It turns out that sewing by hand is not always as long and inconvenient as many people think. Sometimes the speed of sewing by machine and by hand is almost the same - when something small and complex is being sewn.

According to the Celt:

We once saw such a shirt in a museum; even my husband still remembers the seams, not to mention
about me :) So I wanted to learn for real, because if you know how to sew well, it won’t take that long. A 17-year-old girl lived with me in the dorm, so she did all sorts of things
reenactment games and once sewed herself a charming long velvet dress in the style of the 18th century with all sorts of inserts and lace - in a day! I also sewed clothes on my hands - shirts, jackets... It really didn’t take that long. Some things are even more convenient than on a machine, you just need to stitch them together quickly, and everything else too - while you’re slipping it in, while you’re chipping it or sweeping it away, while you’re turning it... These actions are done faster by hand, so the total time is not too different, at least for me, because I handle the machine unprofessionally.

I have about the same thing - professional seamstresses who know how to use special presser feet, etc., probably sew quickly and accurately on machines. But I usually sew with one main foot - there are others, but I don’t know how to use them, I’m going to sit down and learn. Sometimes I sew by hand, and I was surprised to find that it can be quick and convenient.

Hand Sewing Principles

For sewing, you need to use first-class needles and very elastic ones. To find out if they are elastic enough, break one needle with your hands. If it is elastic enough, then a fair amount of resistance will be felt before the fracture and the fracture itself will come out smooth. But if the needle breaks easily, like glass, or bends like wire, it is bad. You should never sew with curved needles, because when you use them, the stitches will come out incorrect. The eye of the needle should be very smooth so that the tip of the thread does not fray or cut through.

For various types of seams there are four types of stitches: forward the needle, behind the needle, scar and over the edge.

We can highlight the most common embroidery techniques at the moment: cross, half-cross, satin stitch, petit, bead embroidery, ribbon embroidery, silhouette embroidery, assisi, blackwork.

When sewing, the top layer of fabric is placed on the hands. Everyone knows that the machine plants the bottom layer, although there are all sorts of feet that manufacturers say they don’t plant. And when sewing on your hands, the opposite happens (if you DO NOT sew using the embroidery method). This is how we hold the fabric in our fingers; it is not stretched straight, but slightly in an arc. Moreover, the machine exactly plants the bottom layer, those. pulls it together slightly. And on the hands, the top layer does not gather, but seems to be slightly pulled and correctly bends around the bottom layer. Layers of fabric, in particular allowances, can thus be stacked on top of each other very correctly and beautifully on all curves of the figure. Virtually no wrinkles and no steps. Fastening them with a beaded seam.

Simple hand stitches

Stitch forward with needle. This is the easiest and most famous seam. The needle and thread are passed into the fabric through 2-4 threads, all the time forward from the last stitch. If the material allows, then you can pick up a few stitches on the needle and then immediately pull the thread through; thus the work is speeded up.

Seam by needle. Pass the needle from the inside to the face, count 6-8 threads of fabric and bring the needle to the wrong side. Then count twice as many threads (12-16), again pull the needle onto the face and stitch back, again counting 6 or 8 threads. Then the stitches are repeated in the specified order.

Lowercase seam. A lowercase seam consists of consecutive equal stitches per needle, following one after the other without gaps.

This is a difficult seam that requires great care and experience. In order for the seam to come out smooth and with uniform stitches, you need to count the threads of the fabric; they are counted 3-4 per stitch depending on the thickness of the fabric. When sewing delicate linen, if necessary; so that the seam goes in a straight line, pull out one thread of fabric at the seam site and, counting the threads, make a stitch. If the seam does not go in a straight line, then you must first mark the location of the stitching.

Trim with stitching. The suture just described can also serve to hem a scar. The fabric is folded over with an ordinary scar and smoothed with a thimble, then one thread is pulled out from the fabric on the top of the scar (at a distance of 2-3 threads from the edge) and the resulting three layers of fabric are stitched along this thread with a stitch.

