How to Sew With Denim Fabric
Some types of denim are quite easy to sew. If you’re dealing with a lightweight or even a light mid-weight denim, it’s almost as simple to sew as standard, beginner cotton fabric. The trouble comes when you need to sew thick, heavyweight denim.
The two main ways to sew heavyweight denim effectively are to have a heavy-duty machine and make sure to use a heavy-duty denim needle. I include some further tips in this article, but those are the main two that will give you success with this material.
How to sew with denim fabric
Before getting into some tips for sewing with denim, I want to encourage you to take it slow. I mean literally. Slow down your sewing machine. Sewing denim requires patience and a slower sewing speed to get through the thick layers. Sewing too quickly can cause the fabric to shift, leading to uneven stitches, or it can cause the thread to jam over and over again.
You also might want to pre-wash your denim before starting to sew. Since it’s usually made from cotton fibers, there’s a chance it can shrink slightly in the wash.
Sewing with denim fabric requires a few considerations and techniques to ensure successful and sturdy results. Of course, you always want to test-sew on a scrap piece of denim before starting your real project. Make sure to fold the scrap over a couple of times too. This way you can test how your machine does on those thick denim seams.
1. What kind of needle to use with denim?
When sewing with denim fabric, you want to use a specific type of needle designed for heavy fabrics. The most suitable needle for denim is commonly known as a “denim needle” or “jeans needle” but you can also use other needles that are labeled as heavy-duty.
Why do you need to use a different type of needle?
- Sharp Point: Denim needles have a sharp, reinforced point that enables them to penetrate the thick layers of denim without breaking or deflecting.
- Strong Shaft: The shaft of a denim needle is thicker and stronger compared to regular sewing machine needles. This sturdiness helps to withstand the resistance of the dense fabric and prevents it from snapping in the thick material.
- Larger Eye: Denim needles usually have a larger eye, allowing for easier threading, especially when using thicker thread commonly used for denim projects.
Using a specialized denim needle ensures that you have the right tool to handle the thickness and density of the fabric. It helps prevent skipped stitches, broken needles, and uneven stitches.
Remember to choose the appropriate needle size based on the weight or thickness of your denim fabric, as denim comes in various weights. For standard-weight denim, a size 90/14 needle may be suitable, while heavier-weight denim might require a size 100/16 needle.
2. What stitches to use on a sewing machine?
You will also probably need to adjust your sewing machine settings. Lengthen the stitch slightly, as a longer stitch helps prevent the fabric from puckering. Additionally, you may need to adjust the machine’s tension to achieve balanced stitches on the thicker fabric.
Mostly you’ll probably want to use a straight stitch with a long stitch length (around 3 or 4mm) when sewing denim. However, I also frequently switch to using the triple stitch settings when I’m sewing a seam I want to keep reinforced (particularly the crotch seam). The triple stitch makes three parallel straight stitches in a single pass, providing extra strength and durability to the seam.
3. What type of thread to use with denim
Polyester and nylon thread tend to be stronger than cotton, making them overall better for sewing with denim. While all-purpose thread will usually work just fine, you may want to switch to a heavy-duty thread if you find it keeps snapping as you sew.
It’s also common to use topstitching thread in a contrasting color when sewing with denim. This is a strong thread you can use to help reinforce seams and add a decorative element to your sewing project.
4. Reinforcing denim seams
Denim fabric is strong and great for heavy wear and tear, so you need to make sure your seams can also live up to a rough lifestyle. To do this, you’ll to make sure you have reinforced seams and seam finishes.
To start with, I’ll mention the triple-stitch that I talked about earlier. This is when you use three stitches instead of just one while sewing a seam to make it extra strong. You can do this on your whole garment, but it’s especially important for specific trouble seams that get pulled a lot when you wear the clothing.
You can also use bar tack stitches to reinforce corners and areas that get pulled on a lot. Specifically, I’m talking about areas that will experience heavy stress or wear, such as pocket corners, belt loops, and the bottom of front the fly seam on jeans. This stitch involves sewing back and forth at a single spot to reinforce the strength of the seam by creating a dense cluster of stitches.
The other thing you can do to really strengthen your denim seams is to flat-fell them and topstitch the seams. A flat-felled seam can be used to encase raw edges for a clean finish.
Typically, when sewing with denim felled seams will be combined with topstitching using a heavy-duty thread. Topstitching is a characteristic feature of denim garments, providing both decorative and functional value. Achieve professional-looking topstitching by using a longer stitch length, a strong thread, and a topstitching or denim needle.
5. Get a better sewing machine
I hate to say it, but many home sewing machines simply can’t handle denim fabric. If your machine isn’t a heavy duty machine and your trying to sew a pair of jeans with heavy denim, you’re going to have a lot of trouble, especially in areas where seams cross and you have many layers of fabric.
I like being able to sew denim and other heavy duty material on my home sewing machine, so I specifically found one that was rated high on performance with denim fabric. If you’re curious, my machine is a Juki F300 and it’s amazing, I do not regret getting it in the least.
