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5 PUL Sewing Project Ideas

5 PUL Sewing Project Ideas

 

Have you ever used PUL fabric before? Ever wondered what type of makes you can sew up with this fabric?

We’ve got a round up of some of our favourite PUL fabric projects that’ll hopefully help you get your sew on!

We also stock a variety of different PUL fabrics and prints to suit all your sewing needs, whether it’s single layer PUL or sandwich PUL, you can buy PUL fabric in the UK from us! 

Whether you’re making a children’s dribble bib, reusable makeup pads or cloth diapers we’re sure to have what you need!

Read on for some waterproof fabric project ideas!


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A Quick Guide To PUL Fabric

A Quick Guide To PUL Fabric

What Is PUL Fabric?

So, what is PUL fabric? Or  polyurethane laminate – apart from being a mouthful!?

Polyurethane laminate can be abbreviated to PUL fabric.

PUL is special… It’s a waterproof AND breathable fabric!

Why is this important?

Well, it means if you make waterproof items of clothing your body heat has a better chance of escaping into the atmosphere!

Heat escapes THROUGH the fabric – so you “glow” less.

It’s pretty brilliant!

 

 

Composition of PUL Fabric

PUL has 2 sides.

One side is a polyester knit, so has a slight stretch which is great for clothing.

The other side has a laminate coating applied.

It’s slippery and shiny – this is the waterproof bit.

  • PUL is soft & flexible
  • It doesn’t really crease
  • It air dries in super quick time
  • It’s safe – there’s no lead, phthalates or BPA

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What is Sandwich PUL

As well as single layer PUL we also stock sandwich PUL which works in the same way but instead of being composed of 2 layers of fabric there are 3 layers. The layer of laminate is sandwiched in between 2 layers knit fabric. This is especially helpful if you don’t want to have the shiny laminate side against the skin as it’s hidden away between the knit layers. It’s also stronger so if you are applying a kind of fastener such as KAM snaps, extra reinforcement isn’t required around the fastenings.

Uses: Cloth nappies and wraps, anoraks, waterproof trousers, wet bags, swim bags, changing mats, changing bags, mattress protectors, pillow protectors, baby bibs, picnic blankets, incontinence products, anywhere you need a waterproof, breathable layer.

Is there a right or wrong side?

We ALWAYS get asked this.

Is there a right side to ensure “waterproof-ness”?

There isn’t really, it’s a personal preference.

The fabric will be waterproof no matter which side you choose, so go with the look that pleases you most!

That said, for aesthetic & comfort reasons I usually use the knit side as the “right” side most often.

It’s more comfy if your project will be close to the skin.

Tips for sewing with PUL fabric

✂️  Needle: Use a stretch needle

✂️  Stitch Length: Use 3mm stitch length

✂️  Machine Foot: A walking foot is helpful. If your machine foot is sticking then you can apply a bit of Scotch Magic Tape to the base of your normal machine foot

✂️  Thread Type: Polyester thread is recommended to match the fabric composition

✂️  Sealing sewing holes: When you sew your needle will leave tiny holes behind in the laminate layer which MAY affect the waterproof effectiveness of your garment.

These holes are easily resealed … either:

✂️ Pop your garment in the tumble dryer on low for 20 minutes

✂️ Or if you’re using our White PUL it’s weldable so just iron it (using a pressing cloth!) and the holes will seal!

❤️  A special note regarding our own brand of white PUL … we get this manufactured ourselves here in the UK & it has some very special properties:

☔ Its waterproof YET breathable

☔ Its medical grade

☔ Its weldable giving you a completely sealed seam (Look! No leaks!)

☔ Its fungistatic which – apart from being a brilliant word – means it inhibits the growth of fungi & bacteria ?

☔ Its double laminated – whaaaat’s that?! It means it lasts longer & is less likely to delaminate over time as it’s washed loads

☔ Its fire retardant

Uses For PUL Fabric

Love the sound of PUL? So where can you use it?! Well… anywhere you need a waterproof layer really…. here’s some handy projects on our blog!

Other ideas include….

