Facebook Email Pinterest Twitter Instagram Tiktok Icon YouTube Icon Headphones Icon Favorite Navigation Search Icon Forum Search Icon Main Search Icon Close Icon Video Play Icon Indicator Arrow Icon Close Icon Hamburger/Search Icon Plus Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon
Insider

Sign in or become an insider to access this story

Sign In

Fabulous Ponte Knits

An easy blend of stretch, structure, and contemporary style
Threads #207, Feb./March 2020

If you were stranded on a desert island with only one fabric to sew, it should be ponte knit. It’s not your grandmother’s polyester double-knit—the stuff of 1970s leisure suits—but the luxurious rayon/nylon/spandex ponte of today. This fabric is featured in high-end sportswear and separates collections from discerning designers. Home sewers can purchase top-quality ponte knit affordably, and make wardrobe basics and fashion forward pieces that are wonderful to wear.

What is so special about ponte knits? For starters, they are elegant. Their smooth surface and wrinkle-resistant hand give the look of a finely woven fabric but keep garments looking fresh and lovely all day. Ponte offers the comfort of a knit, but with some stability. Contemporary ponte includes a large percentage of rayon, which is soft and breathable, and is a year-round fabric in most climates. The knit construction has some give, with up to 50 percent stretch, but it’s also firm enough to supply subtle shaping and to smooth less toned areas of the body.

When you’re choosing fabrics for a wardrobe, you’ll find that ponte is versatile. A top-quality version is sufficiently structured for durable pants and softly tailored jackets but is also supple enough for shells, T-shirts, dresses, and cascade-front cardigans. Finally, ponte is easy to sew and to care for. Its flexibility minimizes fit challenges, reducing the frustration you might experience when working with a woven.

PERFECTFURE SHEER

Seek high-quality versions

The term “ponte” describes the fabric’s double-knit construction: It consists of two interlocking layers of single-knit stitches. Not all ponte knits are created equal. Unfortunately, the low-end ready-to-wear market has created some negative impressions of ponte knits—that they sag or stretch out of shape, are hot and uncomfortable to wear, and pill easily. Here are some secrets to…

Start your 14-day FREE trial to access this story.

Start your FREE trial today and get instant access to this article plus access to all Threads Insider content.

Start Your Free Trial
Discuss

Threads Insider

Get instant access to hundreds of videos, tutorials, projects, and more.

Start Your Free Trial

Already an Insider? Log in

Log in or become a member to post a comment.

More From Threads

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |

Threads Insider Exclusives

View All
View All

Highlights

Shop the Store

View All
View More