Thursday Tip with Hali - Hemming knits
Thursday Tip // Hemming knits
As much as I love linen for summer, I also love the ease of wearing knit garments when it gets hot out. A basic tee and shorts is my jam. You can definitely sew knits on a regular sewing machine and you don’t need any fancy feet or tools but we do suggest a few tricks to help you along so you’ll have better success, especially if sewing knits is new for you!
We have several other blog posts about knits so check these out as well:
Calculating stretch percentage
So let’s talk about hemming knits:
Start with the right needle. For most knits you will use a jersey/ballpoint needle. For heavier weight knits use a larger size ballpoint needle. For knits with spandex content (over 2%) use a stretch needle. You may also choose to use a walking foot but it isn’t necessary. If your machine allows you to reduce the presser foot pressure then this can also help with feeding the knit fabric evenly through the machine.
Choose a stitch. Most importantly, choose a stretch stitch, one that will stretch with the fabric after sewing it. Your machine should have a couple stitch options (eg. zigzag, honeycomb, double overlock etc). When you choose a stitch consider whether you want the stitches to enclose the raw edge of the hem or not. Knits don’t fray so this is optional and not a necessity, just personal preference.
With a zig zag stitch you can stitch close to the raw edge or right over it. If you stitch close to the edge you can always use some applique/duckbill scissors to trim the raw edge down a bit so there isn’t as much extra fabric there. Again, personal preference.
In the first photo below I used a zig zag stitch with a contrast thread colour (for visibility reasons). For the sample in green fabric I used a twin needle and chose to tuck the raw edge under before stitching just to try it out. If you have a serger, you could also serge the raw edge first and then turn it up and hem with a twin needle. This will give that raw edge a more polished, RTW look, if that’s what you are going for. For more help with using a twin needle, check out our blog post here.
Consider using a fusible product or spray starch. If you’ve been around knit fabrics, even for a short time, you’ll know how much they like to roll. Cut a neckband for a tshirt and all of a sudden you have a cinnamon stick. Especially those knits with higher spandex content.
To combat this and make hemming easier, consider using a fusible web product, knit stay tape or a washable product like Wondertape. HeatnBond has several products available in the fusible web category, just make sure you buy the sewable kind so it fuses but also doesn’t gum up your needle. Spray starch is readily available at big box fabric stores but you can also make your own with a combination of cornstarch and water, just google search for a recipe.
In the example below I used a fusible web hem tape and it made hemming soooo much easier. I also used a double overlock stitch to give the hem an activewear look and I’m kind of digging it!
Go slow. It seems simple but it certainly bears repeating. The fabric will feed more evenly if you take it slow and be careful not to pull the fabric through the machine. Let the feed dogs do the work.
Give it a good press. It’s amazing what a good press can do. Wavy or bumpy seams can be remedied by a good steamy press to flatten out those problem areas. Remember to use a press cloth to avoid shiny marks on your fabric.
Bonus: Serged hem in one step!
I’ve seen this method show up in a few places but I think Leila @leila.makes has a series of stories that have seen some recent traction and this method is popping up all over my feed lately so I thought I’d share it here too.
Here’s the method:
Turn the hem up to the desired width. Keep in mind that this method will subtract about ¼” from BOTH the hem length and the length of the garment. So if finished length is important for you then do the math first and adjust. For the sample below on our Ecovero jersey I wanted a 1” finished hem so I folded the hem up 1 ¼” and pinned in place.
With the hem pinned, fold it back on itself so the right sides are touching (RS of hem touches RS of garment) and pin in this new position. You will be pinning through three layers of fabric and the raw edge will still be visible on top.
With your serger set up on a regular 4 thread overlock, disengage the knife according to your manual. You don’t want anything to get cut here or you will have holes in your garment.
Place the fabric under the presser foot with the garment’s wrong side down. Serge the entire hem seam where you pinned it at a ¼” seam allowance.
Press the serged edge up, toward the garment, and that’s it! If you like the look of topstitching or want to secure the serged edge so it doesn’t flop back and forth after washing you could also topstitch with a zig zag stitch, twin needle or other stretch stitch to hold the seam allowance in place.
Note: This method can work well on lightweight knits but it does leave quite a bit of bulk on heavier knits so just keep that in mind. Also, if you have a really narrow hem allowance, this may not be the right finish for that garment because the added bulk may cause the hem to flip out instead of staying flat. Test it on some scrap fabric first to see if you like how it looks.
Let us know if you have questions or if you try this method out! We love to hear from you.