Simple hem. To get a beautiful hem, you first need to lay a hem no more than 2 mm wide along the entire length of the hem, then also wrap the material a second time and start hemming. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that all stitches are even and capture no more than two threads of scar tissue. Wide scars are pre-swept on both paper and woolen fabrics. If the stitches should not be visible, then the needle is carefully threaded through the wrong side of the material and the first: fold.

Hem with embellishments. This seam is most often used for linen, when the edge should not only be hemmed, but also trimmed with light embroidery. First, a hem is made, starting from right to left, as indicated above, then from point a, where the hem ends, the working thread is thrown to the front side through point b (the needle is not inserted into the edge of the hem) and inserted into point c from the front side into the hem; in this case, two oblique stitches are formed: a-b from the inside and b-c from the face. The last stitch is not visible in the figure, since the wrong side of the work is shown here. Next, from the point to the working thread, they throw it to the front side through point d and insert a needle from the front side into the rib at point d, etc. until the end of the seam, embroider from left to right. The second row of embroidery should go from right to left, and the needle should be inserted into the same holes as in the first row, and the working thread should be thrown to the front side through the same points. IN finished form the embroidery will take the form shown in the picture (on the right side).

Another type of pattern is performed as follows. The work is held with the front side facing you; The hem should be facing upward. Embroidery is done from left to right. The needle is inserted into the upper edge of the hem stitch at point a and a loop stitch is started. The sequence of passing the needle: from point a to point b, then tightening the stitch at the top (at point a); from point a to point b, again tightening the stitch at the top at point c; from point c to point b and tightening the stitch at the top at point d. Thus, at the bottom the needle is stuck 3 times into point b. The next group of stitches should be started by counting 8 threads of fabric from the last stitch.

Sewing the seam. When sewing two panels, first baste them edge to edge, and then stitch the seam forward with the needle or behind the needle. After this, the seam is folded to the right and on its inner bend a narrow strip is cut off along the entire seam, and on the outer bend a narrow hem is folded and sewn with a hem.

Sewing edges. Panels with edges are sewn over the edge using small and frequent stitches, capturing 1-2 threads of the edges of the fabric. The work should be performed as shown in the figure. In this case, the panel should be on the right; In this case, the stitches are smoother. You can sew from top to bottom or bottom to top, whichever is more convenient. Don't tighten the thread too much: it ruins the seam. When the hemming is finished, the seam is straightened on both sides with a thimble or scissors. Before starting work, you should sweep the panels together so as not to pull out one of the edges.

Sewing panels and stripes with openwork. It's ancient and very beautiful way stitching the edges. When stitching with openwork, it is recommended to baste the panels onto paper so that the openwork is even.

Double seam (French). Fabrics that fray easily are sewn with a double or French seam. To do this, carefully fold both pieces of fabric face to face, edge to edge, and sew them together at a distance of a few millimeters from the edge with the seam facing forward to the needle. Then the sewn piece is turned inside out, the work is carefully folded along the scar made, smoothing it with your hands, and stitched a second time so that not a single thread of the edges of the fabric is visible from the face.

Crossed, or Russian, seam. For cleanliness of work and to prevent the edges from spilling out, the scar is sometimes hemmed with a crossed seam. To do this, a scar is laid, as with an ordinary hem, but usually on the face. The work is held so that the edge of the curved scar is facing down. The needle is inserted into the scar and pulled out through point a. Then the working thread is passed obliquely, a needle is inserted into point B, not into the scar, but directly into the panel and brought out to the wrong side. Through the point, the needle is again brought to the face, led obliquely, the needle is inserted through point d to the wrong side and again brought to the face at point d, etc. There should be a distance of no more than 5 mm between stitches.

Sometimes the crossed seam is decorated with a colored hold.

Interlocking stitches. For finishing linen, a herringbone stitch (simple and double) is also used, which is made with white or colored threads, as desired. The Christmas tree is good for decorating children's things.

Hem with rolled edges. When hemming very light fabrics, such as chiffon, tulle, etc., the edges of the material are twisted between the thumb and forefinger and hemmed with slightly beveled small stitches, tightly but without pulling the seam.

