Will you take me by the hand?

[Iminei]

and lead me down a gentle side street into the Lightside?

Stupid Questions guaranteed ...
Expect no level of competence or knowledge ...
And please answer any Qs in words a 3 year old will understand.

So after my recent foray into the lightside haven of Abakan I seem to have emerged with an armful of uber slippery fabrics with ideas of making ...

A) a couple of buttoned sarongs ... I have made these before but sadly they no longer fit
B) the all in one drapey Eastern trousers that you tie round yourself ... the ones Ive been wearing for the last week or so

They only have one seam round the crotch (and a lorra lorra hemming) and seem pretty easy ... If I do say so myself.

So first to The fabrics ....

as ever press the info icon to see details ...

Q1 ... How do you stop these slip sliding around whilst working on them ?
Q2 ... Im thinking prewashing is essential in this field (having learned from my PJ botts)
Q3 ... Any other tips, hints anything to help me ???

Thanking you in advance for your expertise and advice ...

[Ouryve]

A1 you talk to them sternly. And hold them taut without stretching them. Your walking foot and quilting extension table will be useful here.
A2. Always. And if they're not washable, do whatever else is likely to shrink them to them.
A3i. You don't learn if you don't try it.
A3ii. There are no stupid questions (well there are, but not of the sort thst will help you)

[HenriettaMaria]

There are several things you could do. The walking foot is essential, of course.  If you want to stabilise seams you could use temporary stabilising/tear away stabiliser or, if the seam is not intended to stretch (which crotch seams must do) you could use 1/4" tape, cut to exact length of the seam pattern and pinned in place.

Pin perpendicular to the stitching line at close intervals and keep the machine speed low.

Use fine, sharp needle or fine ballpoint needle, depending on the fabric type, is essential.  Any burrs on the needle point are likely to pull threads in the fabric.

French seam possibly a good idea, else an overlocked seam and maybe an overlocker rolled hem, which makes hemming fine fabric a one-pass doddle.  Only works if you have an overlocker, of course.

You will need to interface/strengthen the button placement and the buttonhole area, even if there is no actual waistband.  Self-interfacing is acceptable, otherwise an interfacing that works with the fabric.  Not sure iron-on is ideal here but if you must use it, apply it to the facing, not the outside fabric, else the gluey spots might show through.  Test on a scrap first! 

If you don't want to make a machine buttonhole, which on fine fabric might be a bit bulky, you could make a button loop from a narrow tube of fabric, or even by working a thread loop.  Double-thread, stitched back and forth for maybe three or four times to make a look big enough to accommodate the intended button then work a neat buttonhole stitch along its length.  You could also apply a hook and eye closure on the inside so that the waistband is doubly secured.

[Puzzler]

You definitely want to pre-wash the viscose, at least once. It can still shrink after the first wash. I know you don’t have an overlocker but the cut edge can really fray. Let me know if you want a home visit complete with overlocking service.

Gorgeous prints. Can’t wait to see them made up in garments. Bet you can’t either. 

[BrendaP]

All the things that have already been said.

For the curved bits you must use shears not a rotary cutter.  For any straight cuts the rotary cutter is allowed so long as you use a long acrylic ruler.  That's for accuracy and to minimise the chances of losing a finger!

Use a good quality polyester thread (Guetermann Sew All) not your quilting cotton.

Stay stitch around the cut curved edges as soon as you have cut out to minimise any stretching

[toileandtrouble]

If you prewash a fraying fabric, I would fasten the two cut end together with a wide zigzag.  That will reduce any fraying in the wash.

[Bodgeitandscarper]

Wondertape is your friend if the seam edges slip as you sew.  And it stabilises edges so they don't stretch as you sew.  It's a double sided washaway tape.  Stick your seams together then sew.  It's a game changer.

[Acorn]

Start with the non-viscose fabrics.  Viscose wriggles.  Really, really wriggles.  You might want to spray starch it into submission (but for goodness sake wash it out before trying anything on!!)  Make sure the weight of the fabric is supported - your extension table will be ideal - because it will try to pull the rest out from under the foot.

