7 simple tricks for sewing with faux fur

There’s nothing scary about sewing with faux fur! We share seven simple tricks to get you started.

1. Pick a simple pattern with minimal seam lines. 

We used the Love Notions Oakley Vest (up to 57.5” bust) - it has two shoulder seams and two side seams and that’s it. It’s fully lined too so no edge finishing is required. We recommend this as a great faux fur starter project!

We paired this pattern with this beautiful long pile faux fur and some rayon Bemberg lining similar to this. 

2. Check the fabric nap before you start.

 Look at your faux fur and check which way the fur naturally lies. Mark the ‘top’ of the fur on the backing fabric so when you flip it over for cutting you can make sure all your pattern pieces are orientated correctly. If the pattern designer gives one, follow the cutting layouts for fabrics with a nap.

3. Trace your pattern pieces.

Draw around your pattern pieces onto the backing fabric. Mark notches rather than cut them - this reduces the amount of unwanted fluff in your workspace.

4. Ditch the scissors/rotary cutters.

This might feel awkward but using a box cutter is a far cleaner way to cut out your pattern pieces. Cut only through the backing fabric. Go slow and watch your fingers! Once you’ve sliced through the backing fabric it’s easy to tease the fur apart and you’ll have no fluff on your cutting table.

Once you've got all your faux fur pieces cut out stick them in the dryer for 20-30 minutes on no heat. This helps pull out any loose fluff that there might be. 

5. Consider clips.

Two layers of faux fur can get pretty bulky. Quilters clips are excellent here and can withstand holding together thicker layers better than some pins. 

6. Get your machine set up.

We used a universal needle and regular all-purpose polyester thread for sewing our sample. But we increased our stitch length slightly - this helped deal with the bulky layers.

7. Become a faux fur stylist.

As you sew, go slow and tuck in fur as you go. Once you’ve sewn a seam you might want to trim down the seam allowance to reduce bulk. We used a 3/8” seam allowance and didn’t trim as the seams felt softer this way. Flip the garment right side out regularly and give those seams a brush (a regular hairbrush or comb works fine) to brush out any fur that isn’t lying quite right. 

That’s it! By taking your time you can end up with a really fun garment to add to your cooler weather wardrobe. There really is nothing scary about faux fur.

Here's our finished vest:

Ready to have a go? Check out all our beautiful faux furs here. 

If you’ve already sewn with faux fur we’d love to hear if you have any other tips or tricks to share!