Furniture Acrylic Fabrics - Enjoy working with them?

[baileyuph]

There are so many beautiful furniture fabrics today entitled indoor/outdoor (enclosed rooms) on the market today. 

However, working with these fabrics leaves a different opinion. for pattering, cutting, and sewing them does not yield the same satisfaction as cotton, polyester, or a bend of the same.  Plus, they do have a fraying problem.

Are these fabrics (acrylics in furniture weight) to be treated differently when cutting, patterning, and sewing?  The needle size, type/size and type of thread, cutting tools and even machine; are there specific considerations required for these activities when dealing with acrylics?

Is this a case for the hot knife?

They sure look good in the sample book!

However, Just not sure I really like them.  They do seem popular at the point of sale, however.

Doyle

[Mojo]

Doyle:

I have discovered that if it is an acrylic fabric it needs to be cut with a hot knife. Otherwise fraying will be a problem.

I use acrylics ( Sattler and Recacril ) exclusively and always cut with a hot knife. I have seen acrylics cut with a razor knife that left a nice smooth edge cut but  year later the ends fray.

In as far as patterning, it depends on the color of the fabric. Some have a stiff hand and some have a soft one. The stiff handed acrylics can crease easily during handling leaving behind white crease marks. I try and handle the fabric carefully so as not to leave behind the dreaded/ugly marks.

There are two types of acryclics - 1.) Awning grade and 2.) furniture grade. The furniture grade has a soft hand and is much easier to work with in regards to cushions, etc. The awning grade which is what I use has a stiff hand and would be hard to use for furniture.

Chris

[JDUpholstery]

I found that using that material be sure your cuts all go the same direction...there is no visible nap, but when in the sunlight the color looks different from different angles.....learned that the hard way when I had to redo some chairs once I got them in the sun on the patio!

[baileyuph]

Yes, I agree the furniture acrylics have a softer hand, I have also noticed that on a relative softer build up there is a tendency to see wrinkles.

Oh, the directionality JD points out, I agree, important point.

I am going to get a new cutter for my hot knife and test that out.

Doyle

[MinUph]

We do allot of acrylic (Sunbrella) jobs. I know there is a fraying problem but no extra seam allowance is used and we have had no issues. Even after years of use. Cut with shears like any other fabric, lightly handled like any other fabric. The work-ability is something to get use to but not all that bad with some experience. I like the stuff myself. It is easy to clean and spot removal is decent. Mildew and mold can grow under them and on them if allowed to have dirt stay o them but they  are great for outdoor furnishings.

[bobbin]

I like to cut acrylics with my hot knife.  The seared edge certainly staunches fraying, although it's not a certainty.  It's my opinion that using an overlock on really "ravelly" fabrics is a big help.  I should add that I have dedicated overlock machine at the ready, so availability is not an issue.  I can use a hot knife AND/OR an overlock.  Easy-peasy for me. 

I also find that knocking needle size and thread size down a tad is useful.  I always do this in my own shop, but when "workin' for the man" I'm not always able to do this... needle size is very limited and thread size is restricted to V92 or 138 and neither of those sizes are appropriate to the weight of the fabrics in question. 

In my own shop I run a size 16 or 18 (max.) needle for "furniture weight" acrylics  and prefer  to use poly. 46 or 69 thread.  I am always willing to readjust my Juki 1541 as required (it's part of my "job").  I have two bobbin cases, one for 92 &138 and another for 46 and 69.  I am no stranger to tension adjustments and would rather use the top tension for "fine tuning" than endless fiddling with a bobbin case.  It's just easier, what can I say?

[baileyuph]

Bobbin, I have a three thread domestic Baby Loc, a tough little serger which works well for its design.  Yours are commercial grade, I understand.

What is the proper thread (poly, or) for a machine like I have.  For acrylics, that is.  I am thinking polyester thread.

If there was enough work , the in table set up, where sewing surface is close to table surface would be more convenient.  This over lock requirement doesn't come up often, mainly due to my marketing.  There are many uses for an overlocker, I understand.  Actually, I have a four thread, a five thread, and an eight thread.  But, don't want to set up something like those in the shop, mainly because requirement doesn't support it. The little heavy three thread, with appropriate thread, will hopefully meet my limited needs.

Doyle

[gene]

I cut sunbrella with scissors and never worry about it until this topic comes up on this forum.

Sunbrella has an indoor line of fabrics and an outdoor line of fabrics. Those of you who are cutting with scissors are you using indoor? And those of you who use a hot knife are you using outdoor?

gene

[Mojo]

Gene:

I use a hot knife on outdoor awning grade acrylic. I use Sattler for 90 % of my orders and the other 10 % I use Recacril. Both fabrics have a special weave that prevents shrinkage and stretching.

Sunbrella has a different weave then the two fabrics I use so maybe this is why it wont fray if cut with scissors. From my experience Sattler and Recacril will fray without either a serger stitched or cut with a hot knife.

Chris

[baileyuph]

Gene,

Indoor acrylics are usually what I use and cut with scissors.  It seems sometimes, I get an acrylic brought to me (don't know where it is from - JoAnns?) that I get some fraying.

Most of the time, scissor cut, indoor, does not yield a fray.  (significant).

Doyle

[Grebo]

The lighter weights, like sunbrella 'cushion'. I cut with scissors & sew with an overlocker / 4 thread serger.
It's a nice clean pro finish for those covers that are taken off for washing.
I have one domestic heavy use machine, which does the job a treat.

Suzi

[bobbin]

DB,
I use polyester thread on my 5 thread overlock machine.  The majority of the use is for overlocking a "raw" edge.  I use polyester thread, #40 (don't know the TX #),but I select a pretty "light" thread.  It's cheaper, you get more on a cone, and if you're simply overlocking a raw edge tensile strength is not an issue.