Hemming with teeth. Lay the edge of the fabric with a scar 2-3 cm wide on the wrong side and sew the needle from the face with small stitches forward in the direction indicated in the figure below, and then pull up the working thread and get the cloves.

Drawstring hem. Sometimes a cord is inserted into the hem. This is done as follows. 2 mm from the edge that needs to be hemmed, sew a bias strip or braid with the seam forward and the needle using small stitches.

If the braid is sewn, then it is folded in half and hemmed to the fabric with a hemming stitch, leaving the lace inside. If an oblique strip is sewn on, then it is folded in the same way as a hem scar, and it is also hemmed with a hem stitch, a narrow hem. In both the first and second cases, you cannot grab the lace.

A useful large topic on hand stitches is here club.season.ru/lofiversion/index.php/t11215.html.

Many who tried to sew knitwear on a regular sewing machine, we noticed that the machine often refuses to make a beautiful and even stitch. Gaps form in the knitted stitching, the bottom thread loops, and sometimes breaks.

Why does this happen and how can I fix it? Answers - in the video

Here are some tips on how to sew knitwear on a machine.

You can gradually try them all and choose the one that suits you best. There are no universal methods, everything depends heavily on the knitwear itself, the specific sewing machine and the person sewing this knitwear at that machine :).

Methods for making knitted seams on a regular sewing machine

	Direct method. Knitwear can be sewn with a regular straight stitch. Performed at a distance of 1-1.5 cm from the edge with a stitch length of 1.5-2 mm. When sewing, slightly stretch the knitted fabric with both hands in both directions (so that the threads do not burst during wearing). The machine automatically advances the stretched fabric. In this case, it is worth stretching only where there will be a line, and not stretching the allowance. After completing the knit stitch, fold back the seam allowances and press them. Straight stitch is suitable for moderate stretch fabrics.
	Knit stitch. If the set of stitches that the sewing machine performs includes a knitted one (many modern machines have it), it’s worth trying that too. For example, connect with a special lightning-shaped elastic seam, as in the photo
	Overlock stitch. If among the “baggage” of your sewing machine there are such stitches as a dotted zigzag or a zipper-shaped elastic stitch, then there are definitely other special stitches with which you can simultaneously sew and process the cuts of knitted materials. There is no need to stretch the fabric when sewing. This seam is quite strong and is used for sewing tight-fitting clothes made of very elastic knitwear. Before sewing on the product, check this stitch on a scrap of the same knitwear. Be careful when using reverse stitching: seals may form at the fastening points and the seam will not stretch.
	Obviously, on different sewing machines The number of such lines varies, so for “advice” you can refer to the instruction manual for your sewing machine. Similar stitches, using them on the reverse side, like overlock stitches, can simultaneously join the cut details with a seam and the cuts can be processed. And from the front, they can be “used” as flat - decorative.
	Or this overcasting stitch. Pay attention! The stitch shown in the picture surprisingly resembles a four-thread overlock stitch. But the special stitches of a sewing machine are still not real overlock stitches, and the process of laying them happens completely differently than with overlock stitches. So, in order to get them smooth and beautiful as a result, it would be better if you first lay them at some distance from the edge of the cut, and then, after completing the stitching, carefully cut off the excess close to the stitching.
	Zigzag. The zigzag stitch does not tighten the fabric and is suitable for all types of knitwear. It is done at a distance of 1 - 1.5 cm from the edge with short and narrow stitches : stitch width 0.5-1 mm, length - 2.5-3 mm. You can further experiment with the width and length of the stitch on a specific material. There is no need to stretch the fabric while sewing. If it doesn't move well, loosen the presser foot. After stitching, fold the edges back and iron them.
	Double line. Double stitch consists of two straight or zigzag stitches. First, make a straight or zigzag stitch along the seam line. Then, according to the allowance, make a second similar line at a distance of 3 mm from the first. A seam made from two straight lines will be more elastic if you slightly stretch the fabric while sewing. Trim the excess fabric along the second stitch. Place the seam allowances on one side and press.
	Double needle stitch. The double needle stitch is suitable for all types of knitwear thanks to the zigzag stitch created by a shuttle thread with reverse side. When stitching with a double needle, the left needle should sew along the stitching line, and the right needle along the seam allowance. There is no need to stretch the knitted fabric. If the seam is weak, increase the thread tension. If the fabric is pulled too tightly, a groove may form between the stitches. If it is too loose, the zigzag will not work on the wrong side, and the seam will not stretch well. The bottom is very convenient to bend and hem with a double needle.
	Processing of slices. Fortunately, for those who do not yet have access to a good overlocker, most knitted materials do not fray or curl. Therefore, their sections can be left without processing.
	The crumbling seam allowances, after performing the stitches described above in the article, connecting the sections of two parts, can be processed with another special stitch. It is called a dotted zigzag stitch, an elastic zigzag stitch, and also a “rick-rak” stitch or a triple zigzag stitch.
	But the “soldering” of sections of knitted fabrics is much more accurate when the sections are stitched and treated to prevent fraying with one line. This can be done with a wide zigzag stitch. The stitch length is 4-5 mm, the stitch width is 0.7 mm.