[Iminei]

See??? See??? You're already talking in tongues 

Why am I sooo stupid??!! 

wondertape? stabiliser?? perpendicular???   

The only thing I understood was sew the raw edges together to make a loop to stop fraying ... tho the woman in Abakan said if you cut a small triangle off the end of the raw edges it stops the fabric fraying .. Anybody else heard of that.

Yes it was my intention to sew the bronze tree fabric first (buttoned sarong) ... but I have serious collywobbles about the rest (WHAT was I thinking???  )

The sarongs I made before (in the 90's) were cotton .... I have also purchased some medium iron on stabiliser for the waistbands.

[Tamnymore]

@Iminei don't worry -I'm sure you will get there ok in the end.  Sewing is, after all, basically sewing. You may have chosen some slightly slippier fabrics but you'll manage. Maybe sewing up a practice garment in an easier to sew cotton might be an idea.

[Bodgeitandscarper]

@Iminei Do not be so worried by the comments on the fabric!  I used viscose for a dress (for my son's wedding, obviously I don't possess any other dresses) and it sewed beautifully.

[Tamnymore]

Just to add - I've successfully sewn viscose without any special precautions and just an ordinary foot - not a walking foot - without any problems too.

[Greybird]

..... and whilst its a good idea to wash fabric first, I've never found that viscose has shrunk.

[Renegade Sewist]

..... and whilst its a good idea to wash fabric first, I've never found that viscose has shrunk.

  it shrinks like the dickens.

@Iminei , first, breathe. Viscose (rayon) is just a little more flexible than quilting cotton and has a smoother surface which makes it seem slippery. It's lovely to sew. Just use a press cloth and not as hot an iron as your cottons.

Remember you are the one who said they are really slippery so you've gotten related answers. Peeps are assuming the worst from this fabric in response.

*It can shrink, up to 25%, usually about 8-10%. Lesser if you only use cold water and line dry, more if you prewash in hot and ever might use a dryer. I make a practice of torturing all my fabric before I sew. It prevents bad surprises later and I don't need to baby anything later.

*The Abakan lady must be a quilter. It's pretty common in my area to clip off the corners of cotton before you wash it. I learned it from an old quilter. It also lets you know if fabric is prewashed or not. I clip off the corners and wash almost every fabric I bring home, unless it's on a bolt. Clipping the corners reduces fraying in that it only frays one row before it reaches the end of the crosswise weave. It can't keep raveling on and on. It isn't really enough for viscose which does enjoy fraying. I'd zigzag the ends together.

*yes, it can be a bit slithery but not always. It needs supporting or it can wiggle off grain. Garments hang better on us if we keep the grain line consistent. The left & right legs of your trousers will mirror each other and the lengthwise grain will usually go with the length of the pant leg.

*You need to support the fabric by not letting it hang off your machine, so use the extension table, the bigger the better. While cutting out use a big table, don't let any fabric hang off the edges. If it's too long, the fabric, accordion fold the excess at one end. I use a big board to press it and Best Press to give it a little more body.

* I've not needed my walking foot but it's a good option. I sew viscose pretty much like I sew cotton. You might want to pin every 4-6 inches on your first seam or two. Adjust from there to your comfort level. Since it's new to you I'd suggest taking some of your scraps after you've cut your garment and do some practice seams, buttonholes if needed, etc.

*Take puzzler up on her offer of overlocking. It keeps your seams pretty. Otherwise get friendly with the overlocking stitch on your machine. It takes forever compared to an overlocker and isn't quite as nice but you simply must finish the seams with viscose. French seams are a good option to use where possible.

* Keep breathing.

[HenriettaMaria]

perpendicular???

I mean across the fabric, at right angles to the seam line.  If you pin on or closely parallel to the seam line your pins can get snarled up in the presser foot and/or you are more likely to break/blunt the needle on one.  Trying to get them out of that mess can result in a sewing machine needle through the finger, as I know to my cost!