The Best Fabric for Sewing a T-Shirt

If you have to pick one sewing project that is worth perfecting, I think you would have to pick the t-shirt. And like all projects, the t-shirt lives and dies with fabric choice. So, which fabric is best for your basic, boring, staple shirt? Lucky for you, I've made the same pattern over and over and over in many different fabrics, making it quite easy to compare them and see how they perform over time. I'm demonstrating with the Hey June Union St. Tee, but you can sub in any loose fitting knit tee pattern (note: I am NOT talking about close-fitting patterns that require spandex!). Let's get started!

Cotton Jersey

The most basic of all knits: cotton jersey. And it's actually kind of hard to find! I'm not sure why, I love a good cotton jersey. Of all the fabrics I'm evaluating today, I will say that it has the least fluid drape. Without spandex, it can have a poor recovery, meaning you should tread carefully applying the neckband (put it in flat if at all possible so you can control the stretch). That said, you can't beat the breathability and easy-to-care-for cotton t-shirt! If wrinkles bother you, pull it out of the dryer right away and you'll be fine.

Merino Jersey

This one made it onto the list by accident! Ages ago, I ordered a rayon jersey from The Fabric Store Online and was accidentally sent one of their lightweight merino jerseys. The shirt I made with it has become, no exaggeration, my favorite shirt of all time. The drape is beautiful, better than cotton but not as clingy as rayon. The recovery (I don't know if it has spandex or not but I think not) is great. I machine wash on delicate and lay flat to dry. It never bags out, is naturally anti-bacterial, and always looks great. Worth mentioning, I have a few tees in merino/spandex jersey and I don't like them as much. They seem to shrink more with the same laundering process.

Rayon Jersey

Forgive me for putting a dress on here, but this is just a hacked longer version of the same t-shirt pattern. I wanted to show a rayon jersey that did not contain spandex. Lightweight, drapey, okay recovery but sags with wear. Fewer wrinkles than the cotton jersey, but still wrinkled. Lighter than a rayon knit with spandex. Not my favorite, but not my least favorite either.

Rayon/spandex Jersey

The biggest strength of rayon/spandex jersey is its comfort. Soft, liquid drape, it's very wearable. Its big weakness is that it is heavy, and over time grows and grows and grows. It's not unusual for me to take a year old t-shirt made with rayon/spandex and cut it down almost a full size. I used this fabric a lot when I started making shirts, but over time I haven't been pleased with the longevity. If you look closely on the one above, you can also see how it has pilled, a common trait of rayon jersey.

Modal/Cotton/Spandex Jersey

Now that we've dipped our toes into the rayon knits, let's look at a blend. Modal is one of many names for a cellulose (plant) based fiber made from trees, bamboo, etc. (see Tencel and Lyocell below for the same sort of fiber). Fabric I've purchased with the brand name modal tends to be a higher quality than something generically named rayon. In particular, I love modal when it's combined with cotton and spandex. The addition of cotton makes the t-shirt less prone to pilling and sagging, and makes it lighter weight. This shirt is one of my faves and has not grown over time like the green one above. In taking these photos I noticed that it has mayyyybe just the start of some pilling, but I have worn and washed it a LOT for even that to happen.

Tri-blend Jersey

Now we've arrived at one of the only times I allow polyester into my wardrobe. Many shops sell something vaguely called "tri-blend" as shorthand for a fabric with three fibers. Typically these will be cotton, polyester, and spandex. These are kind of hard to find (I got mine from Sly Fox) but they are great! The polyester means they're a touch less breathable than a fabric containing only natural fibers, however that is made up for in their longevity. I've worn the crap out of my tri-blend tees and they just keep coming out of the wash looking the same. No sagging! If you sneak a peek at your favorite ready-to-wear tee, I'd bet money it is made from a tri-blend.

Tencell Lyocell/Spandex Jersey

I'm still on the fence about this particular shirt. It has the softness of rayon/spandex, but I haven't had it long enough to see if it sags over time. I miscalculated the neckband (it needed to be shorter) and so I'm not crazy about how that part looks. It does seem to wash well. I wanted to include it because it was overstock from a high-end designer, so it must have some value! 

I probably have even more blends and weights hanging around, but I think these are the ones you will find most often shopping online. The only ones I don't have to show are a polyester knit, and a linen knit. I avoid polyester as much as possible, but it would typically behave like a slinky rayon jersey. All the linen knits I've encountered tend to be sheer, expensive, and not always with great recovery. They would behave a lot like cotton jersey.

So which is my favorite? Hands down, no question, merino jersey! Second would be a tri-blend cotton/poly/spandex or a cotton/rayon/spandex. My favorite source for merino jersey is The Fabric Store Online, and as mentioned above you can sometimes find tri-blend at Sly Fox, or The Fabric Snob. Ready to sew your own t-shirts? Grab the Union St. Tee pattern here to get started on your own closet full of tees!

Is there a fabric I left off that you want to know about? Leave a comment below!

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

What I'm Reading: A Beginner's Guide to Overlockers, Sergers & Coverlockers

Okay, so maybe I don't need to read a beginner book if I've had my serger for like, 8 years. But the problem with knowing what you're doing is that you can get stuck in a rut. It's never a bad idea to refresh yourself on techniques you may have forgotten all about, so I had no qualms about picking up this book at my library.

