What is a spider web for fabric and how to use it?

In the process of sewing or repairing various clothes, it becomes necessary to strengthen the seam line, protect delicate matter, and create an invisible patch. It is for such purposes that a special cobweb is intended. Thanks to the knowledge of the varieties of this material, it is possible to successfully solve various problems that arise in the process of wearing things or while sewing them.

A spider web for fabric is a non-woven fabric consisting of fine fibers with adhesive properties. This material got its name due to its resemblance to a real web. The fibers of this product are very thin; when ironed with an iron, they immediately stick to the fabric.

The thickness of the spider web can be different: there are thin varieties that are suitable for lightweight fabrics, and coarser ones that provide reliable bonding of dense materials. If you choose the wrong cobweb, then the appearance of the clothes may suffer. Using adhesive tape allows you to connect two pieces of the same fabric or glue one piece of fabric to another.

On sale there are rolls of spiderweb of different widths. The narrowest belt is only 0.5 cm wide, and the widest is 5 cm. Depending on the purpose, it is necessary to choose the appropriate width and thickness of the product.

The use of cobweb can be industrial and domestic. It can be used to glue fabric or to mask small holes in fabric. The main purposes of the cobweb include:

• use of the product for gluing parts of the collar and creating cuffs;

• processing trousers, creating a neat hem of the fabric;

• gluing the front of the product and the collar, if the use of the machine is impossible or undesirable;

• hiding material deformation in the form of cuts, holes, arrows;

• gluing fabric with a decorative element, pattern, applique;

• creating tighter beads on the product when they are needed.

The ease of use of the cobweb created the need to expand the variability of this material. At the moment, there are two main varieties:

• on a paper basis;

• without paper backing, adhesive fibers in the form of tape, which is sold in rolls.

The paper type of cobweb has the form of diamonds, consisting of adhesive fibers applied to a thin strip of paper. The second variety does not have a paper base, it is represented by a strip of dry glue fibers. The width of such an option is usually 1-2 cm. A spider web without a paper base can have a strong fixation. Each of the options is different in appearance, the usual cobweb resembles a thin layer of padding polyester, the reinforced one has a clearer cellular structure, it is denser and thicker.

The cobweb can be one-sided and two-sided. One-sided options are used to compact the material, giving it rigidity. Double-sided tape allows you to glue two halves of the fabric. There are common and hot-melt varieties. A regular spider web is used when there is no danger of glue printing on the canvas, and a hot-melt option is needed when the gluing site should be completely invisible.

A variant of double-sided adhesive tape - flizofix appeared on sale. It is also a non-woven fabric with adhesive applied to both sides. Flizofix is ​​used for repairing clothes and gluing appliqués. This variety is sold on a paper basis.

The cobweb is applied to the material by heating. You can glue it to a suitable material with an iron, heating it to the optimal temperature. It is not recommended to overheat the device too much, as this melts the glue more than necessary, and it does not perform its functions well. Adhesive tape can be glued on one side or connect two parts of the product.

To use the cobweb correctly, you need to know how to work with it.

1. The choice of the thickness of the cobweb is determined based on the fabric of the main product.

2. The width of the tape should be such that it is convenient to use. For small areas, you should buy a narrow tape - 0.5-1 cm, for medium ones - 1-3 cm, and for large ones - 3-5 cm.

3. The type of tape should be appropriate for the main purpose. If you need to compact a specific area, you can use a one-sided spider web. A double-sided version is used for gluing parts of clothing.

4. The heating of the iron should not be strong, the adhesive composition must not be overheated, otherwise the glue will melt excessively and then harden without gluing the surface. Make sure the iron is set correctly before ironing the fabric. If the fabric is very thin, it is best to use a backing to protect the fabric from excessive heat.

To quickly and correctly cope with gluing the cobweb, you need to prepare for this work. Among the necessary things it is worth having:

• a ruler or flexible centimeter;

• the tape itself, which will stick to the fabric;

• scissors;

• chalk to make notes;

• pins for securing the cobweb and the fabric itself;

• iron with a clean sole and the ability to adjust the power;

• an ironing board or other work surface;

• the substrate through which the cobweb will be ironed.

It is recommended that you have several variants of the cobweb in order to use the desired variant on a particular case. If you use a tape of strong hold on thin fabric, it will make it denser, which will worsen the appearance of the thing. You should not use an ordinary spider web on warm clothes, since the thickness and weight of the fabric are much higher than the strength of the glue on such a strip. Having picked up the right cobweb, having all the necessary tools and materials, you can get to work.

It is not difficult to glue the spider web on the fabric, but in the absence of experience, unforeseen circumstances may arise, so it is worth practicing a little before working on the main product. The algorithm of actions when working with one-sided or double-sided tape looks like this:

1. iron the main material to eliminate bends and creases, align the place where the cobweb will be laid out;

2. use a centimeter to measure the length of the adhesive tape, add a few centimeters for the stock;

3. the spider web is superimposed on the seamy side of the fabric, not reaching the edge a few millimeters;

4. heat the iron, setting a mode suitable for a particular type of fabric;

5. when using a spider web on a paper basis, it is necessary to run the iron over the paper, waiting for the glue to melt and set;

6. when one side is glued, it is necessary to remove the paper, doing this gradually and carefully so as not to rip off the still warm glue;

7. put the second side of the material on top of the adhesive tape, completely covering the cobweb and leaving a margin of 1-2 mm from the edge;

8. using an iron, heat up the other side of the adhesive tape.

The cobweb can have several colors, so if necessary, you can buy not only white, but also another shade of such material. This is especially important if the fabric is thin and transparent. If you managed to do everything correctly, then the finished product will turn out to be neat, and the gluing site will hold for a long time.

The use of a spider web is not very difficult, but without a certain experience and skill, a beginner can make a number of mistakes. If the tape is unevenly or incorrectly applied, it must be carefully removed. To remove the cobweb, and at the same time not spoil the thing, you can apply a number of methods.

• Steam the area where the tape was applied, separate the fabrics and clean the fabric of any glue residues.

• If you cannot remove the adhesive from the fabric, you can use an unnecessary piece of textile, which must be placed over the problem area. By heating this area with an iron, you can ensure that the glue from the main product goes to the rough one.

• You can use ethyl alcohol to remove any glue residue from clothing without damaging it. Pour a small amount of alcohol onto a cotton pad or a piece of cloth and gently rub the places where the glue remains.

If a beginner works with a spider web, he can make the mistake of taking a tape without a paper base and working with an iron directly on it. The result of such actions will be the adhesion of glue to the technique. There are a number of methods you can use to clean the iron from the sticky mass:

• warm up the device and clean it with a specialized pencil;

• pour salt on a sheet of paper and walk on it with an iron without a Teflon coating;

• rub the metal sole of old irons with sandpaper;

• warm up the technique and iron out unnecessary matter, onto which all the glue will gradually pass.