Knit Finishes Part Six: Facings

Welcome back knit fans! Today will be my final post in this series, although I reserve the right to add to it if I discover a new technique!

This post will cover a type of finish typically reserved for woven garments, a facing. A facing is any piece of fabric which is sewn to an edge and then turned to the inside, thereby finishing that edge. There are a few times when you will see facings intentionally drafted in knits patterns, but more often you may run into them when you are adapting a woven pattern for a knit.

The very first pattern I ever bought was for a knit tank top with a cowl neckline, and it was finished with a facing. Not knowing anything about anything, I ignored the directions because I didn't know what a facing was, and sewed the top without it. Needless to say, that top didn't turn out very well, although I was SUPER proud of myself for completing it! Sadly, I couldn't even find it when I took pictures for this post...but trust me, it's baaaaad.

Although I did find the pattern!

Since then, I've learned about facings and how they help shape and complete a garment, and I would not skip one in a cowl neckline if the pattern called for it. In preparation for this post, I browsed through my pattern stash and pulled out other examples of knit garments that are finished with facings.

Simplicity 1716 (blogged here and here) and McCall's 6752 (blogged here) are both examples of a cut-on facing. Instead of a separate piece, the bodice pattern piece has a large extension that is folded back on itself to create a drape and finish a neckline.

A second example can be seen in the recently released Finlayson Sweater pattern by Thread Theory, and commonly in menswear. A half-circle shape is used to finish a back neckline, and then is topstitched to the garment. I've seen the technique in hoodies as well as polo shirts.

Finally, anytime you adapt a pattern intended for wovens to a knit, you'll need to decide what to do about facings. I've sewn Simplicity 2594, a pattern meant for bias-cut wovens (making it a good choice to adapt to a knit), two times, once with jersey and once with ponte. The first time, I kept the front facing:

Through the experience of wearing this top, I learned that the freely-moving facing really annoyed me! So the second time, I sewed it the same way, but I cut the facing after turning it to the inside:

I then topstitched to keep it in place.

Ugggh this fabric has pilled and looks terrible.

Since knits don't fray like wovens, simply cutting the fabric worked fine, though it doesn't look that pretty!

Facings vary widely from pattern to pattern, which is why this post is not as in-depth as some of the others in my knit finishes series. But don't be afraid to try a facing with a knit, as there are no "rules" that say you can't. Short of a lining, there is no nicer way for a clean finish than a facing!

I hope you've learned some new tricks for finishing knits in this series, and be sure to check out all the posts, here. Did I miss any? Are there other finishes that you'd like to see?

Knit Finishes Part Five: French Binding

Can you believe we're already up to FIVE different ways to finish the openings on knit garments? Hopefully you've discovered a few new tricks along the way.

You can see the previous posts here.

Today I'll be sharing a method that might be familiar, but not because you've sewn it before. Once I began sewing, I made it a habit to study some of my favorite ready-to-wear garments. There was one finish I saw again and again that I didn't quite understand, until one day I saw it explained in the classic sewing book, Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing.

Have you ever seen something like this in a RTW garment? After some extensive Googling, I discovered that this technique is called French binding. It is sort of a mix between a band and a facing. This method is appropriate for finishing a neckline or a sleeveless garment. It's not particularly stretchy, so make sure your opening can fit its respective body part without too much trouble. It can most easily be used in place of a narrow hem, so if that is a finish you hate (like me!) then try this the next time it comes up.

For my sample, I'm using McCall's 6744, a tank dress that's finished with narrow hems in the neckline and armholes. The seam allowance is 5/8".

To begin, cut a strip of knit fabric. The strip does NOT have to match your fabric, and in fact it might be fun to try something contrasting. It should not be visible from the outside when you're done. Have some precious scraps that you can't bear to throw out? Piece them together and making binding strips.

Make sure you cut with the stretch going lengthwise across the fabric. To determine the length, I measured my opening (along the seam line) and it was 29". You can cut your binding exactly to size, although it might fit a bit more snugly if it's slightly shorter. Add two seam allowances. For the width, determine the finished desired size (1/4" or 3/8" seems to be the most common on my RTW garments) and double it. Add two seam allowances.

My strip ended up being 30 1/4" long (29"+5/8"+5/8") and 2" wide (3/8"+3/8"+5/8"+5/8").

This method works best when your opening is already a complete circle (in the round construction). Sew the short ends of your strip, right sides together. Press the strip in half longways, wrong sides together. 

Place your strip around the edge of the garment opening, right sides together and raw edges aligned. Pin in place. You may need to stretch the strip slightly if you cut it short.

Raw edges aligned.

Using the given seam allowance, sew the strip to the opening.

So far, the construction has been similar to sewing a band, but this is where it begins to be more like a facing. Press the strip up and away from the garment. Trim and clip seam allowances so that you can smooth out the strip.

To keep the strip from rolling to the outside, you should understitch just like you would with a facing. I actually think it's easier to understitch BEFORE you trim seam allowances, but apparently that's just me since all patterns say to do it after.

Fold the binding completely to the inside. It should fold nicely since you've understitched it.

