How to Use Fray Check on Ribbon, Yarn, Elastic and More…
Sewing stitches can take time. That is why you want a great backup option to help you cut down on your work and make it go faster. Applying liquid sealant is a great option to spending time sewing stitches. The to using this method is to make sure you do not make a mess or get any on you.
One way to seal the edges of these accessories is not to use the nozzle on the bottle of Fray Check. Instead, put a little on the end of a small brush, like a nail polish brush, and brush the sealant on the edge. This method protects you from getting any Fray Check on the rest of the ribbon.
To learn more ho to use Fray Check on these accessories and other items, just continue to read our article. It is filled with information that should help you make the application easier and less messy. Take a few minutes to get up to speed on this topic.
Fray Check Use 101
How to Use Fray Check On Buttonholes
Buttonholes are delicate and difficult sewing tasks. One mistake and you have ruined your project. Also, it is hard to get them all aligned, and looking the same is difficult. There is no sense adding to these challenges by letting the fabric fray after all that hard work.
Using fray Check in the right way will seal up those edges after you have cut them. Or you can use this sealant before you make your cut. After would be the better time as that way you can cover all the edges at the same time.
The place to put the Fray Check is between the 2 rows of a zig-zag stitch. Do it for all the buttonholes at the same time and then let the Fray Check dry. That will take about 15 to 30 minutes. After the sealant is dry, your shirt or blouse should be good to go.
The tip above about applying the Fray Check by brush should also work on buttonholes. It helps you to control the amount of adhesive you put on. Plus, it helps to keep the sealant from staining the rest of the fabric.
How to Use Fray Check On a Ribbon
Ribbons are a lot easier to apply Fray Check than buttonholes. The technique we have already described is probably the best way to apply this product. It is quick, easy to do, and does not make a mess.
That last bit is vital as Fray Check can stain fabrics giving you another time-consuming task to get done before you do anything else. When Fray Check stains, you do not want to let them dry as it is almost impossible to remove from the fabric.
Keeping this product under control is essential to proper application. When working with ribbons, you do not want to mess anything up. If you are not confident in using Fray Check, there are lots of alternative methods you can use to seal the edges and they do not involve sewing.
If you are careful though, you should be able to apply Fray Check easily. The key is to avoid using the spout. The spout may send too much of the liquid out at one time and then you are left with another problem. keeping this sealant under control is essential for you to have great end results.
Using Fray Check On Yarn
This is a viable option and better than the soap and water method. The latter option only works on natural fibers and not on synthetic ones so you need to have something that will cover all your yarn bases.
Fray Check is applied to yarn in the same manner as you would apply it to a seam or a cut piece of fabric. You do not need to use a tiny brush here as the yarn is a bit larger than ribbon edges and will need more of the sealant.
After you open the cap and get the narrow spout in place, just use enough drops to cover the end of the yarn and make sure all the fibers are coated. You should do this over a paper towel or scrap piece of cloth in order to prevent any stains or spills.
If you need to run out to the store to get some Fray Check, either put a little clear fabric tape over the edges or dip the ends into some melted wax. Those are temporary fixes that will hold the yarn fibers in place till you get back.
How to Use Fray Check On Jeans
The first thing to realize about using Fray Check or its competitors is that it is like using regular glue. How you apply glue to paper is how you are going to use this product on jeans and other fabrics. There is no special technique involved.
You can use the brush system if you do not want to get a blob of adhesive in one spot or you can move your hand carefully and steadily to make sure you do not put too much on at one time.
The great thing about Fray Check is that it is not just for edges and seams. You can use it to patch holes and make your jeans look almost good again. The drawback to using this product with a patch or as a hole is that it will stiffen the area up a bit and you might find that uncomfortable when you put your jeans on.
Also, it may not dry clear. This is a risk as even Dritz, the maker of this product, says it does not dry clear on all fabrics. other than that, you just use Fray Check on jeans like you would on any other fabric. There is no special method or application to learn.
Can Fray Check be Used On Elastic?
Yes, you can as elastic is a fabric and fray Checks work on just about any material. If you do not like sewing on elastic this option will help you ease your stress and frustration. The liquid sealant goes on easy and should dry in the same amount of time as it does on other fabrics.
Just make sure you have cut all the frayed threads and make the edge nice and clean. That way you should have a clean, neat, professional look once you are done. Other methods can take a long time to do and they also can build up your stress and frustration levels when the material doesn’t co-operate.
This is an easy option to use and should help make your sewing time go smoother and be more enjoyable. Then you can focus better on the tougher aspects of your sewing project and get them done without losing any time.
This is the thing, just because there is a different texture or nature to the fabric doe sit mean that time-saving methods like Fray Check won’t work. It is glue after all and good glues work on just about any material.
How to Use Fray Check On Elastic
Like denim, there is no special technique or application method you need to learn in order to apply Fray Check to elastic. As we just said, you need to have a clean edge so your first step would be to clean up any bad stitches and loose fibers.
