Hi,
Should I always baste with a straight stitch even when gathering knit fabrics? I’m trying to ease in a sleeve on a stretch knit and the straight stitch that I used for basting is creating a lot of tension in the sleeve. Any tips are welcome.
Thanks,
Sheila
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Replies
I’ve had similar issues with straight stitches on knit fabrics before. What’s worked for me is using a long basting stitch with either a zigzag or stretch stitch. The straight stitch tends to pull too much and creates tension, especially when easing in sleeves. I also make sure to loosen the tension on my machine a bit to prevent it from grabbing the fabric. It makes a big difference in getting a smoother finish without the fabric distorting.
You could also try zigzagging over waxed dental floss...this works like a charm on monster ruffled skirts and I'm guessing it will work on knits too. I use up the samples from the dentist this way.
Hi all. Thank you so much for all of these great ideas. I’ll definitely be trying the dental floss method. After about 5 tries I eased the sleeve in to a point that I’m happy with it next time however, I’ll be trying the dental floss.