Types Of Stretch Stitches Every Sewing Newbie Should Know
I know many seamstresses shy away from knitting fabrics because they are stretchy.
However, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are a few tips that can make your experience with knit materials more fun and productive. One of them is to use the right stitches, and that is what I’m going to talk about now:
1 - Straight Stitches
Knit fabric
The straight stitches are not something you want to use on stretchy fabrics like knits.
They cannot deal with how much knit fabrics can pull. It may look good when you are done sewing but after some time, the seams tend to pop out. I do use straight stitches though, but I apply them to the necklines or somewhere with very little pull.
Even if you have picked a place that will not stretch much, it is advisable to keep the stitches long.
This is the most common stitch option. Even the best basic sewing machine has this one by default. In case you are looking for a sewing machine that can do coverstitching, hemming, top-stitching and more on stretchy fabrics check this guide on coverstitch machines at Crafts Selection to choose the right machine.
2 - Triple Straight Stitch
You should not avoid straight stitches altogether though.
There is one type of straight stitch that can withstand stretchy fabrics, which is triple straight stitch.
Whenever I hem my projects, this is my go-to option. It is strong because it triples the holding power of straight stitches.
For tighter garments, triple straight stitches are widely used. Some of the examples are leggings and sportswear. It also looks nice on cuffs, hems, and necklines.
3 - Zigzag Stitches
Zigzag stitches are the most recommended type for sewing stretchy fabrics. The first reason is they can stretch with the fabric, the second one is they can be found on most sewing machines.
Zigzag stitches along with straight stitches can be found on almost all best sewing machine for beginners. So basically, your home machine can handle knit fabric with ease.
If you don’t have a serger at hand, zigzag stitches are a great alternative to finishing the raw edges of any sewing project.
This type of stitch has a wide range of applications. They work well on knit fabrics, they can be used to apply appliques…You may want to read a separate article on the uses of zigzag stitches.
I would rank the triple straight stitches first and then zigzag stitches second on my list of best stitch options for kit fabric.
4 - Three-Step Zigzag Stitches
Three-step zigzag stitches
Many machines have something called three-step zigzag stitches.
The tunneling effect can be a pain for seamstresses when sewing knit fabrics. This is usually the result of zigzag stitches. This’s why I only put zigzag in the second place on my list.
However, this problem can be solved by using three-step zigzag stitches. The stitches are actually made up of a few straight stitches so it can minimize the tunneling effect caused by side-to-side pulling.
Three-step zigzag stitches are not as common as straight or regular zigzag stitches. If you want to know a few machines that have this option, read our guides on easy to use sewing machine for beginners to find out.