At this point, the Reader's Digest book recommends slipstitching the strip down so that you have a clean finish. Since knit garments are generally more casual, it's perfectly acceptable to topstitch instead. Stitch as close as possible to the folded portion of the strip. Since my finished strip is 3/8" I can sew from the right side at 1/4" and know that I will catch the back.

From the outside, only the topstiching is visible.

Interior.

Press well, and you're done!

This method encloses all raw edges and provides some weight and stability to an opening. For a fun alternative, reverse the steps and flip the binding strip to the OUTSIDE of a garment. Use a contrasting color fabric and it's an easy way to provide a pop of color.

Have you ever used this method? I've never seen it in a pattern but it's pretty easy to do with a great result!

Next week: facings

Knit Finishes Part Four: Fold-Over Elastic

Hello again, and welcome back to my series on Knit Finishes! Be sure to catch up on the previous installments: a band, binding, and a narrow hem.

Today I'll be discussing a lesser-known finish, fold-over elastic, also known as FOE. If you sew primarily adult clothing, you may not have heard of this type of elastic. It seems to be more common in children's clothing, but there are some great applications for womenswear as well.

Fold-over elastic is a type of elastic that is twice the desired finished width. It has a lengthwise groove down the center so that it folds over a raw edge, encasing it completely.

FOE is available in many colors, prints, and widths. Try Harts Fabric, The Ribbon Retreat, or Peak Bloom. Price seems to vary widely, so shop around. It's also recently become available at many Jo-Ann Fabric Stores, but make sure you use a coupon!

It typically has one slightly plush side (the right side) and a flat side (the wrong side).

FOE can be used on a neckline, armhole, or on the edges of things like underwear, swimsuits, and leotards. I also used it as a waistband on this skort for my daughter:

July 4th outfit, last year

FOE works particularly well when you need to finish an opening that contains multiple layers of fabric, such as on a bra edge which has an exterior layer and a lining (see this excellent post on the Ohhh Lulu blog). It's also great on underwear because it finishes the edge in a neat, usually decorative way, while also being functional due to its stretch, which is typically better than self-fabric or some other kind of finish.

I'll admit, I've had my struggles with FOE. Application gets easier with practice, but if you screw it up it can be difficult to salvage the item. I recommend starting with a project like underwear, since the final result will be hidden and takes very little fabric. For my example here, I'm using the free underwear pattern from So, Zo...What Do You Know, which you can download here.

Note: this pattern is designed to be used in combination with FOE. If you are adapting a different pattern, please do the math on your seam allowances to decide if you need to cut away fabric from your opening (depending on the width of your FOE and the pattern's particular finish).

FOE is applied in two steps. The So, Zo... pattern does not indicate how long your FOE needs to be for each opening. You CAN sew on a long piece and then cut it off, but that method has never worked for me because I can't get the degree of stretch to be consistent.

In order to be more precise, I laid elastic next to the leg opening and pre-cut it. I attempted a 1:1 ratio (in other words, the elastic is the same length as the opening) but I think I ended up with the elastic a little bit shorter. Either way works, but don't cut it TOO much shorter or it will be very difficult to apply (ask me how I know!). On underwear, the leg elastic should be only a teensy bit shorter so that it's snug but not tight. On the waistband, you can definitely cut it shorter so that it stays in place. Again, it takes practice to know the right ratios for your particular pattern.

Start with your pieces WRONG sides together, with the elastic on the bottom. This will ensure that the wrong side of your garment has two visible stitching lines, and the right side only has one.

The raw edge of your fabric should sit right along the center of the elastic, where it will be folded over. Start sewing using a zig-zag stitch. If you want to get fancy, you can also use a 3-step zig-zag, which is extra stretchy. On my machine (affiliate link) that's stitch number 5.

I've used a regular zig-zag in my sample, just because it's faster to sew. The trouble with FOE is that it's used almost exclusively on curved edges. You will need to stretch and manipulate the elastic to match the curve of the fabric, without stretching the fabric. Let me repeat: do not stretch the fabric! This is the part that takes lots of practice and 20 hands. Luckily for you, I have a little trick that makes it easier.

There is such a thing as a fabric glue stick, but I've never bothered to buy one. I use a plain old craft glue stick, which says it's permanent, but it always washes out. I don't recommend this method unless you've tested it first, and generally only on natural fibers (the fabric I'm using is a cotton jersey).

Lightly apply the glue to the wrong side of the FOE. The glue should provide enough grip that you can use your fingers and press the fabric into the glue, keeping the curved fabric edge in place along the straight center fold line of the FOE. If you don't use glue, the fabric tends to slide away from that middle groove as you sew, and you inevitably stretch it out trying to get it to behave. Once you've sewn the first pass of the FOE, it should look like this:

Ignore the slight waviness, it should be eliminated during your next time through the machine. DO NOT PRESS FOE if you can avoid it. The one and only time I've ended up with gunk on my iron was due to pressing fold-over elastic. It is usually covered in some sort of decorative dye, and I literally transferred polka dots onto my iron. If you must press out waviness, use a press cloth and very low heat.

