Become a pro at colorblocking: How to mix knit fabrics

7/6/22 – This is a guest post by Elizabeth Farr. You can learn more about Elizabeth, as well as more sewing articles, on her blog, Elizabeth Made This.

Have you ever colorblocked a tee or added a little contrast on a knit dress? If you have, you know how much fun it can be to mix knit fabrics together.

With projects like the Ivy Tee, you’ve got a great opportunity to play with texture and color as you mix your knits together.

And if you’re like me and sew a lot of knits, you probably have a bunch of weird leftover bits of knit fabrics waiting for something to do. 

Here you’ll pick up some tips for mixing your knit fabrics together by stretch, weight, and color along with some other fun ideas for mixing your knits. Then I’ll give you my best tips for sourcing knit fabrics and the one foolproof way you can always pick the perfect knit fabric combination.

Mix knits by stretch

Making sure that your knits have similar amounts of stretch is the most important consideration.

It’s going to be difficult to use a very stretchy knit like ITY with something that doesn’t have a lot of stretch like ponte.

That being said, there are times that you will mix knits with quite different stretch. Often on necklines, and ankle or wrist cuffs you’ll see rib knit called for on a pattern. Rib knits are typically much more stretchy than most knits, but they can be easily sewn into other knits because of how they relax to fit a shape.

How to calculate the stretch amount on a knit

As a general rule, if you’re working on a colorblocked project, check your knits against a ruler. Fold over about 10 cm of fabric in the direction of the stretch. Pull on it to the point that it stretches comfortably. Every cm past the 10 cm mark is 10% stretch. So if your fabric stretches 5 cm past the 10 cm mark, it has 50% stretch.

Check your second fabric to see if it has a similar amount of stretch. If it’s not close, choose another fabric.

Match the weight of fabric

When you’re mixing knit fabrics together, you also want to pay attention to choose fabrics that are similar in weight. If one fabric is much lighter or heavier than another, they’ll look off somehow or end up fighting each other in the wearing.

A good way to test if your fabrics are similar in weight is to put a scrap of each next to each other. If you can run your hand over them both without sensing a level change, they’re similar enough in weight.

If you have two knits that you really want to put together but one is too lightweight, here’s a simple way to cheat:

Simply back the lighterweight fabric with a piece of your main fabric. Layer them together, then baste the edges and treat the two fabrics as one. This underlining technique will make certain that your lighterweight fabric doesn’t get overwhelmed by the heavier knit.

That’s what I did on this hoodie. [insert “rib knit hem”] The rib knit on the cuffs and hem is actually a very thin rayon knit, but the color and pattern were too perfect to not use. To fix it, I cut another piece from my main fabric, basted them together and went on my merry way.

It’s not a bad idea to do a rough sketch of your project and pick where you want to add your different colors. I never approach a colorblocking project without doing this!

Try all the different color combinations you can think of and see which one you like best.

Think about prints

There’s definitely an art to mixing prints. Mixing solids with prints is always a win.

If you want to step up your print mixing game, mix different types of prints like stripes with florals.

You can go for theme here too in your print mixing. Here with some creative cutting, I upcycled a t-shirt to create sleeves on one of my sons’ pajama tops.

 I think that the sleeve makes it look a little like a tattoo which goes well with the How to Train Your Dragon main fabric.

Put your fabrics near each other and see if the tones really complement each other. Sometimes, what seems close at a distance will look just a little off when they’re close together.

I love this idea from Indie Stitch’s Instagram to digitally mockup your fabric choices.

If you have a photo editing program, this is a simple process. If not, you can always just draw a couple quick sketches of your print mixes. It really doesn’t matter if your drawing skills aren’t that great. Being able to visualize where things are placed with basic shapes and some colored pencils will go a long way in helping you make good design decisions.

Don’t forget about sheers

If you’ve never played with sheer knits before, give it a go. It’s endless fun waiting for you!

Stretch laces, burnout knits and mesh can be a fun way to add some visual texture in your project. They also give you a chance to see how light can reflect differently as the under layer peeks through the sheer fabric.

Add another layer of a sheer knit over the top of one of your other pattern pieces, and see how it changes your overall project.

Knit fabric buying tips

When you’re buying fabric in person for a project, lay the two colors on top of each other to see how they look. Step back about 5 feet and squint at them a little bit to see if they pick up weird shadows or reflections next to each other.

