Sewing knit fabric: Everything you need to know!

Sewing knit fabric: In this post you will learn everything you need to know when you want to sew with knit fabric. So that the cardigan doesn't turn into a stress jacket! ;)

Sewing knit fabric has many faces!

The more colorful, the better. Knit fabric comes in countless colors and the most diverse qualities.

Whether as cozy Alpine fleece, which also joins ski hikes as a stylish sweater, or as soft, flowing fine knit, which draws all eyes in the form of a flattering long jacket – knit is trump!

So that your new knit fabric project also succeeds stress-free, we have compiled the most important tips and tricks.

By the way: In my post about 20 brilliant sewing tips, there is also a tip for sewing dark knit fabric.

Where can you order knit fabric?

Knit fabrics in many different colors I now buy almost exclusively from Hemmers^* after a few failures. Here I have found especially subtle colors and patterns. And from fine openwork (brilliant for summer, lightweight shirts and jackets!) to wonderfully sewable jacquard jersey, you will find really many types of fabric there.Cutting knit fabric

Sewing knit fabric

The best tip of all: Keep a piece of fabric from the cutting and try out possible stitch variants and different presser foot pressure on this sample piece. Then you will always be on the safe side!

It is important to spread the fabric flat and without tension or wrinkles before laying the pattern on.

You can also stabilize the fabric beforehand with spray starch. You will wash it out at the first wash.

Next, you lay the pattern on.

Better not attach it with sewing pins: For that you would have to lift the fabric again. This can easily cause wrinkles and unevenness.

My tip: Use fabric weights^* to fix the pattern on the fabric. You can buy them. But it is also very easy to make them yourself. Door stoppers that are rubberized and also have a considerable weight work well, for example. This is what the fabric weights from Prym look like.

Door stoppers^* also work great and are mostly my first choice. However, they should have a rubberized base:

So that the fabric does not slip, you can also place a slightly damp dishcloth underneath during cutting – of course with enough distance from the cutting zone. Also drawer inserts made of silicone or knobby soft plastic serve well here.

You can also make your fabric weights yourself very easily:

Another option: Lightly spray the cutting mat with water!

You should cut the fabric best with a sharp rotary cutter. It is important that you do not cut with a dull blade. If then the threads are not cut through and you move the fabric afterwards, the fabric will immediately distort.

Transfer the markings from the cut to the fabric directly after cutting – before you move the fabric.

Small excursion: What do you cut knit fabric with?

Personally, I have had the best experiences with the rotary cutters from Olfa. They are not the most expensive on the market and certainly not the most stylish. But in my experience, that doesn't matter at all. They lie well in the hand, stay sharp for a long time and are easy to handle (keyword: secure and unsecure the blade). For me it is also important that I can also replace the blade myself if necessary and do not have to call the plumber directly. At Olfa you just turn a little screw.

The latest generation of the 28 cutter from Olfa^* only has a small latch to pull back. Then the blade is free and you can replace it. Lock again. Good is. Very comfortable.

The cutters from Olfa are available in different sizes and versions. I have tested them all and can recommend these here:

Maxi rotary cutter^* with a 45 mm blade. In the picture you can see very well that you only push the black latch forward and back to activate or unlock the blade guard.

The slightly more luxurious version^* is the Maxi with a 45mm blade and extra blade guard. It is a bit more expensive, but cuts just as well as the cheaper version. Also available as a 60mm version - for many fabric layers.

And this is my absolute favorite rotary cutter, which you have seen very often in my videos and tutorials: The Olfa with a 28 mm blade^*. Nothing for super-super thick layers. But the one I actually always have at hand in everyday sewing. A very uncomplicated cutter that does a lot. And it has to. You know my sewing volume by now. :)

That's all about cutting. :)

Prepare the edges

With your freshly cut knit fabric, it can quickly happen that the fabric pulls or wants to fray at the edges. You prevent this best with seam tape^*. This is simply glued on after cutting. Or, depending on the product, also ironed on with light pressure or sewn in.

You can sew in, for example, cotton seam tape^*. This is simply caught in the seam. 

Extra tip: If sewing with knit fabric is still unfamiliar to you, you can also work with water-soluble interfacing. There are different manufacturers. In my attempts, the Soluvlies^* and Avalon^* cut the best.

Avalon is an embroidery interfacing from Madeira. It is transparent and water-soluble. And is simply glued onto the fabric. By the way, Avalon can also be used for other things. For example, to stabilize fabric before you embroider it. For that you can simply draw a motif on the film, glue it to the fabric and embroider the motif with the machine. Alternatively, you can of course also place it under the fabric. This keeps the fabric smooth even after embroidery and it does not curl up.

Alternatively, you can also finish the fabric edges with an overlock stitch or a coverstitch. Overlock works of course also well.

A real insider tip is reinforcing the edges with H609 interfacing cut into strips. This insert is elastic and gives the edges firmness, while the fabric remains beautifully stretchable in itself.

Sewing knit fabric for the first time

If you have never worked with knit fabrics, the first time may be a challenge for you.

