[Kim]

I have some organic jersey fabric in my stash and would like to make the dress for my granddaughter age 2.7 in a size 3. I did a search on the Flickr group for jersey fabric and saw the tops that Nicole made for her daughters. I would like to know the pros and cons of sewing with this fabric. I have made many shirts with this pattern but have only used the City Weekend interlock fabric. That interlock fabric works perfect for this pattern and feels substantial and the jersey feels so flimsy to me.

[JohannaO]

Pros to Jersey: If you live in a hot climate, the fabric is not as thick, and feels cooler. Jersey tends to be cheaper to buy, and comes in many more varieties. The gathers will not thicken up the front center seam.

Cons: It won’t stretch as much, and the edges will roll towards the “wrong” side, and can need a lot of pinning. I don’t find this to be a problem with my serger, but it was mildly frustrating with my sewing machine.

[sayiamyou]

I agree with Johanna. The few times I’ve used it I’ve used loads of pins and ironed like mad to keep the rolling to a minimum. I don’t really mind using it, but it’s worth keeping these things in mind. Can’t wait to see!

[icicle]

When I have a jersey fabric that feels like it might give me problems, I test it by making a hem on a scrap. If the jersey has a tendency to get sucked down into the machine — my main problem with flimsy knits — I place some tissue paper underneath that I can tear away later.

[Nicole]

After City Weekend its hard to go back!

[sayiamyou]

You are so right about that Nicole. In fact, I haven’t gone back!!