Tips & Tricks - Sewing Knits

SEWING KNITS WITHOUT AN OVERLOCKER (SERGER)

Knit fabrics stretch when you wear them,  so you need to use a stitch that will stretch with the fabric and not break.  A serger (over-locker) stitch is perfect for sewing knits because it not only allows stretch but also neatens a seam by cutting off the raw edge of the fabric and “overlocking” or “binding” the exposed seam with cotton as it sews.

But you can still successfully sew knit fabrics without an overlocker or serger.  You just need to sew your seam using a stitch that allows stretch.  Here’s how:

1)   The simplest is to use a ZIG-ZAG stitch on your sewing machine. The width of the zig-zag stitch will determine how much stretch you get. The length of your stitch will determine how close together the zig-zag is. If it is too close, it will take forever to sew a seam. If the stitch length is too long, there will be larger gaps in the seam itself. A mid length stitch is best but will depend on the type of fabric you are sewing. Practice on an old piece of fabric first.

2)   Some machines also have a built in stretch stitch (the simplest of which is often a combination of straight and zig-zag sewing).  We suggest testing this stitch on unwanted fabric prior to using it as this stitch often has a "good" and "bad" side (depending on which way the zig-zag falls).  Refer to your sewing machine manual.

3)   Finally, you can use a twin needle. A twin needle will create a nice double line of sewing and is great for hems on stretch garments (the cuffs and hems of stretch tops for example). You can get different sizes of twin needles, and one particularly for stretch sewing. Two separate cotton reels are threaded through your machine like normal, but are threaded through the 2 needles to create the double row of sewing. As it sews, the needle creates a zig-zag pattern underneath to allow the stretch.

 

OUR RECOMMENDATION (if you do not have access to an overlocker or serger) is to use a twin needle to sew the seam and a zig-zag stitch over the raw edge to tidy up any seam that requires strengthening or neatening.

   

A LITTLE TIP – Twin needles can be a little less robust than a standard needle so take care when sewing over several layers of fabrics, particularly when sewing over other seam joins.