As you can see, there is no need to talk about the traditional processing of cuts for woven materials; knitted materials have their own “path”. You can gradually try them all and choose the one that suits you best. There are no universal methods, everything depends heavily on the knitwear itself, the specific sewing machine and the person sewing this knitwear at that machine: o).

And I remind you that all, without exception, special stitches on a sewing machine when working with knitted fabrics must be made with a special needle marked stretch.
Based on materials

Which are used precisely for this purpose. This is a double seam, which is also called a French seam, as well as a sewing seam, which is also called a denim seam, or a lock seam. Each of them consists of two lines. In this article we will look at each linen seam - how to sew, how to baste, as well as common mistakes when making them and how to prevent them.

What is a linen seam

(the master class will be discussed in this article) provides special strength, as well as an aesthetic appearance to bedding. Such seams are used in cases where the product will have to be washed frequently and be subjected to various other significant loads. When washing in washing machines Quite often, those seams that have been processed with a conventional overlock quickly become unusable, which, of course, cannot be said about linen seams. A linen seam on a machine in a garment factory is performed using a special foot, which greatly simplifies the entire process. But at home we have to make do in other ways.

Linen sewing seam

The sewing seam (denim) is used when sewing bedding, sportswear, as well as suits that should not have a lining.

It is necessary to fold two pieces of material facing inner side, releasing a cut of the fabric of the lower part to the width of the seam (seven millimeters) plus two millimeters for processing (allowance). Sew the parts together using a needle-forward stitch. Stitch both parts at a distance of one millimeter from the fold.

Care must be taken to ensure that all fabric folds are even and neat. Creases or tucks are not allowed on the fabric. At the end of the stitching, carefully remove all basting. Turn the parts to be sewn in different directions. Bend the seam itself to one side so that it can be used to close the cut of the fabric. Baste again.

Now you should lay another line, which should be located at a distance of two millimeters from the folded edge. Carefully remove the basting. We have discussed one linen seam - how to sew and baste it, and also what it is needed for. The final touch remains: when finished, iron the seam.

What is a stitching foot

The standard set of a modern sewing machine includes a special foot for making narrow hems on thin fabrics. This foot can have different names and even have slightly different sizes. But it is perfect for sewing closed seams. True, you should be prepared for the fact that you won’t be able to get a good seam with its help right away; you’ll have to spend some time on training.

Linen double seam

A double or reverse seam is used in situations that require the cut edges of the fabric to be tucked inside the seam. This type is used when making bedding sets (pillowcases, duvet covers), as well as items sewn from subtle matters with high flowability (suits without lining).

