Are you finding yourself staring at all the beautiful sequin fabric available right now and wondering, how in the world do I sew this? I have had the opportunity to sew up several sequin pieces over the last couple years and with each one I have learned some new tricks and techniques that have worked well and made working with sequins more enjoyable. I hope will find this Beginner’s Guide to Sewing Sequins helpful as you explore sewing with this stylish and fun fabric!
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What is Sequins?
There are several different types of sequin fabric out there in the sewing world. From lace (like my latest Minerva fabric project), stretch and non-stretch woven you can find sequin in a variety of different fabric substrates.
How to Cut Sequins?
The very first time I worked with sequin fabric I had the WORST time cutting it. I had tried to use non-fabric scissors in hopes of not ruining my fabric shears and as it turns out, that was the worst idea ever! Grab yourself a pair of safety glasses (those little sequin bits like to pop and fly all over) and a nice sharp pair of fabric scissors. You may need to give your scissors a little sharpening afterward, but mine have still worked great on all other fabric projects. These scissors and sharpener have worked fantastically for me and they are not crazy expensive.
The most helpful advice I can give you about cutting your sequins is to go slow and cut one layer at a time. If your pattern requires cutting on the fold, trace off the piece so that you can lay the whole piece flat when cutting your sequins. And of course, keep a broom or vacuum nearby. You will certainly have a mess to clean up when you are done. Let’s chat for a second about patterns that work well for sequins.
What types of patterns work well for sequins?
Ok, you have that beautiful fabric…now what? If you are like me, deciding on a pattern is usually the longest and most difficult part of the sewing process. When it comes to sequins, there is a little extra thought that should go into your planning. First, make sure if your pattern requires any stretch your fabric will have the appropriate stretch to work. I had to sew my sequin pants with a basting stitch and try them on to make sure I didn’t need a smaller seam allowance. Luckily, the stretch worked and required no adjustments. I made sure I picked a pattern with NO zipper or closures and that is a big thing when thinking about your sequin pattern choice. Adding those details in sequins will not bring you lots of joy in sewing…LOL…at least, they wouldn’t be my first choice. Speaking of picking a pattern that brings you joy with sequins, look for pieces with few seamlines (the less you have to sew together the easier the sew). My pants required an elastic waistband. Watch for details like this on your pattern and prepare how you will finish the garment. Because I knew my fabric was scratchy, I planned on using stretch velvet on the waistband and adding a lining. I picked my jacket pattern mainly because of the shawl collar that I knew I could make in a softer velvet fabric and avoid the sequin rubbing my neck. I also made sure both of my pieces could easily have a lining added. Usually the sequin is scratchy and you will want to avoid it touching your skin on the final piece.
What needle do I use?
While there isn’t one right answer here, I have found the most success using a sharp microtex 70 needle or my 90/14 Universal Needle. (I buy the universal needles in bulk from Amazon so this is what I always know I will have on hand.) The biggest concern when talking about needles is to make sure your wear protective eye wear while sewing. The needle will likely break at some point and you do not want sequin or needles flying at your eyes!
Speaking of breaking…Do NOT use your serger. I repeat, do NOT use your serger when sewing sequins.
Should I remove the sequins in the seams before sewing?
Well, that depends mainly on what type of fabric you are using. Some sequin are fairly easy to pop off and remove and if that is the case I would say, yes…you should remove them first. However, after sewing many different types of fabric and nearly losing my mind trying to remove sequin I tend to be a sewing rebel and sew right over them…and you know what, it works too! You just need to go slow and not try to win any speed sewing awards. If you try this and your machine is not letting you sew them successfully you may have the dreaded task of removing the sequin first. In that case get yourself a nice sharp seam ripper and sit somewhere comfortable for awhile…pop on a movie, pack snacks, drinks-LOL – basically be prepared to potentially be working on it for a bit.
How do I finish the seams?
Again, not one set rule here except do NOT use your serger. You will break it so do not try it. For my pants and jacket I pressed all seams open using a press cloth during construction. You may want to test a small area first and make sure your iron is not too hot. I chose to not finish these seams because all my pieces were lined. If you were not using a lining you could use bias tape to finish the seams. At the hem of my pants I sewed hem tape to the sequin pants, pressed up the hem allowance and stitched by hand. The lining was pressed up and hemmed by machine separately from the pants.
If you are feeling as though a full sequin garment is too much, remember that sequin can be used as a great accent or only a piece of the outfit. Below I made my daughter the Isla dress from Simple Life Pattern Company using only sequin on the skirt portion. This pattern allows you to use either a woven or stretch fabric on the skirt. However, it is a circle skirt and quite heavy so I used a heavy duty ponte fabric for the top of the dress. She loves wearing it and of course spinning all day long. You could also use sequins to create purses, accent details on sleeves, a fun pocket detail on a t-shirt and much more.
Sewing sequins can be intimidating, but just like any sewing project, it gets easier with practice and the right tools. I hope this Beginner’s Guide to Sewing Sequins provided you with a helpful tool in your sewing journey. If there is a question I didn’t answer, feel free to drop a comment below and I will do my best to see if I can help.
If you enjoyed this guide you may also like my Beginner’s Guide to Free Sewing Patterns with over 100 links to amazing patterns.
Until next time,
Happy Sewing
About 18 years ago I decided to teach myself how to sew. Long before blogs and resources available today which meant it was often disastrous. But I never gave up because I loved it so much. Today I love helping others get started on their own sewing journey. You can read more about my family and I