Sew sequinned fabric by clearing the sequins out of the way first. A needle that meets a sequin either breaks or bends, and a seam full of sequins is a ridge that cannot be pressed.
Cut single layer, with the sequins running the same way. Most sequinned fabric has a nap: the sequins overlap in one direction and catch the light differently from the other. Cut every piece the same way up.
Pick the sequins out of the seam allowances. Snip the holding thread and remove each sequin within the allowance, then save a handful to sew back by hand across the finished seam. It is slow and it is the whole technique — there is no shortcut.
Use an old needle, 80/12 or 90/14, and expect to change it often. Sequins blunt needles instantly.
Lengthen the stitch to about 3 mm and go slowly.
Line it. The sequin backing is scratchy against skin and the base fabric is usually thin. A full lining is the normal answer.
Do not press the face. Most sequins are plastic and melt or curl. Press from the back with a cloth and a cool iron, or finger-press.
Finish edges with binding or a lining, not with an overlocker — the knife will meet sequins.
Cover your machine and floor. Cut sequins go everywhere and they get into the bobbin race.
Questions people actually ask
Can I overlock sequinned fabric?
Not through sequins — the knife will chip and the sequins jam the machine. Clear the allowance first, or bind the edge instead.
My needles keep breaking.
They are hitting sequins. Every sequin inside the seam allowance has to come out before the seam is sewn.
Last reviewed 2026-08-11