It is necessary to fold the parts of the product so that the wrong side of both canvases is directed inward. Carefully align the fabric cuts. Step back three millimeters from the edge of the canvas. Now baste the fabric using a needle forward stitch for this purpose. Sew on the machine using a regular stitch and carefully remove all basting. Now you need to carefully trim the cut edge so that the second seam comes out more neatly.

After all the basting has been removed and the edge has been aligned, the parts should be turned out and positioned so that the right side of the fabric is directed inward. Baste the seam now along the wrong side, and then sew again on the sewing machine. The second line should be indented from the edge from five to seven millimeters. Carefully remove all basting and iron the completed seam. So, another linen seam is considered. We found out how to sew and what products are made with its help in this section. And now it remains to clarify some general rules for all linen seams.

Do not forget that before use any fabric should be inspected for defects and unsuitable areas should be marked, if any. The fabric also needs to be washed and ironed. This way you will prevent unpleasant surprises when the size of the finished product decreases after washing. In order for the aligned sections of the material to maintain the desired position during operation and for one canvas to not move relative to the other along the sections, they should be pinned together using pins across the edge of the canvas. The pins must be inserted into the fabric so that their heads are turned towards the cuts. But when basting, the pins are removed from the fabric one at a time - as the need for their use disappears, and immediately inserted into the place where they are stored permanently. All pins are also carefully inspected before use, and if any of them suddenly appear rusty or broken, they should be ruthlessly disposed of. The former will leave a permanent mark on the fabric, while the latter can simply tear the fabric or pull the threads out of it.

Secrets of a good seam mark

Basting must be done exclusively on the table from right to left, using a “forward needle” stitch. In this case, two or three stitches no more than one centimeter long are strung on a needle. When basting, you can allow a slight variation in the length of the stitches (more or less by one millimeter). When basting, the knot and temporary fastening are placed on the outer layer of the fabric. This is done so that you can control the fastening of the thread. Before fastening the thread, check whether the stitching is bent, or whether the connection is very weak or, conversely, too tight. To perform temporary fastening, one or two stitches of short length are made using the “back needle” method. To prevent the fastening from unraveling, you should leave an edge of the thread about two centimeters long. When sewing parts, do not stitch exactly along the basting seam, but close to the basting stitches on the side of the allowance. Then the basting threads can be easily removed, and the product will not be narrow, since the basting seams always spread out somewhat during fitting.

The most common mistakes that can be made when making a double seam, and how to prevent them

In this section we will figure out how to sew a linen seam beautifully and neatly, and what needs to be done to avoid such common mistakes in its manufacture.

1. The fabric is stretched on one side of the seam, and gathered on the other side. To prevent this phenomenon, you need to combine and pin the sections, placing the fabric completely on the table. If the cuts are lobar, then you need to baste and stitch along the same side at a distance of seven to nine millimeters from the cut.

2. Threads or fabric protrude from the face of the product in the connecting seam. Such a defect may appear if the stitching is crooked and the standard seam width (from five to seven millimeters) is not met.

Also, the cause may be insufficient or unevenly trimmed seam allowance after the first line, which should be from three to four millimeters.

3. A fold forms at the fold of the inner seam. This wrinkle can occur if the starting stitch is not well aligned with the fold of the inseam.

In this article, we looked at what a linen seam can be - how to sew using a backstitch and in which cases it is better to use a double one. As it turned out, making such seams at home is not at all difficult. All they require is a little precision.

Many who have tried to sew knitwear on a regular sewing machine have noticed that the machine often refuses to make a beautiful and even stitch. Gaps form in the knitted stitching, the bottom thread loops, and sometimes breaks. Why does this happen and how can I fix it?

Firstly, for sewing knitted fabrics, a special knitting machine is used, it is called a flat-stitch machine - an open stitch machine or a chain stitch machine. The seam on the reverse side looks like a “pigtail”. Look at any factory processing of a T-shirt and you will see this.

Secondly, for sewing sections of knitted fabric, a knitted overlocker is used, which has a differential (stretching fabric) rake with simultaneous laying of a sewing chain stitch.

