When you want to make close-fitting and comfortable clothes, you quickly think of jersey fabrics. Let's explore together the characteristics and types of knitted fabrics called "knit". So, let's get started!

Knit Fabric: what is it?

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

Like knitting, knit fabrics have a right side and a wrong side. You will notice small "V"s on the right side and small "U"s on the wrong side. 

Since the method of making defines knit fabric... you can have different yarn compositions for this knitting: wool, cotton, viscose, linen, bamboo, silk... For example, you can find cotton jerseys, viscose jerseys...

A bit of history: knit fabrics were first used in hosiery. They were used to make gloves, socks, underwear, hats... It was from World War I that knit fabrics began to be used for clothing. 

Since Mademoiselle Coco Chanel, knit fabric has also been worn in everyday life—think of the famous sailor shirts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, as well as dresses, skirts, children's clothing... knit fabrics are everywhere; you will find a nice selection in our shop. 

Specifics of knit fabric

Knit fabrics, due to their knitting, have a very slight "V"-shaped pattern. If you look closely at a t-shirt, you will see this subtle pattern. The finer the yarn used for knitting, the harder it will be to see the knitting pattern with the naked eye.

Due to their particular knitted texture, knit fabrics have the property of being stretchy; which allows us to pull the head through the round neck without needing to open a zipper or buttons. Knit fabrics are comfortable fabrics that will hug the body's curves. There are fewer adjustments to make on patterns because the fabric adapts to the body's volumes (for example: there are no clips on the t-shirt, or you have 4 sizes for one pattern allowing you to sew the same garment from size 34 to 50...). To enhance the elasticity of this type of fabric, some knit fabrics contain a small percentage of elastane. 

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

Knit fabrics do not fray like woven fabrics. 

Jersey and its different types

Jersey is the most common knitted fabric and the easiest to work with when starting to sew knit fabrics. Jersey is a thin fabric that is perfect for making t-shirts, leggings, dresses and light blouses, children's and newborn clothing (bodysuits) as well as underwear (boxers, panties...)...

As we saw earlier, several types of jersey can be made by varying the composition of the yarn used.

Cotton jersey

Viscose jersey

This type of jersey has a very nice drape and is perfect for making flowing, lightweight dresses and blouses for spring/summer. It is a jersey characterized by its fineness and allows for very beautiful draping. Due to its fluidity and fineness, it will be a bit more difficult to work with than cotton jersey; nevertheless, the result is worth it. 

French terry or loopback sweatshirt fabric

French terry is a bit thicker than jersey. It will be very useful for making sweatshirts and children's clothing such as harem pants, joggers...

You can easily recognize it because it has a smooth surface on the front and loops on the back, hence its name loopback sweatshirt fabric. It is a very versatile fabric useful in all seasons. Indeed, while loopback sweatshirt fabric is not as warm as fleece or polar fleece, it is perfect for making mid-season garments. It will also be useful for making a light sweater for cool summer evenings and will be perfect under a coat in winter. It is an easy-to-work-with material that is suitable for beginners making knit garments. 

How to sew knits?

Knits can be sewn in two ways for assembly:

- or with the serger (4-thread)

- either with the sewing machine, taking care to use the stretch stitch. 

For my part, I prefer to use the serger because it allows very neat, almost professional finishes as it assembles and finishes the edges in a single pass.

To sew knits, you will also need to adapt your needle(s) and choose those of the jersey or stretch type. These needles have the particularity of having a rounded tip that allows the needle to slide against the knits so as not to break or tear them or make holes in the fabric texture.

Before you begin, don't hesitate to do some assembly tests with your fabric scraps. This will allow you to adjust your serger. 

I hope my article will help you get to know these materials a little better and that you'll dare to start sewing with them!