I am determined to conquer the nuances of working with knit fabric. Nuances like:

1. Why, when I’m sewing two layers in the direction of the greatest stretch, does it seem like my presser foot wants to push (stretch?) the top layer of fabric along so when I reach the end, I have more fabric on the top layer than the bottom layer? (And that’s using my tricot/knit foot, AND lowering the presser foot pressure.)
2. How can I keep it from drifting off course as I sew? I line it up, lower the presser foot, and after as little as two stitches later, it looks like it’s heading off in some diagonal direction. No matter how I try to guide it.

Anyway, my determination has resulted in a second pair of arm warmers/sleeves. This pair is not reversible, fits more snugly since I remembered I had a seam allowance this time, the top and bottom edges are hemmed, and the inside seams are finished using a double overedge stitch since I don’t have a serger. (I have officially chosen one to get at some later date, though. I’m really going all in with this sewing stuff.)

The hems were the most annoying part (see #1 above.) But my thread blends in really well so I wasn’t tearing my hair out over it being so much less than perfect. I folded the fabric over about 1/2″ (I just eyeballed it) and I used a zigzag stitch (width 4, length 2, tricot/knit foot) somewhere in the random middle of that fold. And then I moved on.

Deciding how to do the seam was an exercise in experimentation. I ended up sewing a zig-zag stitch (width 4, length 2, tricot/knit foot) with a 5/8″ seam allowance, which was relatively painless. I trimmed about half the excess fabric off after that, and then finished the seam along the edge with a double overedge stitch (width 5, overcast/overlock foot). A little less painless due to the phenomenon described in #2 above.

At the end of it all though, I do love them. I wore them out to dinner tonight. I would have liked to make them a tad longer, but the fabric remnant I’ve been working with was only 22″x40ish”, and the 40″ side was the side of the greatest stretch, meaning that’s the direction that has to wrap around the body. So 22″ long is what I have to work with right now.

My next step in this battle is trying out a walking presser foot. I have high hopes that it will remedy the frustrations I’ve been running into. That, and finding some more fabric to play with. I feel like that might be something of a battle in itself. While Joann’s has a motherload of quilting cotton, I haven’t discovered very much eye-catching knit fabric. Maybe I’ve just missed it so far.

I shall return and update this post after I receive and try out my walking foot. Fingers crossed!

One Walking Presser Foot later…

Well…I got the walking foot and tried it out on some scraps… Maybe it’s just going to take time and refining technique and just practice with knits because it didn’t seem to make a whole lot of difference.

When I fold and try to stitch a hem, the walking foot didn’t seem to make a difference in keeping my top layer of fabric from getting pushed aside. I suppose I need to anchor it better? Pins, or Wonder Tape? Of all the times to NOT cut corners, I’m thinking knits are that time.

Also, my scrap piece got all stretched out still. I suppose that’s because I was trying to keep the top layer from getting pushed aside, so I was trying to steer the fabric too aggressively and stretched it out.

I’ll have to try again. I haven’t given up on the walking foot!