Sewing over thick areas: I love my hobby. But sometimes it drives me to despair. Specifically, when I have to sew over thick spots! That is why today I am showing you the tricks I used to master this task!
The most important things at a glance
- When sewing, there is always a moment when you have to sew over thick seams and bulky areas
- In this post, I will show you various ways to sew over thick spots in a completely relaxed way
- You likely already have many of the materials needed to flatten seams at home, such as an iron or a hammer
- There are a few small helpers, some of which come with your sewing machine or can be purchased, which I will also introduce to you in this post
Conquering thick and bulky areas when sewing: not so easy!
As great as elaborate turned bag projects or self-sewn clothing and jeans shortened by hand with flat-felled seams are: Eventually, the moment comes when you are sitting in front of the sewing machine cursing like a sailor and would love to throw it out the window.
I am talking about the moment when you have to sew over thick seams and bulky areas:
The presser foot tilts, the needle breaks, and finally, a mess of threads under the fabric annoys you - the disaster is complete.
Because this challenge cost me so many nerves until I figured out how to handle it, I have compiled various options in this post with which you can meet this tricky sewing task.
I also have even more tips for you on the topic of sewing thick fabrics! In it, you will get 10+ tips that really help (and the basics for working with thick materials).
Sewing over thick areas - here is how!
Ironing
Actually quite a simple thing - but sometimes in all the despair, you don't even think about it: Sewing bulky areas is often much easier if you have thoroughly ironed them beforehand with lots of steam. Ironing smooths the seams, while the steam softens the fabric.
Important: When ironing, press the seam allowances open: This makes the seams flatter as well!
Hammer
Make it flatter - that is the keyword. It can help to strike the seam or the thick area firmly a few times with a hammer. It is best to place a pressing cloth over it and a cork mat underneath first.
Attention: You should not hammer on the same table that your sewing machine is standing on. It does not particularly like the vibration.
Button reed/height compensation tool/leveling plate
Sewing machine manufacturers are aware of the problem that thick areas are difficult to sew or that the sewing machine cannot manage bulky starts at all.
For this reason, some machines come standard with so-called leveling plates. These are simple plastic plates that are pushed under the back part of the presser foot and ensure that the foot remains horizontal.
Because that is the crux: If the presser foot is positioned at an angle in front of the bulk, the fabric feed will not work.
With a sufficiently thick needle, the sewing machine usually handles even thick areas without problems when the presser foot is horizontal.
The practical leveling plates* are also sometimes called button reeds or height compensation plates.
They all mean the same thing, however. Depending on the design, the tool can be single or double-layered, allowing you to manage two different heights directly.
The advantage of this leveling plate over a self-constructed one: You can push the plate far under the presser foot; it also stabilizes the sewing process from the sides, not just behind the presser foot.
The clever part is: You can apply the leveling in front of and behind the presser foot.
Making your own leveling plate
That is of course no problem either! Instead of ordering a professional tool, you can simply craft one yourself. It is placed behind the needle under the presser foot and provides the necessary compensation.
Suitable items for a DIY leveling plate include, for example:
- a piece of fabric folded several times
- discarded bank cards
- one or more layers of craft foam
- one or more layers of felt
- a needle case
- a piece of cardboard
- a piece of cork
In my experience, it is safest to use a material that the needle can pierce without damage. For this reason, I always have a few pieces of felt of different thicknesses within reach.
With the needle case shown above, there is a high risk of accidentally sewing into the plastic. And then you are not only annoyed by the thick spot but also by the broken needle.
Trimming seam allowances
As simple as it is brilliant: Before you sew over the thick area, you should trim the seam allowance slightly.
Of course, this does not work with a flat-felled seam, which you would damage by doing so. But for many bag projects, this is a very effective solution.
Cutting out zipper teeth
A tricky spot when sewing bags is usually the transition between the lining and the outer side when you have to sew over the zipper.
Once you have nicely enclosed the zipper, you can slightly trim the teeth at this point so that they no longer interfere with the outer seam area.
A good alternative is to finish the zipper and adjust it so that it is not in the seam at all. I used this technique, for example, for my cosmetic bag Nanami.
Presser foot locking pin
Perhaps you have already wondered what the small black button on the side of the presser foot is for.
It is called a presser foot locking pin or "leveling button".
When it is not pressed, the presser foot can move:
If the black button is pressed, the presser foot is locked in a horizontal position:
It therefore "levels" thick areas. This gives the machine enough power to sew thick spots without getting stuck on the bulk.
How the presser foot locking pin works
The trick is as follows: Raise the presser foot lever and slide the fabric you want to sew under the presser foot. Specifically, so that the beginning of the seam lies directly in front of the needle.
Then, hold the presser foot horizontally while simultaneously pressing the button and lowering the presser foot onto the fabric.
The presser foot is then locked in a horizontal position, can relaxedly sew straight ahead, and the fabric feed also works because the presser foot is not "blocked".
When you raise the presser foot again, the spring mechanism with which the black button is equipped snaps back, and the presser foot is movable again.
Important when buying a new presser foot: Be sure to check whether the presser foot (i.e., the zigzag foot*) is equipped with a leveling button. Then you are on the safe side!
This may require a bit of practice the first time, but once you have tried it out more often and realized how practical it is, it will become second nature to you.
Besides, you have also learned something again about the anatomy of your sewing machine! ;)
Happy simple sewing,
your Sabine
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't my sewing machine manage thick starts?
For this reason, some machines come standard with so-called leveling plates. These are simple plastic plates that are pushed under the back part of the presser foot and ensure that the foot remains horizontal. If you don't have such a plate, you can also make one yourself. How that works, I show you in this post.
How can I sew the bulky transition between the lining and the outer side when sewing bags?
How can I smooth out thick areas to make it easier to sew over them?
Important: Press the seam allowances open while ironing; this makes the seams even flatter!
It can also help to strike the seam or the thick area firmly a few times with a hammer. It is best to place a pressing cloth over it and a cork board underneath, and definitely do not do this on the same table where your sewing machine is sitting—it really does not like those vibrations.
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