I get it, I get it, I really do…sewing stretch fabrics can be an absolute nightmare. However once you get used to sewing them all the terror and anguish begins to slip away. Way back in the early nineties when club wear was king - stretch fabric in particular lycra was everywhere for a demographic generally under the age of 30. More recently the ubiquitousness of fabrics even with the tiniest amount of stretch such as denim for jeans enables us to purchase not so stretchy to very stretchy fabrics either at a local shop or nationally online with relative ease. Once upon a time lycra for example was not the commodity which it is today. I’m often told that the most common reason for adding a bit of lycra and/or elastane to denim is that it helps the fabric to spring back into shape thus avoiding creases and giving the denim - if used for jeans- a better fit whilst simultaneously enabling movement and comfort. Having worn jeans with the tiniest percentage of lycra added, I can vouch for that.
More recently, I see many fabrics which are very stretchy - great in colour, weight and texture - but the fear of having to construct a garment in one of these extendable textile hybrids always puts the unfamiliar sewer off in making the stretchy purchase decision. But fear not, in this little blog, WE: the little team in the studio and its collaborators, intend to demystify some of the issues surrounding stretch fabrics by providing tips and tricks to help you sew your next or even your first stretch fabric project with a new found ease and confidence.
So, firstly, let’s consider how stretch fabrics perform in terms of their stretchability and how this stretchability can be measured in layman’s terms. Generally, stretch fabrics fall into two broader camps: 2-way stretch and 4-way stretch. 2 Way Stretch Fabric generally stretches across its width: the weft. I’ve come across fabrics which stretch lengthwise: (the warp) in the past but this has only been on the rare occasion. These types of fabrics, if I remember correctly, were specifically for high performance sports and dance wear where the lengthwise stretch was a necessity of the design. 4-way stretch, stretches across both the warp and the weft: the width and length. So this type of fabric is common in garments for swimwear, activewear such as yoga attire and dance wear. When a fabric is knitted it usually stretches across the width; think ribbing, fair isle and jersey type knits. These fabrics generally snap back to their original shape very quickly due to the amount of lycra and elastane they contain.
However, the rate at which these fabrics snap back to their original state can differ considerably in percentage terms. A good basic way of measuring this is via an equation which we unashamedly took from the brilliant book by Tilly Walnes: Tilly And The Buttons - Stretch. The illustration below has been used for The Boyfriend Tee Shirt, but it’s transferable across any fabric and more importantly pattern. So if a pattern says 20% stretch or 40 % you’ll be able to test and know if the fabric is the correct one for your project.
Personally, I think it’s the instability of stretch fabric which puts people off. I mean, stretch fabric seems to have a life of its own: when you cut it out, let alone pin and stitch - it moves and slips all over the place. So, within the context of instability, let’s start with cutting out. You have to remember that stretch fabrics, when relaxed, fall into a ‘recovery position’ - the state in which they are un-stretched. It is when the fabric is in this state that pattern pieces can be cut with accuracy. This can be achieved by leaving the fabric out on a table flat over night (some sticklers wash the fabric first) so that it can fully relax into its recovery position making sure that there is no possibility of the fabric overhanging off the table (resulting in stretching). The importance of a smooth surface is paramount if one considers a surface such as a carpet can cause a little friction, making the fabric stick then stretch. If/when you pin your pattern pieces to the fabric, have your fabric as flat as possible and smooth rather than push at pattern pieces as the pins enter and exit the fabric. Also pin as close to the pattern piece edge as possible. Some people skip the pinning process and instead use weights. Then, with very sharp tailors chalk, trace around the pattern pieces. I find that this can impede accuracy because certain fabrics snag the chalk causing lines to become jagged and the fabric to become a little stretched around pattern piece edges. In addition, a very heavy weight on dense, soft fabrics can make the edges of the paper pattern piece lift higher than the fabric, compromising your ability to trace with accuracy. With regard to the actual cutting out, always use the sharpest scissors you have. And at all costs avoid pulling at fabric as you cut as this invariably will result in wobbly edges. Another tip is to hold your hand flat and firmly on each pattern piece whilst cutting to prevent moving and stretching.
For finer stretch fabrics you may want to sandwich the fabric between 2 sheets of spot and cross (or a similar weight paper) onto which the top layer you trace the pattern pieces or you could pin and/or use weights. But the main point here is that you cut all three layers together. The 2 sheets of paper stabilise the fabric sandwiched between them, which results in less stretched and distorted pattern pieces - although using fabric scissors to cut through paper most likely will result in blunt scissors!