Once that is done, just apply the Fray Check to the elastic edge and wait for it to dry. How you apply can be through dropping some on the threads using the nozzle. This technique has the risk of creating blobs that do not look that good.
Or you can brush the liquid onto the threads or fibers and then wait for the stuff to dry. You will have up to 30 minutes to wait so make sure you have another little project to do while you wait.
Then if you do not want the sealant to dry stiff and hard, keep your iron handy. The steam function will help the sealant to dry a little softer and more flexible. It takes a little work but the end result may have you more comfortable once you put the clothing item back on.
Can You Use Fray Check On Chiffon?
The answer to this question is also positive. Yes, you can use Fray Check on chiffon and it might be a smart move to do so. Chiffon is known to be a difficult fabric to work with and fraying is just one of the challenges you have to overcome.
Using Fray Check in key areas and to keep the threads from coming loose. This way you can relax a little bit and concentrate on those other Chiffon challenges. The application is the same as well.
We keep mentioning the brush method simply because it is probably the best way to apply this sealant. This option allows you to have a smooth application and avoid globs and stains, as long as you do not drop the brush on the material.
You can use the narrow spout if you think you have a steady hand but it is risky. Sometimes you just do not turn the spout up fast enough and another drop comes out and lands in the wrong spot. When that happens you have to spend a lot of time getting the stain out.
Nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol are the items you need to remove that stain if it does happen. Just make sure those items won’t ruin the chiffon material. Also, you should have a piece of cardboard between the layers of fabric so the adhesive does not go where it is not supposed to.
Can Fray Check Be Used as Fabric Glue?
Technically, Fray Check and its many similar competitors are fabric glue. It is a sealant and a sealant is an adhesive which is also another term for glue. It acts like glue, probably smells like it as well and it works just like glue does.
Sometimes it dries like glue and looks like dried glue which can ruin the look of your sewing project. Plus, Amazon does advertise it as a fabric glue even though it is not the best option to use when you have large patches to adhere to the fabric.
Then, Fray Check is permanent, washable, and even dry-cleanable which tells you that it is as strong as fabric glue. Nothing is stopping you from using this option as a replacement for fabric glue.
They do say, ‘if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck...’ and so on then it is a duck. Dritz’s Fray Check walks like a fabric glue, acts as a fabric glue, and basically, it is fabric glue.
Can You Sew Through Fray Check?
It is possible to sew through an application of Fray Check. But it will be tough and slow going. The reason for that is that this sealant hardens the fabric area where it is applied making it difficult for the needle to get through.
A powerful sewing machine may not even notice the sealant but the needle would have to be extra strong to endure constant hitting of this hard fabric area. As we all know, the needle is a fragile piece of sewing equipment at times.
The best way to handle the area where you still need to sew and there is a bit of fraying going on is to stitch first and apply the Fray Check second. The loose fibers are not going anywhere so you will have time to seal them up once you have finished the stitches.
There is no sense in adding to your workload by stiffening the fabric before you sew. Then if the needle picks up bits and pieces of the Fray Check or loosens those up so they fall into your machine, who knows what will happen to your machine.
Err on the side of caution and use this application after you have done your sewing on the area where you need to apply this sealant.
How do You Dissolve a Fray Check?
From our research, we have found two solutions to this issue. This situation will arise when you get a little careless or forgetful and a little Fray Check gets on the wrong part of the fabric.
Fray Check is known to stain, which is one reason why we mention the brush method so often. That method will help cut the staining down and ease up your workload. But stains do occur and you need to rid yourself of that stain as quickly as possible.
The first step in dissolving this sealant is not let it dry. Stop what you are doing and clean off as much as possible before it soaks into the fabric. Next, take some rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball or two and soak the area with that liquid. Rub the stained area.
It may take several tries with the rubbing alcohol but eventually, the stain should disappear. If the rubbing alcohol is not handy or you do not have any in the house, use nail polish remover.
That product is acetone and it should dissolve the Fray Check quicker than the rubbing alcohol. Use a cotton ball as well. Those are the two items that seem to dissolve fray Check the best.
Where to Find Fray Check
The good news is that this product is found almost anywhere fabrics are sold. You should find it at Joann’s, Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, and other fabric outlets. It is a must-have product, or one of its competitors when you sew a lot of seams and edges.
Etsy, eBay, and Amazon have a lot in stock, especially Amazon, as it is a popular product to use. Or you can buy it directly from Dritz if you like shopping online. Target, Walmart, and similar box stores should also have some in stock, but you never know.
Then check the myriad of sewing accessory shops that populate the internet. One store sells at a discount and says it has over 60,000 items on hand. If these outlets sell Fray Check, they also sell some of its competitors. That is good news for those people who do like the way this product dries and looks.
Some Final Words
Keeping those loose fiber sunder control is essential for a smooth-going sewing project. Instead of always sewing in a stitch line, turn to Fray Check to seal up those loose threads.
This product and its similar competitors do a good job keeping threads where they are supposed to be. They also double as a good fabric glue when you have other fabric issues to contend with.
