Hi Everyone! Today's post is all summed up in the video below :) I'm taking you into my sewing studio and demonstrating a few of the techniques I use when sewing with knit fabrics on a standard sewing machine. I'm using a Bernina 330 for this illustration. If you have questions about specific sewing machine models, we're ready to help! Georgette has joined us to moderate questions in the facebook group as well. She's worked for Quality Sewing for years and has a vast knowledge of many sewing machine brands models. So ask away... we're here to help!
If you have questions specific to this post and the topics mentioned here, please post them as comments to this Knit Hems and More FB post - Happy Sewing!
Topics covered (with minute marker timeline for easy reference):
Intro
@1:00 Sewing the shoulder seams and finishing options
@3:18 Hemming the neckline
@5:56 Working with knit sleeves
@7:43 Finishing the armscye seam allowance
@8:30 Finishing raw edges
@9:50 Double turned hemline
@14:54 Single fold hemline sewn with Twin Needle
@20:30 Bonus - Coffee Filter as stabilizer (it works amazingly well!)
24 Comments
Elaine
May 18, 2017
Sorry Cinnamon, I am very late watching this video. It is like magic when you steam the knit to help it shrink back. Remarkable! I have always avoided knits, too scared to work with it for fear of it getting sucked up into my machine.
Vicki
April 23, 2017
This is for Pat. Cinnamon uses a regular size iron for sewing doll clothes.
pat
April 17, 2017
I haven’t started my outfit yet, only cut it out. But -I did do a test with my fabric…my machine wanted to swallow it, so I put a coffee filter under the fabric…no problem at all. I might have to make my entire outfit that way.
Jean
April 14, 2017
@Carol- great idea for the stitch starter. @Cinnamom – it’s a knit, why do you need to finish or overcast fabric at side seams? Also, since it is a knit that doesn’t ravel, I only turn my hems once. I’ve never sewn with a double needle. After seeing your hem, I think I am ready to try it. Thank you!!
Dianne
April 14, 2017
Cinnamon – Your expertise is so helpful, and watching you sew is illuminating! For example, I have struggled with zig zagging the edges of fabric pieces and now I see I have been setting my needle too far back from the edge. The thread curling around the edge is a GOOD thing. You would think I would have figured that out …. The iron on tape is going to be very useful, too. Thanks!
pat
April 13, 2017
Do you use a compact iron for working with doll clothes?
Bettie
April 13, 2017
I knew about the coffee filters for machine quilt applique, just never thought about using it for knit fabric. Duh! Never thought about steaming the stretch out of the fabric either.
Bettie
April 13, 2017
Got to get some stabilizer for knits.
Marg
April 13, 2017
Great tips, I didn’t know about using an iron and I like the idea of using fusible tape. When sewing with knits, I might actually enjoy doing so from now on. Thank you.
Jennifer
April 12, 2017
Wonderful video! Quick question- what this the size of the zig zag stitch you showed to finish off the edge? Yours seems to be a shorter stitch length and wider between the stitches. Just curious to know. Thanks!
aroha
April 12, 2017
This is great, looking forward to putting these tips into practice.
Lori
April 12, 2017
Did not know about interfacing for knits. Got a shirt here I was gonna throw out because of the wobbly look but now I will try the steam iron and possibly save it. Huge thank you!
Edna
April 12, 2017
I totally agree with Carol’s stitch starter tip. I learned this a few years ago, and it is wonderful- it also keeps the needle from coming unthreaded, and reduces tangled thread, and is much easier than holding the threads. Thanks for all the great tips! I’m going to try them all!
Carol
April 12, 2017
Instead of beginning to stitch so far into your hem, use a stitch starter. It’s a small scrap of fabric a few inches square that is the same or slightly thicker than your garment fabric. You begin stitching in the middle of the stitch starter. As the machine gets close to the end of the starter slip the real fabric under the pressure foot to meet up with the starter. Keep right on sewing. The starter reduces the tendency for the fabric to sink into the needle plate or to bog down.
Amy Walker
April 12, 2017
This is amazing! Thank you SO much! I’ve always been mystified by the double needle. This totally made it clear for me, and I can’t wait to try that and the coffee filter!! :) :)
Vicki
April 12, 2017
Wow! I have never used the stretch interfacing or the coffee filters, so I learned a lot. Will definitely be applying these tips!
Cinnamon
April 12, 2017
@Elizabeth – Great question! Generally, I’d do a couple test runs on the hem seam allowance to be sure I had the accurate placement so this wouldn’t happen on the actual shirt hem. But in the case that it did still happen, I’d either sew a few quick hand stitches using the same color thread OR slide in a small piece of double sided fusible tape, like steam a seam, to secure it. :)
Maurine
April 12, 2017
Loved the video. You can find the coffee filters at the 99 cent store. You can also use the scraps left from the tear-away stabilizer after embroidering an item on your embroidery machine. I have never used the twin needles on a knit and can’t wait to try it. It looks like it leaves such a nice finished edge.
Elizabeth
April 12, 2017
You showed a couple of missed areas when doing the double needle hem. How did you fix the spots? Thank you.
Pat
April 12, 2017
Enjoyed the video. I was wondering if that is a compact size steam iron.
Aime
April 12, 2017
Accidentally I bought the wrong size coffee filter for my coffee machine. Now I have a good use for them , and it works great on the knits that I have. Thank you.
Marilyn
April 11, 2017
Hi Cinnamon, Love your videos! Have never tried the stretch interfacing, but will be using this item in the future! I love to design and sew for the large size 36"/38" My Size dolls and have sewed at least a hundred items, (using stretch swimsuit fabric) for these dolls. After jamming my sewing machine numerous times with stretch swimsuit fabric, I finally figured out how to start my fabric to avoid a jammed feed dog. Rather than starting aways into the fabric, if you start your seam with the fabric even with the needle and hold tightly to the two threads, (machine and bobbin threads) and start sewing, you can avoid a jammed feed dog. I also bought a sewing machine (my machine was old) with a stretch stitch and made my stretch fabric sewing so much easier!
Georjean
April 11, 2017
Great video! I can’t wait to try some of these tips.
Margaret
April 11, 2017
Wow that was great! I learned so much…..going to sew now!
Elaine
May 18, 2017
Sorry Cinnamon, I am very late watching this video. It is like magic when you steam the knit to help it shrink back. Remarkable! I have always avoided knits, too scared to work with it for fear of it getting sucked up into my machine.