No products in the cart.
Recently, for our podcast series Sew Let’s Talk About It, we received the following question about knit fabrics:
Learning to sew for myself and need a cheat sheet for all the different knit fabric types. I can’t keep up with the abbreviations and names and descriptions and weights and amount of stretch.
Do you have this problem too? It is not uncommon to be overwhelmed with all the fabric types when learning to sew. It can be helpful to have a book handy near your sewing machine, or you can bookmark this post if you need help with knits.
Understanding Knit Fabric for Beginners
When evaluating knits, first try to understand these three key features: weight, stretch percentage, and fiber content. All of these things work together and influence each other. After you have mastered these three characteristics, you can learn about more nuanced ideas like recovery and drape. In this post, we will cover the three big ideas you need to understand in order to start with knits.
Fabric Weight
Here at Surge, we will typically give the weight of the fabric in GSM (gram per square meter) and/or oz/yard (ounces per square yard). If these numbers do not stick in your head, you can save this graphic to check what weights are considered light, medium, or heavy.
Fabric Stretch Percentage
The stretch percentage is a precise calculation determined by taking the fabric at rest, stretching it, and measuring how far it stretched. You can then check the recommendation from your pattern to see how much stretch it requires. For example, a swimsuit must stretch a lot, but a loose t-shirt does not need much stretch.
Fabric Fiber Content
Because fabric can be made with any variety of blends, it is important to learn about each fiber type and to have a good idea of what it means.
How to Choose a Knit Fabric for a Project
To make it easier to pair fabrics to projects, review the three flow charts above. Examine each characteristic of your fabric independently, and follow the flow charts to give you an idea of how best to use a certain type of fabric. For example, let us look at our Modal Spandex Jersey.
This Marsala Modal Spandex Jersey is 250gsm, has 50% stretch, and is 96% modal/4% spandex. Looking at the flow chart, these facts tell you that this fabric is a medium weight, it has a medium amount of stretch, and has a soft, liquid drape. It would be suitable for medium weight t-shirts, dresses, and cardigans. It is not suitable for activewear or swim, or a lightweight t-shirt. If you are wondering how the spandex changes the fabric, please stay tuned for our blog post on intermediate concepts about knit fabric.
When in doubt about a fabric type, be sure to read the online descriptions carefully! Weight, stretch percentage, and fiber content are carefully included to help guide sewists to successful projects.
Leave a comment