 

  • Waterproof trousers
  • Wet bags
  • Cloth Nappies (We have a guide all about these here)
  • Changing mats
  • Changing bags
  • Picnic blankets
  • Pillow protectors
  • Incontinence products
  • Cloth sanitary protection

 

Have you sewn with PUL fabric? Have you got any tips to share?

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Cloth Nappy Fabrics 101 Part 2: PUL Fabric

Cloth Nappy Fabrics 101 Part 2: PUL Fabric

Hello! And welcome to day one of Real Nappy Week 2015. In this series I hope to share information about nappy making fabrics as well as letting you know about the offers we have running this week, so let’s talk about the offer first. Today you can enjoy up to 20% off PUL which is the waterproof layer used in a cloth nappy (as well as a whole host of other applications). We will be having different fabrics on offer each day. If you’d like to get involved in more than one offer but are worrying about the accrued postage costs – don’t! Just leave us a note at check out and ask us to hold your order until the end of the week then we’ll dispatch it all together and refund you any postage charges due. We also have 20% off nappy making kits all week long.  (more…)

A Waterproof Fabric Guide

A Waterproof Fabric Guide

Following on from my popular post about the fabric possibilities for dribble bibs I thought it would be a good idea to run a  series of these posts to talk about the other more specialist fabrics we stock in the Plush Addict Shop. We get lots of questions about which is the best waterproof fabric to use for a particular type of garment or handmade item so I figured this would be the next one in line for a bit of (hopefully!) helpful blurb.

We presently stock 5 main types of waterproof fabric and I’ll take each one in turn

PUL, or polyurethane laminate

PUL is a bit of a special kind of waterproof fabric as it has the marvellous magic properties of being waterproof, but breathable. So why is this important? Well it’s very special because it means you can make waterproof items of clothing and cloth nappies and your body heat has a better chance of escaping into the atmosphere through fabric so you sweat less! Brilliant.

Composition: PUL has 2 sides to it, one side is made from a polyester knit which means it has a slight stretch which is great for clothing as you get a bit of “give”, important when you’re moving around as there’s less chance of a seam giving way under stress. One side of the polyester knit has a laminate coating applied so it’s slippery and shiny; this is the waterproof layer. PUL is a soft flexible fabric which doesn’t really crease and it air dries in super quick time and  it doesn’t fray when cut. The PULs we stock contain no lead, phlalates or BPAs so are suitable for products intended for children under 12.

Right or wrong side? : I often get asked if there’s a right or wrong side to PUL and as far as the “waterproof-ness” goes there isn’t really, you can have either side as the right side and it will work just the same. That said, for aesthetic and comfort reasons the knit side is often used as the “right” side as it usually has a pretty pattern or colour and as the laminate side is shiny it’s probably more comfortable to have this away from the skin or it’d be a bit sticky. You can line your garment of course which will overcome this, and cloth nappies usually have an inner fabric which is closest to the skin, or PUL is often used as a shaped wrap which goes around a fitted nappy which has no waterproof layer of its own. In pocket cloth nappies the shiny side is often used as the “right” side simply because it makes stuffing the nappy easier.

Sealing sewing holes: When you sew your needle will leave tiny holes behind in the laminate layer which may affect the waterproof effectiveness of your garment. These holes are easily resealed by either popping your garment in the tumble dryer on low for 20 minutes, or if you are using our own brand Plush Addict White PUL this particular fabric also has “weldable” properties which means it will weld to itself when high heat is applied. You can do this with an impulse sealer but I have many customers who seal their seams using an iron (use a protective layer of fabric or pressing cloth to ensure you don’t end up with a sticky mess on your iron!)

What is Sandwich PUL?  As well as single layer PUL we also stock sandwich PUL which works in the same way but instead of being composed of 2 layers of fabric there are 3 layers. The layer of laminate is sandwiched in between 2 layers knit fabric. This is especially helpful if you don’t want to have the shiny laminate side against the skin as it’s hidden away between the knit layers. It’s also stronger so if you are applying a kind of fastener such as KAM snaps, extra reinforcement isn’t required around the fastenings.

