Black Fusible Fleece: Soft Body and Shape Without the Show-Through
When you add a padded layer under dark fabric, the color of that layer matters. A white fleece can lighten a deep navy, dull a rich black, or show through at seams and edges. Pellon® 987F Fusible Fleece in black solves that problem: it is the same one-sided fusible fleece quilters and bag makers rely on for soft body and stability, in a color that disappears under dark fabrics. This bolt is 45 inches wide by 10 yards, in black, and made of 100% polyester.
What Fusible Fleece Is
987F is not a stiff stabilizer and it is not ordinary batting. It is a fleece interfacing with adhesive on one side, so it bonds directly to your fabric with the heat of an iron. Once fused, the fleece and fabric move as a single layer: you get a layer of softness, body, and stability without a loose padding layer shifting around inside your project.
That one-step bond is why Pellon describes it with a simple promise: no pinning, no basting, no sewing to hold it in place. And once it is fused, it is completely sewing machine safe, so you can quilt it, topstitch it, and sew seams through it just like fabric.
Why Choose the Black Version?
- Under dark outer fabrics: Black fleece keeps dark colors true, where a pale layer underneath can make them look washed out.
- At seams and edges: If a sliver of the padded layer peeks out at a binding edge or an inside seam, black reads as shadow rather than a bright white line.
- Inside bags: Bag interiors and linings are often dark. A black fused layer keeps the inside of a tote or pouch looking intentional and finished.
- For dark home décor: Cushions, runners, and wall pieces in deep tones keep their richness with a dark layer underneath.
The color is the only difference in how you choose it — the working qualities, the soft padded hand and the easy fusing, are the same idea as the white version. Match the fleece color to your fabric the way you would match a lining: light fleece under light fabrics, black under dark ones.
What It Is Best For
987F adds padded structure to home decorating, craft, and apparel sewing. Favorite uses include tote bags and handbags that stand up instead of slumping, quilted jackets and vests, table runners and placemats with a soft cushioned feel, pot holders and casserole carriers, and soft crafts that need gentle padding. Unusually for a fleece, it can also be fused to cardboard or wood, which makes it handy for fabric-covered boxes, binder covers, and padded décor pieces built on a rigid base.
How to Use It
- Cut the fleece to fit your fabric piece, trimming it slightly inside the seam allowances if you want to keep bulk out of the seams.
- Place the fusible side against the wrong side of your fabric. The adhesive side is the one that bonds; the soft fleece side faces out.
- Press to fuse with your iron, working across the piece so the whole surface bonds evenly. Let it cool flat before moving it, so the bond sets.
- Test first on a scrap of your actual fabric, especially if the fabric is heat-sensitive or textured, and check that the hand feels right before committing to the full piece.
- Sew as usual. The fused layer goes under the presser foot like fabric, ready for quilting lines, topstitching, or construction seams.
Tips and Care
Fuse on a firm, flat surface so pressure stays even, and avoid sliding the iron, which can shift the fleece before the bond grabs — lift and press instead. If a corner lifts after cooling, simply press that spot again. Because the fleece is 100% polyester, the finished project's care follows your outer fabric's care; choose fabrics that can handle the iron heat needed to fuse. Store the bolt rolled rather than folded so the fleece stays smooth and crease-free for the next project.
If your projects lean toward dark fabrics — black totes, deep-toned décor, moody quilted wearables — black 987F gives you the same soft, stable body as any fusible fleece, without a pale layer changing the color story underneath.
Shop the Pellon® 987F Fusible Fleece 45" x 10 yards Bolt. Color: Black. at Linda's Electric Quilters.
