Preventing wavy hems when sewing with knits
Sewing a hem with stretchy fabric can be a pain, especially when you don’t have a serger. When I was first learning to sew, I took lessons and my sewing first project was a knit t-shirt. I was so relieved when I later discovered woven fabrics and realized how much easier they are to sew! But over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks that make sewing with knits a bit easier. Now I love sewing with knits so much that I’ve made more True Bias Nikko tops that I can count.
There’s nothing worse than finishing a knit garment only to end up with a wavy hem. This was always where I struggled most with my knit garments. After years of research and trial and error I’ve finally figured out how to hem stretchy fabric without the waves.
The following suggestions are meant for sewists sewing knits on a standard machine, not a serger or overlocker.
5 tips to hem stretchy fabric
- Make sure you are using the right needle and stitch type. This is the first step to make sure that your supplies and methods match your project. None of the below methods will be very effective if you don’t take this first step. When sewing stretch fabrics make sure that you have either a ballpoint needle or a stretch needle. This will ensure that you don’t get snags or skipped stitched. Also, use your machines zigzag stitch, this allows your seam to stretch with the fabric and prevents the thread from snapping or breaking.
- Ensure that you aren’t stretching the fabric as you sew. This one is super important, especially for beginners. I think it’s a reflex we all have when we first start sewing to hold the fabric taut as it goes through the machine. With a knit, you want to be really careful not to do that as you will likely stretch the fabric and even the slightest stretching can cause puckering. Try to practice gently holding the fabric and guiding it through the machine without any stretching.
- Adjust your presser foot pressure. The pressure of your presser foot could be causing the two layers of fabric to stretch differently. Some machines have a setting where you can adjust the presser foot pressure. Mine does not, so I resort to lifting my presser foot with my hand ever so slightly. You still want enough pressure that the feed dogs push the fabric through at a consistent rate, so the change should be very slight. I would play around with this on a test piece before trying it on your garment and be very careful with keeping your hands near the needle. walking foot can work wonders!
- Fusible bonding tape. This stuff is amazing and costs less than $5, here’s the brand I use. I use it on almost every knit hem that I make. You can find it at most fabric stores in a few different widths. You iron it between your hem and it will stick the fabric before you sew, so that it won’t move it at all when you sew. The one drawback is that it will affect the stretch of the hem. If you are sewing a seam where the fabrics original stretch percentage is crucial – like a neckline – do not use it!
- Press and steam! Sometimes, even when you try to do everything right with a knit hem youll still find it to be wavy. Don’t underestimate the power of a good steam. As you sew your knits, it’s likely that no matter how hard you try some stretching occurred. A quick steam will reverse that stretching by shrinking down the fabric and reducing the puckers.
Everyone’s sewing style and preferences are different. What worked for me may not work for you. If you’re new to sewing with knits, I highly recommend trying different methods out on scrap fabric and figuring out what is best for you and your machine. If you’ve found a trick not mentioned here, leave a comment – I’d love to hear how you hem stretchy fabric!
