Unlike other types of fabric, the structure of knitwear is interconnected loops, as when knitting a fabric by hand with knitting needles. And the very name of this elastic material comes from the French word that translates as "knit". It has many advantages over other fabrics, knitwear practically does not wrinkle, stretches in all directions and returns its shape after wearing. However, there are several things to consider when sewing with this material.
How to grind knitwear
Knitwear is an elastic material, so the seam must be stretchable. If you sew the details with an ordinary straight stitch, then some stitches will be skipped, which will undoubtedly worsen the appearance and quality of the seam. To prevent this from happening, sew the sections of the product with a narrow zigzag stitch, the stitch width should be 3 mm, and the zigzag size should be 1 mm.
Sew the parts on the sewing machine using a special needle. The packaging of the needles says "jersey" or "stretch". They have a rounded tip that does not pierce the fabric when sewing, but moves the loops apart. As a result, the structure of the material is not disturbed.
When sewing shoulder cuts, place glue or rep tape under the stitching location, its edge should protrude 1-2 mm from the seam. Treat the neckline and armholes with a bias tape. Cut it out of the same material from which you sew the product. Cut the strip at a 45-degree angle and 2-2.5 cm wide. Fold in half, fold the cuts to the wrong side and sew a double stitch close to the fold.
Sew the hem, bottom of the trousers and sleeves also with a double stitch. It can be done with a special needle, or 2 parallel stitches can be made at a distance of 3 mm from each other. Stretch the fabric slightly when sewing.
How to handle slices
An overlock is ideal for slicing. When sewing, sew an overfill seam 5 mm from the main stitch. Do not stretch the fabric when doing this, as the edges may wavy.
When cutting thin knit fabrics, place a thread under the overcast seam. This will help prevent tissue from stretching. However, this is often not enough. In this case, glue the sections with adhesive tape and make an overlap seam, grabbing its edge by 1-2 mm. Cut off the excess tape along with the fabric.
Use a zigzag stitch when sewing the sections with a conventional sewing machine. Set the stitch length and stitch height to 3 mm. Also place a thicker thread under the stitching to prevent wavy edges.
How to overcast knitwear
When sewing buttonholes, there is one little trick that experienced dressmakers use. Cut out a rectangle from a piece of organza a couple of mm larger than the size of the loop. Attach it to the location of the hole on the wrong side of the part.
Overcast the buttonhole as usual. Trim off excess organza as close to the stitching as possible. This technique will help make the loop more durable, as well as prevent it from deforming.
