Interfacing is an additional layer applied to the inside of garments, in certain areas only, to add firmness, shape, structure, and support to areas such as collars, cuffs, waistbands and pockets; and to stabilise areas such as shoulder seams or necklines, which might otherwise hang limply.

Fusible interfacing is by far the easiest to use, especially for beginners. It has an adhesive on one side which bonds permanently with the fabric when applied with an iron, due to the combination of heat and steam. Fusible interfacing is suitable for most uses, but avoid it for:

• very textured fabrics – the glue won’t bond well to the fabric
• napped fabrics (e.g. velvet / fur) – the pressing needed to bond the adhesive will crush the fabric
• fabrics that are very heat sensitive – e.g. sequins, metallics, vinyl fabrics (the heat can melt or distort the fabric)
• fabrics with a very loose or open weave e.g. lace, mesh (the glue may seap through to the right side of the fabric)

For these types of fabrics, sew-in interfacing is more suitable

*TOP TIP
Before you apply interfacing to your main fabric, it is worth doing a test using a scrap piece of fabric and interfacing. This will let you check that the weight of the interfacing is suitable and that it results in the right amount of shaping to the garment. If you find the end result is too “stiff”, you should try a lighter weight interfacing; if the result is too flimsy, try a heavier weight.