Next, fold the elastic along the center groove and encase the raw edge where you just stitched. If your machine is having trouble moving the beginning of the fabric/elastic combo, gently pull the thread tails to help it through.

For the second pass, you must sew with your stitches right on the edge of the elastic. If you sew near the fold, then the elastic will curl after washing, and look terrible. Again, use a zig-zag stitch. You can pin the elastic over, but I typically sew slowly and fold it over as I go. I hate pinning elastic.

You can see in the following photo that my zig-zag stitching is right on the edge of the elastic:

Ta-da!

It may be tempting to sew on FOE in one pass, instead of two steps. My experience is that your fabric will shift and it's just not worth it. Sewn the correct way, with practice, FOE can be a great resource for finishing tricky stretch garments. Give it a try next time you're making undies or a bra. I definitely recommend the So, Zo... pattern and underwear is very fun to sew. What's better than the best dress in the world? Wearing matching underwear with it!

Next week: French binding

Knit Finishes Part 3: Narrow Hem

Hello again fellow sewists! Ready for another explanation of a knit finish?

Last week I wrote about one of my favorite knit finishes (binding) so why not follow that up with one of my least favorites? The dreaded narrow hem! But don't worry, I've got plenty of tips and tricks to help you.

A narrow hem is one of the laziest finishes (in my humble opinion) but is inexplicably the most common one called for in patterns (the Big 4, at least). Part of why it's so common is its versatility; you can sew a narrow hem on any opening. I've most often seen it along a neckline, bodice/skirt hem, and sleeveless armhole. Personally, I prefer a deep hem (at least 1") on the bodice of a shirt, though there is an argument to be made about bulk if your knit is medium to heavy weight. A curved skirt hem also needs a narrow hem to make easing the curve less difficult to sew.

A narrow hem is sewn exactly as it sounds. The fabric is turned to the wrong side by the amount allotted in the pattern.

If you're having trouble getting your pins into the hem, try pinning directly into your ironing board. Give it a good press with the appropriate amount of heat (high heat for natural fibers, low heat for polyester). Sew it down. Since knits do not fray, there is no need to turn the hem back a second time.

After the hem is sewn, press it again, with steam. The steam will help eliminate any waviness that appears as you're sewing the hem. You'll notice that I've used a straight stitch here. This is an arm opening for a Coastal Breeze Dress and it does not need to stretch to go over my body. I see no reason to use stretchy stitches (zig-zag, stretch stitch) unless absolutely necessary, so I use a straight stitch often on knits.

There are a few tricks you can use to make sewing narrow hems easier and to hopefully eliminate waves before they even appear. Waviness happens when your knit is stretched through the machine due to the contact between the feed dogs and the presser foot. If you have the ability to adjust the pressure foot pressure, trying reducing the pressure.

This is the presser foot pressure dial on my serger.

Sadly, my regular machine doesn't have one :(

If the fabric is lightweight and is being sucked down into your sewing machine, try using a stabilizing paper (here is a great article from Threads about stabilizers). I've never used a commercial stabilizer, but I've had lots of success with regular old tissue paper.

Place the tissue paper under the fabric and sew like normal. The paper provides more surface area for the feed dogs and prevents the fabric from disappearing down into the machine. Afterward, carefully pull the tissue paper away from the line of stitching.

Use tweezers to pull out leftover pieces. I recommend using tissue paper only on washable garments, as a quick trip through the washing machine will eliminate any pieces that are totally stuck under the thread. If your garment is not washable, then try to match the color of the paper with the color of your garment to hide any lingering shreds.

If you're working with a synthetic fabric, it might be nearly impossible to get it to stay flat long enough for you to sew it. In that case, I have a fantastic notion that will save you hours of headaches:

This tape is sticky on both sides, is a quarter inch wide, and dissolves in the wash. At my Jo-Ann Fabrics it is sold with the quilting notions, not the garment notions. It's also available from Amazon (affiliate link). Sadly, I've only found it in a quarter inch width. It's perfect for narrow hems, but I'd love if it came in a half inch (I've never used them, but I've heard good things about Emma Seabrooks' knit tapes as well).

To use, unroll it and stick it down on the raw edge of your fabric, on the wrong side. Remove the backing tape, and then fold.

The tape provides stability for a narrow, slippery hem, and works particularly great with unpressable synthetics. This tape is far superior to Steam-a-Seam, as it washes away and leaves your hem soft and natural.

Lastly, you can use clear elastic in a narrow hem in exactly the way I described for the dissolving tape. There is no need to stretch the elastic as you sew, it's simply there to provide stability and prevent your hem from sagging out over time. I've had success with this technique in a neckline of a boatneck tunic, as well as the front of a wrap dress. On this wrap dress, I used a glue stick to stick get the elastic to stay in place along the raw edge. I zig-zagged it down, then turned it to the wrong side and topstitched.

Wrong side, wrap dress

Right side

Who knew the most "simple" finish could require so many tricks? I'll be honest, it's been a long time since I've used a narrow hem, but on certain garments it's the only method you have available.

Next week: fold-over elastic (my nemesis!)