During the autumn/winter season, I really like turning to knit fabrics like jerseys, sweatshirts... because they are comfortable and provide a feeling of warmth that we really need in the flat country that is mine... And yes, in Belgium, it is often cold and damp! 

So having your little Damart, as my grandmother used to say, is very useful! So, why not make it yourself! Let's dive together into the world of knits! 

Pair of sweatshirts in brushed fleece fabric and french terry with Belgian patterns

Definition of knit fabrics

"Knit" fabrics are knitted fabrics, unlike "warp and weft" fabrics which are woven like poplins. Knit fabric is therefore made like a wool sweater; the big difference is the diameter of the yarn, which will be much smaller. The fineness of the yarn allows making a very tightly knitted fabric.  

As with knitting, knit fabrics have a right side and a wrong side. You will observe small "V"s on the right side and small "U"s on the wrong side.  Since it is the method of making that defines knit fabric... well, you can have different yarn compositions to make this knitting: wool, cotton, viscose, linen, bamboo, silk... with or without the addition of elastane fibers. For example, you can find cotton jersey, viscose jersey, polyester or blends... In the shop, we have chosen to offer you knits in natural fibers (cotton) or artificial (viscose). 

For a little history, knit fabrics were first used in hosiery. They were used to make gloves, socks, underwear, hats... It was from the First World War that knit fabrics began to be used for clothing.  

Since Mademoiselle Coco Chanel, knit fabric is also worn in the city; think of the famous sailor shirts, t-shirts, and sweatshirts but also dresses, skirts, children's clothing... knit fabrics are now used for all types of clothing, especially thanks to the more recent addition of elastane fibers. Elastane is a stretchable and retractable synthetic fiber. It can therefore stretch a lot and return to its original shape. It is very useful for giving even more elasticity to our knit fabrics. Note that elastane is widely used in the industry and for good reason. A jersey textile without elastane risks loosening and sagging more and more throughout the day. Elastane allows the jersey to regain its shape. 

And lycra? Well, it's simple, it's a registered trademark of elastane fiber. 

Advantages of knit fabrics 

There are many advantages to knit fabrics.

1. First, they are known to be soft and comfortable. They keep warm and depending on the nature of the fibers, they will be breathable. 

2. Due to their particular knitted texture, knit fabrics have the property of being stretchy; which will allow us to pass the head through the round neck without needing to open a zipper or buttons. Knit fabrics are comfortable fabrics that will hug the curves of the body. There are fewer adjustments to make on the patterns because the fabric adapts to the body volumes (for example: there are no darts on a t-shirt, or you have 4 sizes for a pattern allowing to sew the same garment from size 34 to 50...). 

3. Knit fabrics are also heavier than woven fabrics, this is due to the knitting of the yarn. Because of this heavier weight, knit fabrics have a nice drape. 

4. Knit fabrics do not fray like woven fabrics. Finishes are therefore easy to make. 

5. Finally, knit fabrics wrinkle very little and are easy to care for, which is a plus!

Types of knit fabrics

There are many types of knit fabrics. Let’s look together at the most frequently used. 

Jersey : jersey, knitted in single thickness, has a smooth side showing small “v”s and a side made of loops that look like waves. Lightweight jersey is generally found, mostly used for t-shirts, but a medium weight and quite stable jersey also exists. 

Interlock : Interlock, like Ponte and Milano, is knitted in double thickness. This gives a fabric identical on both sides (always with these little “v”s), more stable and dense than a single jersey. Interlock is often used for sweatshirts due to its heavier weight. It is also great for making dresses, skirts but also long-sleeve t-shirts. 

Unbrushed fleece or french terry or looped jersey: this fabric is similar to jersey, but its heavier weight makes it more suitable for sweatshirts and loungewear. The outer side is smooth (plain or patterned). The inner side is made of loops. It is generally lighter than brushed fleece but just as comfortable and easy to care for. Well breathable, this fabric is ideal for sportswear, sweatshirts, loungewear...

Brushed fleece or sweatshirt fabric : From the outside, brushed fleece is identical to other knit fabrics, but inside it is very soft and fluffy. This nap is created by brushing the fabric to bring out the fibers, and the result is ideal for sweatshirts, bombers, cardigans, and loungewear.  

