Sewing is becoming increasingly popular, and with all these amazing fabrics available it’s easy to see why! A lot of people have asked us for tips on getting started with sewing knits, so we have made a handy guide.
Once you have your beautiful cotton/elastane knit fabric, you need to figure out what you are going to sew. Some of my favourite patterns have come from Made By Jacks Mum, I really can’t recommend them enough, and members of our Facebook Group get a special discount code.
It’s really important that you pre-wash your fabric, whether its a knit or woven fabric. If you’re going to wash it after you’ve sewn it, you need to wash it before you sew it.
To sew your new fabric and your new pattern you will need a ball point needle in your sewing machine. You’ll need to select a stretch stitch when sewing knits, otherwise the stitch will pop when the fabric stretches. Either of these stitches are great.
A walking foot is very handy as it stops your fabric stretching as you sew, but it is not essential. If you do not have a walking foot and your fabric loses its shape as you sew I find a good ironing helps it spring back into shape.
Little T’s Haberdashery has a handy kit which contains lots of items which will help you get started. You can find the kit here
It’s very tempting to use cheap jersey when you’re learning to sew, but it is so much harder to work with, and the results can be disappointing. My advice is to take your time, use good quality fabric, and believe in yourself. There are many talented sewists in our Facebook Group who are brilliant at sharing their knowledge when asked 🙂 Good luck!