A serger is definitely the easiest to sew knits on but just because you don’t have serger doesn’t mean you can’t sew knits! In fact, I sewed with knits for about 2 years before I got a serger, using a very basic machine. For some projects, like swimwear, I even prefer to use my sewing machine. You just need to make sure you use a stretch stitch in order to avoid popping seams when the fabric is stretched. Using a walking foot instead of the all purpose presser foot is also recommended as it helps feed the fabric evenly. This help avoids wavy seems from the fabric being pulled too much or unevenly through the machine.
1. Zig Zag stitch. The most basic and easiest to unpick if you have to seam rip.
2. 3 Step Zig-Zag. I made it a larger stitch larger so you could see this stitch better, it doesn’t need to be this big when actually sewing.
3. Lightning Stitch. A popular choice for those who don’t like the zig-zag options.
4. Triple stitch. This stitch is preferable over the others but is a beast to seam rip and is the slowest to sew.
You can also use any of these stitches for hemming and top stitching. To get a more professional finish to hems, you can use a double needle on your sewing machine, which I’ll cover in a later post!
No matter what stitch you use for you hems, I highly recommend using a wash away hem tape. It makes hemming knits SO much easier! Below is the kind I use and I LOVE that it comes in a two pack! (affiliate link)