Uses: Cloth nappies and wraps, anoraks, waterproof trousers, wet bags, swim bags, changing mats, changing bags, mattress protectors, pillow protectors, baby bibs, picnic blankets, incontinence products, anywhere you need a waterproof, breathable layer.

A special note regarding our own brand of white PUL … we get this manufactured ourselves here in the UK and it has some very special properties:

  1. It is double laminated which means it lasts longer and is less likely to delaminate over time, especially helpful for high laundry items
  2. It is weldable which means it welds to itself when very high heat (like an iron) is  applied (use a pressing cloth). This seals the seams making them completely waterproof
  3. It’s fungistatic which (apart from being a brilliant word) means it inhibits the growth of fungi, very helpful when used in a  nappy, to line a wet bag  or on items such as bibs which may be left wet or damp for some time

Laminated Cotton

Laminated cotton isn’t  completely waterproof, but more water resistant so it’s probably not the best choice for a cloth nappy or for something like a wet bag. People lean towards laminated cotton when they’d like to have a natural fibre on one side of the laminated fabric, it’s also thinner and more pliable than PUL. Because it’s a natural fibre that’s BPA free it’s also considered safe to use for foody makes such as lunch bags and sandwich pouches.

Composition: Laminated cotton is another 2 layer fabric where a high quality 100% cotton sheeting has a film of laminate applied to the right side of the fabric. This fabric has much less of a stretch than PUL and is favoured when you’d like  a natural fibre as part of your garment rather than polyester. It doesn’t fray when cut. It’s PVC-free, and BPA-free and as such is often a fabric of choice when making items for under 12s or food related. It’s pretty and pliable with a nice hand and drapes well, making it ideal for garments and a plethora of other fabulous items.

Right or wrong side? : The laminate is applied to the right side of the fabric, this means that the wrong side is 100% cotton and so can be comfortably worn against the skin.

Uses: Laminated cotton has a lovely hand and is perfect for use in children’s wear, rain coats, bags, baby bibs, play mats, changing bags, place mats, table cloths, sandwich bags, lunch bags, craft aprons, purses, pencil cases.

Ripstop

Ripstop is the real rufty-tufty of waterproof fabrics that we stock. It’s a nylon threaded material that is pretty resistant to tearing or ripping. It’s so tough and strong it’s used a lot in camping equipment such as tents but it’s also used in things like hang glider wings and hot air balloons… not that I imagine you’ll be making your own hang glider any time soon but it shouldn’t be disregarded as it’s also useful for smaller scale applications around the home and is especially good for the garden and it’s much more economical to buy than some of the other waterproof fabrics. I use it as an under high chair cover to save my floor from toddler food accidents and I didn’t even hem it <gasp!>. Because it’s so durable it’s great for outdoor applications and would make great  covers for outdoor furniture or perhaps a BBQ. Bear in mind ripstop isn’t completely waterproof, it’s better than laminated cotton but if wet items are left sitting on it for a long period the wet will seep through. It’s for this reason  I think PUL or ProCare are a better choice for wet bags, but for short term wet applications like a swimming bag that just houses soggy togs for a few hours I think it’d be fine. It can be used in clothing but bear in mind it isn’t breathable.

You can see the distinct raised box pattern present in Ripstop

Composition : Ripstop is made by weaving nylon threads together through a base material. It has an interlocking weave which gives it a distinct raised box pattern on the fabric and it’s because of this  weave that it’s difficult to tear. It’s not a breathable fabric and it doesn’t have any stretch. It doesn’t really fray when cut. It’s a bit noisier than some of the other fabrics in this genre and has that familiar rustle sound!

Right or wrong side? : the patterned side is the right side, this is for aesthetic rather than performance reasons.

Uses: Boot bags, wet bags (although I believe PUL or ProCare perform much better for this application), rain coats, waterproof trousers, ruck sacks, wash bags, pencil cases, kites, wind breaks, shower curtains, splash mats, table cloths, peg bags, tote bags, changing bags, outdoor bunting, outdoor furniture covering, nappy wallets.

Once upon a time oil cloth was actually a closely woven cotton cloth covered in boiled linseed oil to give it waterproof properties,  times have changed and things are a little less messy with today’s oil cloth.