And thirdly, special needles and threads are used for sewing knitwear. The last point is decisive for your sewing machine, so let's figure out which needle you need to sew knitwear, what threads you need to use to get a high-quality stitch, and consider other factors affecting the quality of the stitching.

Needles for sewing knitted fabrics

There are many reasons that affect the quality of the stitch formed when sewing knitwear. One of them is an incorrectly selected needle. Universal needles, which are most often used on sewing machines, are “poorly” suited for sewing knitwear. Not only can the sharp edge of the needle damage the weave of the knitted fabric, but it can also cause the loop near the eye of the needle to be too small. And the nose of the shuttle simply passes by it without catching the top thread. As a result, gaps appear.

Replace the utility needle with a special needle with a rounded point designed for sewing such fabrics. A needle with such a point does not pierce the knitwear fibers, but passes between them and creates best conditions to form a loop. The packaging with these needles says “Jersy”, and “ball point” means that the needles have a rounded point.

However, you should know that buying a package of special knitting needles does not always solve the problem, especially for old-type sewing machines such as Podolskaya or Chaika. There are a number of other factors, which will be discussed below.

This diagram shows a knitted weave of stretch fabrics. Outwardly, it resembles knitting or machine knitting, which is why it is called knitted fabric. “Springy” loops give fabrics a lot of useful qualities, for example, stretchability, low creasing, etc., but at the same time they create certain difficulties when sewing them on ordinary household sewing machines.

Threads for knitted fabrics and their tension

Not a single lockstitch machine likes to sew knitwear. Knitwear for a lockstitch sewing machine is a test that not all machines can withstand. True, modern household machines cope with this task quite well, provided that certain requirements are met. As you already understand, one of them is high-quality thread and its correct tension.

Sewing threads should be thin, elastic and durable. Basically, all types of modern threads available for sale in the accessories department correspond to these parameters. But, nevertheless, you need to experimentally determine which type of thread is best suited for your machine.

Naturally, you need to “forget” about thick finishing threads, and even more so about threads from your grandmother’s old stocks. Ideally, threads on large conical bobbins are suitable for sewing knitwear, but since they are quite expensive, use threads on small bobbins, such as “Ideal”.

Before sewing knitwear, you need to correctly adjust the tension of the upper and lower threads.

Typically, the bobbin thread should not be adjusted, but when sewing knitwear, this can often eliminate thread looping in the stitching. If, when you tighten the top thread, the looping at the bottom does not stop, then try to slightly loosen the tension on the bottom thread.

Please note that when you sew pieces of knitted fabric, the stitching will be looser in one direction (usually transverse). This “effect” cannot be eliminated using tension. It’s just that the knitwear, under the influence of the foot and the teeth of the rake, stretches, and then takes its previous shape and the stitches are weakened. By the way, the presser foot pressure also needs to be adjusted.

To eliminate this, use stabilizers (gaskets), including pre-cut strips from newspaper. A paper strip is placed under the fabric, and then carefully pulled out of the seam. By the way, often just such a “cunning” method can eliminate gaps in the stitching of a Podolskaya or Chaika sewing machine.

But, naturally, this is too extravagant a method that is undesirable to use. If you have replaced the needles and selected the threads, adjusted the tension, but looping and skipping have not disappeared, then you need to adjust the sewing machine. But only an experienced craftsman can set it up for sewing knitted fabric.

What is the difference between knitted overlock

Almost all modern household overlockers are knitted overlockers. The main difference between a knitted overlocker and a regular one is that a knitted overlocker has a special rack design (teeth under the foot). During operation, the lath specifically compresses (stretches) the knitted fabric, and after stitching, the fabric is stretched (pulled) back. As a result, the seam is stretchable and can withstand more tensile load.

For example, if you sew knitted fabric on a regular machine, and at the same time tighten the thread tension strongly to eliminate the slack in the stitching, you will get a very beautiful stitch, but not strong. Stretch this area with your hands and your beautiful seam it will just burst. This is the main purpose of knitting machines - to create an elastic and stretchable seam.