Like most serger books, A Beginner's Guide to Overlockers, Sergers & Coverlockers starts off explaining the different types of machines. Right off the bat, I learned something! Admit it, you don't know the difference between an overlocker and a serger either. The author explains that an overlocker only cuts and finishes edges. It does not do the fancy stitches like a rolled hem, which is possible on a serger. The book also discusses coverlockers (known to me as coverstitch machines) and combination machines (overlocker and coverlocker in one). 

The first 40 pages of the book are informative and get into the fine details of each machine and its parts, thread, fabric, appropriate stitches, and machine threading. The rest of the book contains 15 projects you can complete on a serger and/or coverstitch machine, ranging from pillows to tank tops to make up bags.

If you are new to these machines and don't have the ability to take a class, working your way through this book would be a great alternative. Each project builds on skills and gives enough exacting detail to ensure success. Some of the later projects even get into specialized presser feet, which is rare in these kinds of books. Unfortunately for me, my library's copy was missing the patterns, so I can't comment on them. Whomp whomp. 

It was clear from reading this book that the author has forgotten more about overlockers than I'll ever know, but I did think she was a little quick to assume that all machines are the same. For example, my serger (the perennial favorite Brother 1034d) does not make a chainstitch. Reading the manual is still the first thing you should do whenever you get a new machine, because they are not all the same.

For the beginner serger/coverstitcher willing to work through some projects in order to learn, this book is a great place to start. There are a lot of photos, concise text, and professional guidance. Just keep in mind that no generic book will ever replace your particular machine's manual.

Curious about other beginner serger books? Check out my other reviews in this post. This blog contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

V-neck Tutorial Round-up

Last week I vented my frustration with sewing a V-neck tshirt, and vowed to find a better/easier way to do it. I think a V-neck is feminine and flattering and I would hate to remove it from my repertoire just because it's hard. I decided to scour the internet and my favorite books and find the very best tutorials for sewing a V-neck.

First of all, there are quite a few different ways/looks that you can achieve and still technically be a V-neck. Facings, lapped neckbands, continuous neckbands, and mitered neckbands are the ones I came across during my search. Take a look at the following photos and links and choose the one that works best for you!

Facings

• Sewing a V-neck Facing by Salme Patterns
• Art of Dressmaking

Lapped Neckbands

• Easy V-Neck Sewing Tutorial from The Sewing Rabbit
• "Mitered" V-neck binding from Cake Patterns (check out the Caveats for great tips)

Continuous Neckbands

• How to Sew a V-neck t-shirt by Seamwork Magazine
• Not a tutorial, but there are great directions in the instructions for the V-neck view of the Sewaholic Renfrew pattern.

Mitered Neckbands

• Sewing with Knits

This technique works better with a more gentle curve to the neckline, you can even try it with a scoop neck pattern.

In addition to these links, there are a bunch of videos on YouTube if that will work better for you. After doing this a few times I would highly recommend staystitching the V of the shirt, reinforcing the V with some scrap knit interfacing, and basting. Practice helps! And don't forget topstitching to help control unruly seam allowances.

Have you sewn a V-neck, or avoided it? What's your favorite method?

Stabilizing Knits: Yay or Nay?

A few weeks ago I received a great question from Nilla about stabilizing knits, in particular raglan tops since I was posting a raglan-style sweatshirt. Her question got me thinking hard on the topic of stabilizing knits:

I'm a total raglan sleeve convert these days too. I've been meaning to ask you, since you're the knit expert, do you ever use fusible interfacing on your raglan seams? I think you're supposed to use it on regular shoulder seams to prevent them from stretching. How about the neckline? Burda patterns often have you stabilizing a lot of seams, but I'm beginning to question the necessity of it. It really makes the supposedly fast and easy knit projects a bit tedious :/ 

If you've done any reading about sewing with knits, you've probably come across the ever-popular advice to stabilize shoulder seams "to prevent them stretching out over time". There are a variety of ways to do this, by sewing in clear elastic, twill tape, or using a strip of interfacing.

Twill tape in shoulder seam

Now it was nice of Nilla to call me an expert, but I wouldn't go that far! I do, however, have a lot of experience. I'd say 75% of my projects are with knits. At this point I've tried a little of everything, and here's my oh-so-scientific conclusion:

It doesn't matter.

Shocking right? I've never noticed a problem with seams stretching out over time. Not on my me-made knits, and not on my RTW knits either! Maybe it's happened and I haven't noticed. Maybe other people have had that problem. But what length of time are we talking here anyway? If I've had problems with baggy knits, it's been the fabric itself and not the seams. There is no substitute for good fabric and stabilization can only go so far.

Much more important than stabilization, in my opinion, is pressing with steam. Shoulder seams stretch a bit as you sew because they are cut with the crossgrain, or stretchiest part of the fabric (generally). To shrink those seams back into place, I steam press them immediately after sewing.

Can you tell which one was stabilized and which one wasn't?

As for raglan style tops, the diagonal "shoulder" seams are not cut on the crossgrain like a traditional shoulder. Therefore, they are more stable. I can't recall seeing a pattern that recommends stabilization there and I don't think I would ever do it. Neckbands typically require stretch to go over your head, so unless you use a stretchy stabilizer (clear elastic) then I wouldn't bother there either.

If you're going to stabilize knits, fine, go for it! It certainly can't hurt. But don't beat yourself up if you forget. Like Nilla mentioned, it does take extra time and makes those quick projects tedious. Like I said, I'm not an expert, and I'd love to hear other opinions! Have you ever seen a seam stretch out over time? Do you stabilize everything?

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