I’ve started utilizing sewing weights in my projects more and more recently. There are many techniques to manufacture your pattern weights, but what to fill sewing weights with remains a mystery.
I considered putting together this article to teach you how to load your sewing weights in various ways to make them lighter, heavier, and simpler to use. A variety of fillings may be found online, in stores, and even at home.
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What To Use To Fill Sewing Weights
You can use so many things to fill sewing weights; you may be creative and construct your own out of anything you can find, or you can stick to the tried-and-true techniques. You may even read this article and opt to buy some instead.
Before you decide what to fill sewing weights with, think about how you’ll use the pattern weights.
You’ll need something with a higher weight density if you require big weights for thick and heavy cloth. You simply need something light and simple for the paper and tracing paper.
Rice/Lentils
The most frequent fillings for sewing weights are rice and lentils. It’s also likely to be the cheapest choice. For my pattern weights, I picked this filler.
If you want to make them a bit heavier but still want to utilize rice or lentils as the major ingredient, you may mix two or more materials. Mix in a metal washer, pennies, or even another heavier component with the rice to provide that extra weight.
Many people considering what to use to fill sewing weights are concerned about pests, odors, and the rice/lentils going bad. But don’t worry; because they’re dry, they won’t attract pests or odors.
You can change the filling over time for peace of mind, but honestly, they don’t require it.
Plastic Poly Pellets
These are the bean bag-style beans found based on plush animals and soft toys. These are ideal for pattern weights since they are hefty enough to weigh down paper and fabric yet light enough not to cause injury if dropped.
In terms of weight and softness, these are also suitable for children. When pattern weights are easily accessible or utilized by youngsters, many users have found them superior fillers and safer to employ in their business.
Marbles
I wouldn’t have thought of using marbles as a filler, but it makes sense. They might use a bit more structure to keep them from rolling off the table, but they’re a nice weight otherwise.
Marbles are quite easy to come by and can be used as pattern weight fillers. Some folks may already have a bag at home that they may use.
Metal Washers
Both as sewing weight fillers and as a stand-alone pattern weight technique, these are highly popular. Many individuals get them from a home improvement store and utilize them right immediately.
Others wrap them in fabric, ribbon, or yarn/wool for a more beautiful appeal. They have a softer touch as a result, and they can be a little gentler on your paper designs and fabric.
Metal washers are also useful when piled; many people stack washers to generate larger weights for larger tasks. This is a fantastic concept, and I believe you could easily include it into the foundation of your pyramid pattern weights to make them heavier.
Glass Beads
The use of glass beads in weighted blankets is well-known. They are machine washable and simple to maintain. These weights can also be used as sewing weights.
This approach is somewhat more expensive than using a bag of rice or metal washers, but it is an excellent option. If you want to create and sell pattern weights, they would be a wonderful use of materials.
Decorative Glass Pebbles
Remember those colorful tiny stones you’d see in vases at weddings or in people’s homes? They came in a variety of colors, and they were quite popular? These sewing weight fillings are fantastic.
These make excellent pattern weights since they are quite affordable and easy to get. You may either put a tiny quantity at the base of your pattern weight or fill it.
With this approach, you can figure exactly how hefty you want your pattern weights to be. For your personal decorating, you may make them into virtually any form of sewing weight you like.
Magnets
I’ve seen a couple of unique designs in which a large magnet has been utilized as a sewing weight. This is a wonderful method to make the pattern weight work twice as hard.
Not only is it heavy enough to keep your pattern and fabric in place, but it may also be used to keep your loose pins and needles in place.
Some people wrap them in a thin layer of yarn/wool or ribbon and use them clearly, while others use them in the center of a square pattern weight. The magnet is prominent in the center, with cushioning around the borders.
Pennies
Surprisingly, this is a common application for old and leftover pennies. I discovered that a few individuals had made a bag out of a handful of pennies to use as sewing weights.
They can add weight to a rice bag or a bag of soft beans or as the only component in sewing weights. These are wonderful to use since they are easily available, simple to use, and even a little handful may provide a substantial amount of weight.
That’s all there is to know about filling sewing weights. If you’ve ever built your pattern weights and employed any of the components mentioned above, I’d be curious to hear your thoughts.
If you’ve constructed your sewing weights and used a different material, I would love to know what it is and why you chose it.