Overlockers with a differential rake can sew not only knitwear. This function can be easily disabled using a special knob. And even, on the contrary, you can “force” the rail to collect the fabric. You need to know that overlockers of older models, including class 51 overlockers, cannot efficiently process knitted fabrics. And don’t be surprised if the connecting seams of knitted clothing, processed only with a three-thread overlocker, will burst over time.

Other reasons why the machine does not sew knitwear

Well, one last thing. A Podolsk sewing machine or a Chaika sewing machine often refuses to sew knitwear at all. And even a master cannot always set it up for sewing knitted fabric. If you want to check the work of a sewing machine repairman, ask him to sew a piece of the most “harmful” knitted fabric at the end of the work. If the line does not have even one omission, it means that this is a “good” and experienced master.

Older machines have different adjustments for the interaction between the needle and the nose of the shuttle. After all, at the time when they were released, no one suspected that such fabrics would be used all the time. Therefore, modern machines are configured for sewing knitwear, but old machines need to be reconfigured.

How to sew knitted fabrics on a regular sewing machine

How to sew knitwear without an opener on a household machine

Hello, welcome to the Sewing Encyclopedia website. Since I recently touched on the topic of knitwear, today I decided to continue it and figure out how to properly sew knitwear on a sewing machine.

The conversation is very important, since this is a capricious material to work with and not everyone has the necessary equipment such as an overlocker and a stitcher, but they want to work with knitwear. So I decided to tell you how this can be done without special machines.

How to sew knitwear on a regular sewing machine

You can sew knitwear on a regular sewing machine, the main thing is to achieve an elastic seam so that the material can stretch in the direction it needs without problems. If you make a connection with a regular stitch, it will burst when tensioned.

In addition, there is large number knitted fabrics, the edges of which do not fray, so there is no need to overcast them. So in some cases it is possible to work with such material without an overlocker or a stitcher.

What to sew knitwear on

So what can you sew it on? Yes, on any sewing machine, but taking into account the following rules:

1. Straight stitching is only suitable for low-stretch material or loose-fitting models. Such products can be sewn on old, ordinary Chaika and Podolsk sewing machines.
2. All other types of knitwear require elastic seams, at least zigzag. We will talk about them below. These stitches can be used to join fabrics on Janome, Family, Brother, Toyota and other similar types of machines. The main thing is to set them up correctly so that the thread does not loop and is not too stretched, otherwise even a simple zigzag will lose its elasticity.

What needle to sew knitwear on a sewing machine

Many people ask the question: “What needle to sew knitwear with,” and they do it for good reason. Have you ever seen little holes forming along a seam? Most often this happens on cotton knitwear, and the reason for this is the wrong selection of needle. The product is damaged and nothing can be done about it.

But you can avoid this situation at the very beginning, just by choosing the right needle. To make it more clear to you how they differ from one another, look at this photo. See, everyone has a different edge. For knitwear, it looks a little blunt, this is done so that the needle does not tear the thread of the material, but slightly pushes it apart.

In addition, the thin tip will form a small loop near the eye of the needle, in which case the nose of the shuttle will not be able to grab the thread, resulting in gaps during the sewing process.

The next thing you should pay attention to when choosing a needle is the marking:

• For wool and cotton knitwear, buy packaging labeled jersey.
• For synthetic knitted fabric, choose one with the inscription stretch.

The next selection criterion is number.

• For thin material - No. 60-70
• For thick people - No. 90

How to sew knitwear with a double needle

Nowadays you can buy double needles in many stores. How to work with them?

These needles are used to hem the edges of the product. On the front side, two straight lines are formed, which imitate a seam made on a cover stitch.

Each needle must have its own spool of thread. They are tucked together up to the needles, and then separated and each one is threaded into the eye separately. Be sure to try their work on a scrap piece and adjust the thread tension if necessary.

What stitch to sew knitwear on a sewing machine

Now let's look at what stitch you can sew elastic fabric on a sewing machine. There are quite a large number of them, so it will not be difficult for you to choose one for your material.

