Tips for working with jersey/knit fabrics

I couldn't agree with these tips more, what a lovely resource, thank you for putting it together!

 

Thank you so much for this! I started sewing about a year or so ago and in that time I have fought (and mostly lost) a few battles with knit fabrics, but I have mostly avoided it because it's so tricky for me. That said, I've been really wanting to improve so that I can bring some more textures into my doll's wardrobe. She's definitely needing some more socks/stockings so anyone with tips for those would be so appreciated.

I do already have ballpoint needles - but a walking foot will be next on my list!

 

another tip is wash away stabilizer, apply it before cutting out your pattern, cut, stitch, wash it out, works great and saves many headaches!

 

Instead of Zigzag another option is is using the triple stitch for a hem and seams. I had read online that it has some give so naturally I have tried myself.

I have used it in leggins and tops I have made for my dolls and found it gives enough stretch for 1/4 doll garments while still being sturdy and having a cleaner look. You don't have the stretch while sewing. Just walking foot and go.

Actually I made a video showing the stretch here:


*Edited for spelling

 

Have you tried an overlock machine? You can reduce the stitch width quite a bit and use a rolled hem type stitch to reduce the bulk in the seams.

 

Does anyone have any experience on how well this would work for tiny dolls like lati white?

 

I haven't tried the wash away stabilizer, but I am a big fan of spray starch for the same use, especcially when making very small things.
Depending on where you live, spray cans with ready to use starch can be found in regular grocery stores and that is very convenient to use. It's a fairly light starch, but it's often more than enough to give fabric just that little bit of rigidity to make is easy to work with and behave well in the machine. And it's easy to add just a little or a lot depending on the project, you can add multiple layers if you need to. I usually just starch the whole part of the fabric I am going to use (spray evenly and set with an iron) before even marking out the pieces, as I find that a starched fabric is easier to mark (some fabrics almost get a paper-like surface) and also makes the markings wash out more easily with the starch when the garment is finished.
The only place I would avoid it is for pieces that is ment to be stretched out while sewing, like cuffs. Those are better left unstached.

Starch works wonders for very thin and drapy fabrics as well.

 

Has anyone tried hand-sewing knit fabrics? (I not only don't have a sewing machine, I actively hate using them...) If I used the wash-away stabilizer, and then just sewed the garment as I would for non-stretch fabrics, would that work OK?

 

The stabilizers are mostly there to make the fabric behave well in the machine, so if you are sewing by hand you probably don't need that step.
I don't know how you would normally sew a non-stretch fabric, but for stretchy fabrics you need stretchy seams, otherwise the thread will break when the garment stretches. A regular back stitch works well, but a running stitch does not. Most edge stitches such as overcasting and blanket stitches work as well.
You can always do some tests on leftovers to see how the seams behave when the fabric is stretched out.

 

My go to stitch for handsewing knits is the herringbone stitch. Keeps things in place, and it stretches along with the material.

 

I do often hand sew but I have to say I felt like my sewing machine hated me and I was always having problems with it until upgraded from a cheapie to a slightly more expensive one and discover how much of a nicer experience that was. Now I don't think the machines hate me at all, unless they are bad machines (lol).

 

It's also possible to do a zigzag stitch by hand, but I'm pretty slow with that one, so I usually default to a backstitch when I'm using stretchy fabric!

 

Thanks for the advice, everyone! I've been using the backstitch, which works pretty well for me. I am having difficulty tracing patterns & cutting out pattern pieces, though, given how much knit fabrics move around. I might try using starch spray just for that step, to see if it helps...

@Isoldana4: Unfortunately what I dislike about sewing machines is the noise, the speed, and the fear that I'll stab myself with the needle. So I don't think a better sewing machine would help

 

If it makes you feel any better, you actually are unlikely to stab yourself with the needle because your fingers generally shouldn't be anywhere near it. It's in the middle of the presser foot, so you'd have to have your fingers up over the presser foot first. You also control the speed yourself with the foot pedal (or the hand crank if you want).

For cutting the pieces out, there's a few things you can do in addition to the spray starch. Using pattern weights instead of pins helps (and you can really use anything heavy that won't get in your way for pattern weights, I use metal washers from the hardware store), as does using a rotary cutter instead of scissors. The more you keep the fabric flat the better off you are. You can also cut through the fabric and some paper at the same time (use your second-best scissors for this). If you have big enough pieces of very very fine grit sandpaper (polishing grit, basically) that can also help hold slippery fabrics in place while you're tracing out pattern pieces. Also: just give up on cutting on the fold with knits or other wiggly fabrics if you're struggling. It simply isn't worth it.