Knitted Fabrics Guide

Knitted Fabrics (or stretch-fabrics) are made with exactly the same technique as a handmade knitting pattern, just on a much smaller, more industrialized scale. Compared to woven fabrics, knitted fabrics are great for highly fitted or very comfortable projects such as t-shirts, thermal layers, or kidswear. The stretch can be 2-way (on one axis) or 4-way (on both axes).

Stretch fabrics require different sewing techniques to woven fabrics. You need to account for the fabric's stretch when sewing, which means you need to use one of the following stitch types:

1. Zig-Zag stitch
2. Overlocker/Serger
3. Cover seamer

This means that stretch fabrics can be intimidating for beginner sewers, but if you're willing to learn the alternative stitch types, garments made with stretch fabrics are often less complex and more easy to assemble than projects made with non-stretch fabrics.

Knitted fabrics also need to be sewn with ball point needles - normal sewing needles have a fine & sharp tip, but these will rip the delicate knit weave of a stretch fabric and create larger holes. A ball-point needle slips between the threads without damaging them.

Check out our suggestions for patterns below, return to the fabric guide to learn about other fabric types, or start browsing all our sewing patterns.