Every knit fabric is different. Even fabrics from the same series can behave differently.

First, it is important that you spread the fabric nicely flat and without tension for cutting. Then you can sew it with a rotary cutter. To protect the sensitive edges from fraying, you iron seam tape^* onto the edges directly after cutting. Then nothing can go wrong!

You can also pre-treat the fabric generously with spray starch to make it a bit firmer and easier to handle. The spray starch is removed at the first machine wash. What remains is a snug jacket with perfect cutting!

Adjusting presser foot pressure

Depending on the fabric type and slipperiness of the fabric, you can try to reduce the presser foot pressure step by step. The same applies to the overlocker!

Whether the presser foot pressure is correct, you see that the seam lies flat and the thread sinks into the fabric.

Which sewing thread for knit fabric?

Basically, the sewing thread should be a shade darker than the fabric being sewn. Fine polyester threads are best. They bring a nice elasticity. If you sew with the overlocker, you can use classic overlock thread.

If you want to process your knit fabric with a straight stitch, you can easily opt for elastic sewing thread such as Seraflex from Mettler^*.

Which needle for knit fabric?

Knit fabric does not like sharp needles. They could cut the fine threads of the fabric and poke holes in the fabric. So-called Ball-Point needles work best. These are sewing machine needles with a rounded head that pokes through the existing holes in the fabric and does not produce new ones.

Because the needle does not need much pressure to poke through the fabric, a fine Ball-Point needle of size 70 to 80 is best suited for knit fabrics. 

I have already recommended the needles from Schmetz several times - however, I have also tried many other brands before. In hindsight, it annoys me a bit that I threw money out the window: Partly I really disposed of whole needle packs because the needles were simply a horror.

Especially because knit fabric is a bit delicate, I no longer take any risks. I exclusively use Super-Stretch needles^* for knit fabrics and am very satisfied with the result.

How do you sew knit fabric?

Who has already tried it knows: The beginning of a seam is particularly challenging. There, the fabric (the finer, the more willingly) likes to pull into the throat plate. If your machine has two throat plates, like my Janome, then choose the throat plate with the small hole. The fabric can hardly disappear in it.

To make it even easier, you place the area under the first stitches on embroidery interfacing. This can be easily torn off after sewing. You can also use a strip of baking paper if you like.

Which sewing machine stitch for knit fabric?

Ideally, you sew knit fabric with the overlocker. The overlock seam also prevents the fabric edges from fraying and gives the seam a nice finish. In addition, it is possible to run a contrasting thread along, through which the seam also looks nice on the inside.

Before sewing, check if the sewing machine needle has unevenness or nicks. Then it should rather be replaced. Crooked, nicked needles can pull threads or cause skipped stitches.

If you do not have an overlocker (a triple HippHippHurra on my Babylock Enspire^*, which fascinates me again and again!), (or it is too fast for such a fine garment), you can also use the overlock or coverstitch foot of your sewing machine. A narrow zigzag stitch also fulfills its purpose.

On the sewing machine, you can also use a narrow or wide zigzag. It is important that you choose an elastic stitch for your knit fabric sewing project.

Remember: If the garment is stretchy, the seams must be too.

Marking knit fabric

Even the attempt to draw on the fabric can cause the fine weave to shift. A fabric marker that can be applied without much pressure is therefore recommended. Of course, it must also be removable without rubbing or scrubbing.

A Frixon pen is well suited to the job, as it can be removed with a little heat from an iron or steam. Using a

chalk pen is also a good idea: we already recommended the Koh-i-noor pen^* in the post about the most popular sewing helpers , because it pleasantly surprised us. The chalk pen is manufactured by Hardtmuth. Anyone who occasionally orders from the premium retailer Manufactum (or drops by to get some inspiration) will know Hardtmuth from the pen and office supplies department.

Knit fabric with buttonholes

Buttons and buttonholes can be a challenge with knit fabric. You can tackle this by reinforcing the fabric with iron-on interfacing where the button or buttonhole is to be placed.

Or do you love contrast? Then you can, for example, back the button placket of cardigans with contrasting woven tape. This not only looks smart. It prevents the buttons from tearing out – and the button placket from rolling inwards.

Sewing knit fabric: securing shoulder seams

The seams of knitted garments can be particularly tricky.

We already talked about seam tapes in the cutting section. If your sewing project has shoulder seams, you should reinforce them as well. For this, you can use a simple seam tape or bias tape in the fabric color. An elastic silicone tape also works very well, as it holds the seam together while remaining flexible.

A great and uncomplicated way to reinforce shoulder seams: Cut a strip approximately 1.5 cm wide from the main fabric across the grain. Place it flush against the shoulder edge and include it in the shoulder seam.

If you like, you can also add two loops made of elastic band^* in the shoulder seams, which you can use to secure your stylish new garment on the clothes hanger.

By the way, you can put your newly acquired skills to good use with the Oversize Sweater Kjella! :)

Happy simple sewing,

your Sabine

The most important questions answered at a glance