Incidentally, for some people a rotary tool, particularly when cutting stretch fabrics, works a lot better. Being a bit ‘old skool’ myself I prefer scissors. Don’t forget, once you’ve cut the fabric out, if at all possible, keep pattern pieces as flat and in a state of ‘recovery’ at all times. If you are using a fabric whose edges have a tendency to curl, wobble and wrinkle - often making sewing a little trickier - a quick trick is to lightly spray laundry starch onto edges of cut out pattern pieces then press (don’t iron) very gently. Remember, you don’t want any stretching.
Stitching the stretch, so to speak, is perhaps the highest hurdle when getting to grips with stretch sewing. Firstly, consider which stitch to use. For this blog we’ll consider that we are all using a relatively basic domestic sewing machine, and not a domestic overlocker. There are several stretch stitches which are available on the different models and makes of domestic sewing machines. More often than not I tend to use a narrow width, longer length zig zag unless I’m sewing around an area which will receive a lot of wear and tear when being worn, such as the crotch seam. In this case I use the best stretch stitch for purpose after consulting the machine’s instruction booklet. However, there can be a problem here - depending on the fabric being sewn. A stretch stitch on some machines goes back and forth over the same spot. This can produce holes, snags and tears in some fabrics which have a high percentage of lycra for example. Or the fabric could get caught up in the feed dog due to being pushed back and forth so vigourously. The best thing to do here is have a practice run with a scrap piece of fabric.
Of course before actually practising the stitch you will need to consider thread. When sewing anything remotely stretchy even if it only has a bit of stretch I tend to use a polyester based thread as it tends to have more ‘give’ than a heavily based cotton thread. There is also the issue of needles. I generally use a ball point needle as unlike a universal needle which tends to cut through the yarn which makes up the fabric, a ball point needle actually pushes yarns apart thus reducing the chance of skipped stitches and holes in fabric.
In the past, for finer stretch fabrics and those which slip against one another when right sides are together, I have often sandwiched tissue paper between the two right sides. This reduces skipped stitches and the possibility of uneven seams. The tissue paper can be gently torn away once the seam has been finished. However, on one occasion I found a walking foot to be considerably more beneficial - no tissue paper was needed.
A walking foot principally feeds the top layer of fabric through the machine at the same time as the bottom layer by ‘walking’ the top layer through the machine whilst the feed dog pulls on the under layer at the same rate. You may have to adjust the foot pressure to accommodate thick or slippery fabrics but I’ve found the walking foot to be indispensable for some stretch projects. A walking foot has been great for stretch PVC and some very stretchy dance costumes in the past.
In some garments there will be areas which don’t really need to stretch that much once sewn, such as the shoulder seams or a neck edge. This can be combatted by sewing a strip of cotton tape into the seam as you sew the shoulder seams together. For more slightly curved seams such as the underarm of a raglan sleeve, you could use bias cotton tape. Clipping into seam allowance, NOT the tape, once you have finished stitching the seam will release the seam out to make it look smooth. Alternatively, you could use Wonder Web: fusible tape on a neck edge for example - butting up edge of tape to seam line, pressing tape into place then stitching seam line. This procedure will stop the neck edge stretching out of shape.
So let’s finish with these 7 Top Tips for Stitching Your Stretch.
Beginners - choose fabric with a small amount of stretch and a low percentage stretch required corresponding pattern. This will make your first attempts easier to handle.
Beginners - choose thicker stretch fabrics as opposed to thinner. Sewing thicker stretch fabrics tends to be easier.
Find a fabric whose edges do not curl - such fabrics are easier to work with. If the edges of your fabric do curl, remember to starch and press pattern piece edges before sewing.
Importantly, do not stretch fabric when cutting out - use all the given tack-ticks to avoid this. In the most negative sense, stretched pattern pieces will really show in your finished make.
Where possible use a walking foot to control your seam stitching activity. It will result in both top and bottom layers being fed through the machine at the same rate. Equaling less stretching and skipped stitches.
Use a ball point needle as opposed to a universal one as the ball point will push through stretch yarns as opposed to cut through them - avoiding holes in fabric and skipped stitches.
Use polyester thread as opposed to regular cotton - it has that bit more give and it will stretch with the fabric and the seams you sew.
Ps We’ll leave you with a great scrap buster and stretch pattern to peruse: Turban 1; it’s a bit fiddly so not 100% appropriate for the complete beginner but it’s a great pattern for those who would like to test and improve their stretch stitching skills.
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