Stitch a Fall Knit with These Tips

 

Even Feed Foot

Planning on sewing some of those fall knits---the ones that look so good, are so comfy, and stretch to fit? If you have one of the Husqvarna Viking model sewing machines, like the Designer Ruby Deluxe or the Designer Diamond Deluxe then all you need to do is look to your built in sewing advisor for advice. Program in knit as your fabric and your built in sewing advisor will pick the stitch and let you know what foot and needle to use. If you're not lucky enough to have the built in sewing advisor, never fear! With a bit of know-how you too can stitch knit fabrics like a pro.

Knits are fabrics that are looped together rather than woven. Knits are stretchy and require seams that stretch too. Seams that are not stitched especially for knits will not give and are more prone to break than stretch.

The first thing to consider when stitching knits is your needle. There are special needles made for stitching knits. The sewing machine needles specifically for knits have a special scarf that helps them through the knit without pulling and stretching the fabric. This special scarf also prevents missed stitches. Keep a supply of stretch needles on hand in different sizes so that you'll have the correct needle for any project.

Then you'll need to consult the owner's manual for your machine on the recommended stitch for knits. A regular zigzag stitch will usually work, but as machines have become more sophisticated the machine manufacturers have included other suitable stitches to help you make your seams in knits perfect. Be sure to review the recommended foot to use with your machine's recommended stitch.

Stitch a sample using a scrap of fabric from your project. Adjust the width and length of the stitch if necessary. Be sure that your fabric sample isn't puckering. If you're still having problems consider purchasing an Even Feed Foot for your machine. An Even Feed Foot helps beginners and experienced sewers alike feed all sorts of fabric through their machine evenly and uniformly.

So don't be afraid to grab some knit fabric and a pattern made for knits and add some wonderfully comfy clothes for that fall wardrobe!

Sewing Machine Issues? First check this.

The other day I was sewing out an embroidery design on a piece of ribbon that I was going to attach to a quilt as a label. All of the sudden, half way through stitching out the design my normally well behaved machine gave a clunking noise and, after stopping the stitching, and examining my project I found a birds nest that could have accommodated an ostrich underneath my project.

So, as many of us who enjoy sewing, I started the process of troubleshooting. I first checked the threading---making sure that the thread hadn't become caught coming off the spool or come out of the lifter arm on the topside. I examined the bobbin thread and made sure that it was properly threaded and flowing out of where it should be.

Then I examined the needle and realized I hadn't changed out the needle from a large quilting project that I'd worked on last. Well, no wonder my poor machine was experiencing technical difficulties! Not only was the needle the wrong kind for my current project, but the needle was dull from all that quilting. I changed to an embroidery needle of the proper sized for the close woven ribbon and had no other problems after that.

Today's sewing machines do wonderful things. And they are very sophisticated and designed to work with the tools we have available today. That means that a home sewing enthusiast needs to brush up on the needles and feet that are available and when and how to use them.

Vintage machines like Grandma and Mom used could, and often did, go years on the same needle. (Although running on the same needle for years is not something I would recommend---those poor machines are not at their best with an old, dull needle.) In fact quite frequently we have customers come into the sewing center and brag that the same needle has been in the machine for years. But the modern machines that handle tension control and automatic adjustments for you need to have good sharp needles that should be swapped out after each project, sooner for those large quilting projects.

And today's needle assortments come in all sizes for all different uses. We have specialized needles not only for embroidery, but for delicates, denim, stretch knits, quilting, and others. Each of these needle types have a special design making them a solution for their designated purpose. For example, a Microtex needle has a specially designed tiny, sharp point to get through those delicate, sheer fabrics---a solution that wasn't available to Grandma's vintage machine.

So if you're having issues with your machine, after checking the threading, try another needle.  Head over  to our website to check out all the types of needles we have available. Come see us in the store to stock up so you'll have plenty of needles on hand for your next sewing projects.