Composition: Oil Cloth is a PVC product and is 100% vinyl and is completely waterproof. It’s very shiny, durable and quite thick so isn’t as pliable and easy to work with as some of the other fabrics in the category. It doesn’t fray when cut. As oil cloth contains phthalates it isn’t intended for projects for children under 12.

Right or wrong side? : the patterned side is the right side, this is for aesthetic rather than performance reasons.

Uses: Table cloths and protectors, bags, pencil cases, book covers, aprons, coin purses, place mats, floor mats, totes, drawer liners, place mats, garden caddies.

ProCare

ProCare  is a very durable totally waterproof barrier fabric. It’s more of a functional fabric than one that will add some pretty cheer to your makes but it does have a few special properties. It has a really high laundry tolerance, over 300+ washes the manufacturers claim. It’s also food safe making a great choice for lining a lunch bag or sandwich wrap. ProCare also meets duty, laundering and material safety standards for use in medical and institutional products. ProCare is not breathable.

Composition: ProCare is 25% polyester and 75% vinyl. It has no real stretch and does not shrink. It can be seam welded with an impulse sealer. It’s free of lead,  phthalates, BPS or brominates and is FDA GRAS compliant for contact with foods.

Right or wrong side? : One side has more texture than the other but both are quite similar. There is no functional difference when using either side of the fabric.

Uses: Wet bag linings, snack and lunch bags, mattress protection, baby bibs, furniture protection, pet and veterinary pads, changing mats

Odicoat

Alternatively you could make any fabric into a waterproof fabric using Odicoat! We posted a guide all about what it is and how to use it here.

(Grab a cheeky 10% off your next Odicoat order with WATERPROOFME10)

Phew! That is rather a lot to digest but I hope you found it helpful. I’m planning on writing a sewing tips series at some point soon so watch out for some tips on handling these more specialist fabrics too.

20 Minute Peg Bag Tutorial

20 Minute Peg Bag Tutorial

**UPDATE** Thanks for stopping by! I felt this project, first created in 2013, could benefit from an update so I’ve re-designed it and made the peg bag a little more polished. The updated version is still a very speedy sew so don’t fret!

Check out the updated peg bag tutorial here or read on for the original version…

I have no idea why I keep doing laundry-related tutorials seeings as I hate the task so much but it just keeps happening so I’ll roll with it. Inspired by Makower’s new fabric collection which goes by the name of “Wash Day” I’m a complete sucker for anything kitschy and retro so I decided I needed this fabric to cheer me on through the dull laundry days. And this really did only take 20 minutes to put together, hooray! 

You will need:

30 cm of the fabric of your choice.

30 cm of PUL which is here. (I suppose the PUL is optional but it gives the bags some structure and will also protect your pegs from rusting should you leave them on the line and they get rained on!) You could use regular fabric for the lining, just be sure to interface it to add some structure.

50cm of bias binding, I used a lace-edged bias binding

A child’s coat hanger (I stole this from my daughter’s wardrobe, it probably came from eBay)

Wonderclips or pins

Odif 505 temporary adhesive spray

Step 1

Lay your coat hanger onto your fabric and leave about a 1 inch allowance on either side of the hanger. Trim your fabric to size.

Step 2

Cut your PUL to the exact same size as the fabric. (I used a pinking blade on my rotary cutter as it gives a much nicer finish to the seams and is really easy to use) and then use some 505 spray to keep the 2 layers together

Step 3

Cut 2 strips of your bias trim to the same length as the short side of the  peg bag edge and sew along the 2 short ends

Step 4

Fold over the top of the fabric enough to cover the coat hanger and iron a crease line, and then fold in half down the length of the fabric and mark with a temporary fabric pen. You are marking where you are going to put the buttonhole to make the hole to put the hanger through.

Step 5

Make the buttonhole on your machine and carefully cut down the centre to make a hole

Step 6

With right sides together sew up the 2 sides of the bag. Clip the corners and turn out

Step 7

Turn the right way and place the hanger in place and voila! You are ready to peg, so hop to it!

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