Ribbing : Ribbing are strips of fabric of the "knit" type (knitted in ribs) that are sewn to the edge of a garment. This is actually where their name comes from: elastic knits knitted in ribs that are placed on an edge. The ribs are oriented in the straight grain; in other words, the knitted lines you see are oriented in the straight grain. Most of the time the ribbing is quite compact, and its composition can vary (lurex, elastane...)

What to sew with knit fabrics?

Well... almost everything! The only constraints are:

• to choose a pattern designed for stretch/knit fabrics
• to check the weight per square meter of the knit fabric to see if it is suitable for sewing
• to check the stretch, and especially its direction. 

And having taken care to check this, you can sew:

• tops: blouses, camisole tops, t-shirts, polos, long-sleeve t-shirts, wrap tops, ...
• tracksuits: sweatshirts, bombers, cardigans, jackets...
• bottoms: pants, shorts, skirts, ...
• complete outfits: dress, jumpsuits
• lingerie: bra, panties, bodysuit... for women, men, and babies
• soft baby clothes and accessories.

You will find in the shop, a selection of patterns to sew in jersey, including sweatshirts, but also t-shirts and dresses like the Alix or Azilys dress! 

How to sew knit fabrics?

Even if they can be intimidating at first, knit fabrics are not that difficult to sew! Let's see together what materials are needed...

Choose the right needle
To sew knit fabric, it is necessary to choose the right needle. So choose jersey or stretch type needles depending on your fabric. These needles have the particularity of having a rounded tip that allows the needle to slide between the loops without breaking them or making holes in the fabric texture. Using a needle made especially for elastic fabrics will give a better result and avoid skipped stitches. 

2. Choose the right thread
Use polyester thread rather than cotton thread. Choose good quality. 

3. Choose the machine for assembly 

Can you sew knit fabric with a sewing machine? Yes

Are the finishes nicer with the overlocker? Yes

Do you need to buy an overlocker to sew jersey? No, unless you want to sew a lot and it becomes a passion! My students who take the courses will tell you once you start with this machine, you quickly get hooked. If you are afraid to start, we organize overlocker introductions to build confidence with this amazing machine. 

To summarize, you can sew knit fabric in two ways for assembly

• or with the overlocker (4 threads)
• either with the sewing machine using an elastic stitch.  

4. Do tests 

As with all your projects, you need to do tests before starting to sew your knit fabric. This is really a good habit to take, and it is especially important on knit fabrics! Indeed, you need to check that the needle is well suited, and verify that the carefully selected stitches are suitable for your fabric, check its elasticity.

You need to select a stitch that allows the seams to stretch with the fabric without the thread showing... When sewing, be careful not to stretch the fabric to avoid puckering seams. 

 5. Finishing touches

Hems : 

To finish your work, you can make a hem to stitch with the twin needle, or a simple blind hem depending on the thickness of the fabric and/or your preferences. 

It is also possible to use a coverstitch machine for professional finishes. In the workshop, we have one and it allows top-notch finishes!

Finishes with bias:

Jersey bias just like classic bias (used for woven fabrics) is used to create beautiful finishes. It will mainly be used to make flawless finishes on raw edges. On a top, it will be used at the neckline, armholes/cuffs or even to make straps. It can also replace a hem. On bottoms, it can be used as a waistband, at the thigh circumference.  

A second purpose of using bias is that it can be contrasted. This allows you to add style to a garment or highlight it. For example, to finish the overlap of a wrap dress to emphasize the bust or to finish the armholes of a child's t-shirt with bright colors. There are many colors and you can even find fluorescent ones! At the shop, we offer pretty ones in 3m coupon.

Finishes with ribbing:

You can also finish cuffs, a neckline, a jacket hem... with ribbing. All colors are allowed, it's an opportunity to brighten up a plain sweatshirt by adding contrasting cuffs, or by playing with color juxtapositions, lurex, fluorescent fabrics... In short, everything is allowed. 

You will find in the shop different presentations of ribbing. It can be sold in a tubular form, meaning you can buy a "tube of ribbing" in a small width (often 35-40cm) or you can find it in strip form ready to use.   

There you go, you know more about the knit fabrics we love to sew to stay warm during the colder seasons! If you want to go further, we offer reference works in the shop 😊, I would be happy to advise you!

Similarly, you will find on the shop pretty knit fabrics: jersey, interlock, sweat, french terry... feel free to take a look.

As they say... all that's left to do! 

So, get your needles ready!