdy materials for your furniture, crafts, and other projects. Check out our online store today to see all our different high-quality choices.