Sewing knit fabric
You do not need a serger to sew knits. What you do need is the right needle, a stitch that stretches and a way to stop the edge going wavy. Get those three right and an ordinary machine handles jersey perfectly well.
1. Change the needle and thread
- Needle: a ballpoint (jersey) needle. A sharp needle cuts the loops of the knit and leaves a ladder of holes along the seam.
- Thread: a stretch thread (or ordinary polyester, which has some give). Cotton thread snaps.
- Size: 75/11 for light jersey, 90/14 for sweatshirting.
2. Use a stitch that stretches
A straight stitch has no give, so it snaps the first time the seam is pulled. Use one of these instead.
- Narrow zigzag (width 0.5–1 mm, length 2.5 mm) — the simplest answer, available on any machine.
- Stretch stitch (the lightning-bolt symbol) if your machine has one.
- Twin needle for hems — two lines on the front, a zigzag underneath, which is what shop-bought T-shirts use.
3. Stop the wavy edge
A seam that comes out rippled means the fabric was stretched while it fed through.
- Do not pull the fabric. Let the feed dogs take it and only guide it.
- Lower the presser foot pressure if your machine allows it.
- Use a walking foot — it feeds both layers at the same rate.
- Stabilize the shoulders with clear elastic or a strip of interfacing in the seam. Shoulders carry the weight of the garment and stretch out permanently otherwise.
4. Hems and cuffs
- Fold the hem up once (there is no need to double-fold — knit does not fray) and press.
- Stitch with a twin needle or a narrow zigzag. Stitching from the right side keeps the twin-needle lines even.
- For a neckband, cut the ribbing to about 0.8–0.85× the neckline measurement, join it into a loop, and stretch it slightly as you sew it on. That is what stops the neckline gaping.
Frequently asked questions
- The seam breaks when I pull it.
- You used a straight stitch. Use a narrow zigzag or a stretch stitch — a straight stitch has no give at all.
- The fabric gets pushed down into the needle plate.
- That happens with fine jersey. Lay tissue paper under it, sew through both and tear the paper away, or use a straight-stitch needle plate.
- Do I need a serger?
- No. A serger is faster and neater on the raw edges, but a home machine with a ballpoint needle and a zigzag makes a perfectly sound garment.
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