Oliver + S

working with Knit fabric

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
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    Cat75 @Cat75

    Do I really have to finish the seam allowances on the inside of the shirt? For example after I sew the side seams do I need to zigzag over the inside edges? It says to in the instructions but I know knit is not supposed to fray. My daughter is extra picky about comfort otherwise I’d just do it.

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    Robin @Robin

    Nope. If I’m in a hurry, I don’t finish the seams on knits. It will be okay.

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    EllenMCM @EllenMCM

    I don’t finish seams on knit shirts, ever. It’s not comfy.

    I also tend to skip the hems for a relaxed, bohemian vibe.

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    Cat75 @Cat75

    Oh, I am so glad. My daughter will love this.

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    Lightning McStitch @LightningMcStitch

    If you’re using a curly edge knit I wonder if it wouldn’t be worse to have the seam allowances raw…
    Personally I can’t leave knits unfinished or unhenmed. Just me, but I strive for my homemade stuff to be worthy in craftmanship of shop bought, if not better.
    But then I use an overlocker/serger for knit sewing, so my sewing and finishing is one pass through the machine. Nice and quick which makes my fussiness bearable.

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    sayiamyou @maraya

    You should be fine. Do what works best for you and your daughter.

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    Sarvi @Sarvi

    Can you seam some scrap fabric and have her hold/rub it against her skin, maybe around the neck where the seams might be thickest? See which version feels nicest for her?

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    Tamara @justsewit

    In my experience, finishing the seam on knits makes the seam stronger. If you have an overlocker/ serger, I would use this for all seams and then do the hems on the normal sewing machine if a coverstitch isn’t available.

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    EllenMCM @EllenMCM

    Lightning, when you say curly, do you mean like cotton Lycra? I’ve sewn a lot with that, and leaving the seams unfinished has not been a problem. They look good and wash well.

    I agree that home made should be high quality. For wovens, centuries of experimentation went into developing hand and machine methods work working fabrics to demonstrate quality and ensure the longevity of the garment.

    This cannot be said of knit fabrics. With knits, we’re working textiles that could only be created by industrial machinery. The historical repertoire of techniques comes from that machinery, and from efforts to create what consumers would recognize as markers of quality – like overlocked seams. But industrially-produced knit garments are, in general, not produced to high quality standards.

    Finishing seams does add strength. It can also make them really scratchy, and overworking a seam can result in the fabric getting stretched out and lettuce-y. If you have a serger, by all means, serge away! If not, a raw seam works just fine. Your finished product won’t look industrial from the inside. That’s OK.

    TL;DR: I’ve been making knit garments for years. I leave seams unfinished. It has never been a problem.

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    Lightning McStitch @LightningMcStitch

    Well that’s good to know Ellen. I suppose a zig zag stitch kind of keeps the seam allowances together anyway. I was imagining a sleeve seam for example, if the seam allowances opened out and then curled a bit, it would take a lot of ironing for that to sit flat enough for my liking.
    But then I did say I was fussy didn’t I. 🙂

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    EllenMCM @EllenMCM

    Hey, if you weren’t fussy, you wouldn’t make your own clothes!

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

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