Straight stitch

I have already said that a straight stitch can be used for knitted fabric that has little stretch or for sewing oversized items, that is, a loose fit. When we connect with such a stitch, the material needs to be stretched a little; when it returns to its original state, the seam will be strong and quite elastic.

To show how highly stretchable knitwear behaves during the process of stitching with different stitches, I took a ribana to work and laid the seam in the transverse direction, since the fabric will not stretch along.

Stretch - No. 4

All modern sewing machines have such a stitch, but, unfortunately, it is not suitable for all knitwear. It is great for sewing vertical seams, but quite often there is a strong stretch on horizontal seams.

It is no longer possible to argue with such waves. You can slightly correct the situation by loosening the presser foot or placing paper under it, which is removed after stitching.

Zigzag - No. 5

Even old sewing machines have a zigzag stitch and it is quite suitable for stitching and overcasting knitwear. To make it work, I made the following setup:

• Zigzag width is 2, but you can make it wider;
• straight stitch - 1.5.

I don't really like stitching along the very edge of the fabric, it looks sloppy, so it's best to make a seam allowance, stitch a zigzag without stretching the jersey, and then cut the material close to it. This way there is less deformation and the resulting waves are easily ironed out during sewing.

Another zigzag - No. 10

Using such a zigzag in your work, you will get remarkable stretchability of the knitted fabric, while during sewing on a sewing machine it practically does not deform.

Again, we grind along the allowance, and then we cut the material to the very line. The settings for it were as follows:

• zigzag - 3;
• stitch length - 1.

Stitches imitating overcasting - No. 11,12

These stitches sew and overcast the edges at the same time, but for them you need to install a special foot.

The following settings must be completed:

• zigzag width - 3.5;
• straight stitch length - 2.5;
• thread tension - 3.

On vertical seams, such a zigzag turns out very beautifully if you sew it right along the edge, but on horizontal seams it is better to lay it along the allowance and then trim it. It will be more accurate and there will be less stretching.

Now look at what stitch No. 12 looks like along the edge and made according to the allowance.

We sew knitwear with line number 13

Quite an interesting stitch, which showed itself well when sewing ribana; it is performed with a double stitch both along the fabric and diagonally.

The settings correspond to lines No. 11 and 12.

What is its versatility? Firstly, it can perfectly sew down parts, while the fabric does not stretch the fabric very much, and secondly, this stitch can be used for hemming sleeves and the bottom of the product. Outwardly, it resembles the wrong side of a cover stitch, but its decorative effect makes it possible to perform front finishing.

My settings were as follows:

• zigzag width for stitching - 4;
• zigzag width for decorative stitching - 7;
• straight stitch length - 2.54;
• thread tension - 3.

What threads to sew knitwear on a sewing machine

It's time to talk about what threads are used to sew knitwear. Let me start with the fact that most sewing machines do not like to work with it, so they behave rather capriciously. To somehow reduce these difficulties, it is important to choose the right threads and adjust their tension.

What is the best way to sew elastic material? Of course, thin, durable and elastic threads with the addition of synthetics. Everything that industry produces today meets these parameters. With cotton threads from your grandmother’s chest, you won’t be able to sew high-quality simple knitwear, much less stretch.

Why doesn't the machine sew knitwear?

There are particularly capricious knitwear that the machine refuses to work with. No matter what you do, the line comes with gaps, the threads get tangled and break. How to deal with this problem?

To deal with broken or tangled threads, you just need to adjust the tension, but with skips, the matter will be more complicated, but you can try to figure it out.

1. Apply a special water-soluble film Avalon - this is a stabilizer for machine embroidery. But after making the seams, the product needs to be wetted so that it dissolves.
2. As you work, adjust the paper and scribble on it. Where to place the strip - on top or bottom - is up to you to decide based on in what cases knitwear behaves better.

I tried to touch on all the nuances that will help you understand how to properly sew knitwear on a sewing machine. By following them, you will not have problems when working with such elastic material; the main thing is to select everything according to the recommendations and set up the machine. Good luck!