How to Sew With Knit Fabrics

October has officially begun and the weather is starting to cool down. I love the fall for many reasons but one thing that’s pretty high on that list: all the cozy knits! Which may leave many wondering: how to sew with knit fabrics??

Sewing with knits is very different from sewing with woven fabrics because all knits have some stretch to them. This changes the way the they behave during sewing and makes them harder to manipulate than wovens.

But, once you can figure out how to work with knits, it will be worth it- aside from being super comfy and warm, they’re also easier in the sense that their stretch eliminates a lot of fitting issues!

So, if you’re just starting to learn how to sew with knits or if you just want some tips read on.

P.S Here is a rib knit sweater dress I made. I used Mccalls 7999 and I got the fabric from BlackBird Fabrics

12 Tips How to Sew With Knit Fabrics

1. With some knits, it can be very hard to tell what side is the right side. So, keep these two things in mind:

• Knits tend to curl at the selvage edge toward the right side of the fabric
• The right side often has visible V-shaped knit stitches along the grain while the wrong side has cross-grain loop

2. If you’re not sure where the selvage edge is, look for either a tailor’s tac (thread sewn in by the manufacture that is in contrast to your fabric) or ink markings along the edge. Manufacturers usually do one of these two so you can spot the selvage edge much easier (that’s a tongue twister!).

3. When sewing with knits, do not use pins for cutting out pattern pieces. Many knits do not heal from pin holes and the pins could even cause runs. Instead, use pattern weights or wonder clips. (you can get away with pins if you’re careful and make sure your pins aren’t too old as newer ones will be sharper).

4. For finer knits, It’s also a good idea to place some paper underneath your knit fabric both at the beginning and at the end of sewing your seams. You could use pattern paper, tracing paper, parchment, or even printer paper. This prevents your sewing machine from ‘eating’ your fabric and you can simply tear the paper away when you’re done.

5. Experiment with using a walking foot. While these are usually used in quilting, they actually help move your knit fabric layers along more evenly. This helps create more straight and clean seams.

6. Use stabilizing tape if you need to attach a zipper! Otherwise, your zipper may end up looking like a roller coaster track. When I first started sewing, I skipped this step and regretted it EVERY time. Trust me- you do not want to detach a zipper from a knit fabric. So, I use this EVERY time I attach a zipper to anything that has stretch.

7. Knits that roll in at the edges do not require hems and can actually be left ‘raw’. Note: if it’s a knit that rolls-up a lot, add a little extra length to the hem allowance to compensate.

8. Try spraying your fabric with some starch if it’s curling up and causing problems while sewing. This will helps the fabric lay flat while sewing and will come out in the washing machine.

9. Make sure you use interfacing with stretch. Otherwise, it could create a more stiff/heavy garment than what you had in mind.

10. Use a ball-point needle! These needles are designed for working with knits. There are also stretch needles you can use if your knit fabric has A LOT of stretch (such as lycra or spandex). Failing to use to correct needle can cause so many problems (like runs in the fabric) and it only takes a couple seconds to change it– do not skip this step!

11. Use synthetic thread (such as polyester) because it’s less likely to snap when being stretched (and don’t forget- if you don’t have a serger, use a zigzag stitch).

12. And, my last tip, use a thin strip of clear elastic to stabilize shoulder seams. You can cut it to match the length of your shoulder seams, and just sew it onto your seam allowance. This is important if you want your garments to retain their shape.

That’s all for now! I hope these tips have given you a good idea of how to sew with knit fabrics! I know it can seem intimidating but you got this!

If you’re looking for a beginner friendly project, check out my baseball tee sew along.

Are you planning some knit projects this fall? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Sources:

Photo by Azamat Zhanisov on Unsplash

Mood Guide to Fabrics.