If you’re buying fabric online, add every fabric you like to your cart. Open up your cart and see how the fabrics look next to each other. You can use a program like Photoshop or a simple painting program to copy and paste fabric images next to each other. Although it’s true that your computer’s monitor may make fabrics look different online vs. real life, every fabric in any given online fabric shop was photographed under identical lighting conditions. Because of that, you can rest, knowing that two fabrics that look good together online (given they’re from the same store) will also look fabulous together in person.

2 of the easiest foolproof way to make sure your knit fabrics will work together

Beyond that, just buy an IndieStitch box! I love that they’ve taken all the guesswork about mixing knits out of it for you by curating beautiful fabrics in every box.

What is A Sweater Knit?

A sweater knit is any knit that you would use to make a sweater! They are typically made using a heavier yard than knits you would use for t-shirts and other lighter weight garments. Sweater knits sometimes have fun texture and designs, such a cabling or a lacy look.

Traditionally sweater knit was made of wool, but now sweater knits are made from cotton, polyester, rayon, wool, and other fibers.

What does a sweater knit feel like?

Sweater knits have a variety of textures and softness. Some wool blends and other types of sweater knits can be described as rough and scratchy, while others go through a process called “brushing” to give it a soft texture.

Grace Cardigan – DIBY Club

What size needle should I use with sweater knits?

Due to the wide variety of sweater knits, there isn’t one size fits all for sweater knits. You can use size 100/16 for heaver weight knits or 70/10 for light delicate sweater knits. Your will want to use a ballpoint sewing needle. The rounded tip will prevent the needle from piercing the individual yarns and causing a snag in your knit.

Sweater Knit Sewing Tips

Before sewing your project, be sure to wash your fabric. Not only does this remove the chemicals and dirt from the manufacturing process, it also allows the fabric to shrink before sewing. Handwashing is best for most sweater knits. Looser knit sweater fabric can get stretched and skewed in washing machines and driers. When drying your sweater knit, reshape the fabric and lay it flat to dry.

Sweater knits can shift and skew when cutting and sewing. The best way to cut sweater knits is to use pattern weights and a rotary cutter. Scissors can skew the fabric and distort your pattern shape.

When sewing, you can use a long straight stitch, zig-zag stitch or your serger for construction. A long straight stitch works great on looser knits that won’t have a lot of stretch to the seams.

You may want to reinforce your shoulder seams with some clear elastic. This will bring some structure to the shoulders and prevent stretching or pulling of fabric as you wear it.

Adding Clear Elastic to Shoulder Seam

Caring for Sweater Knits

It’s best to wash your sweater knits by hand using a gentle detergent. This will decrease shrinking, pilling, and prevent areas of the garment from skewing/stretching. Handwashing wil also increase the life of your garment. Be sure to reshape and lay your item flat to dry. Hanging the garment to dry will cause gravity to stretch it downward.

Summary

Sweater knits are a large grouping of knits that people typically love to make sweaters out of! When sewing with sweater knits, treat the fabric gently and don’t stretch or pull when sewing. After your project is complete, continue to

Interested in working with sweater knits?

IndieStitch December 2022 box of IndieStitch featured the Adrianne Sweater from DIBY Club. IndieStitch sewing kits feature a variety of fabrics and patterns for the garment sewists. Check out our kits at IndieStitch.com!

What is flannel?

Flannel is a plain or twill woven fabric that has a napped surface to create softness to the fabric as well as help retain heat. It is made most common of wool, cotton, or even synthetic fibers. It is commonly used for shirts, bedding, and pajamas. 

What does flannel feel like?

Flannel is a soft, medium weight fabric that many describe as snuggly warm. Flannel retains heat well and is used mostly during cooler weather.

 

What size needle should I use with Flannel?

Due to the make-up of flannel, a larger needle with a universal foot is recommended. You can use size 100/16 for heaver weight flannels or 90/14 for lighter weight. Flannel is known to dull needles quickly, so you may need to change out your needle mid-project if you are sewing a large flannel project, such as a blanket. 

Flannel Sewing Tips

Before sewing your project, be sure to wash your flannel. Not only does this remove the chemicals and dirt from the manufacturing process, it also allows the fabric to shrink before sewing. Flannel is known to shrink quite a bit, so you may want to purchase 1/4 yard more than your project requirements to account for this shrinkage. When pre-washing flannel, use a delicate cycle and warm water and dry on a delicate cycle. This will allow for shrinking while minimizing pilling. Flannel is known for pilling, but washing on delicate will reduce the pilling on the fabric. 

Despite being a mid-weight woven fabric, Flannel can shift and skew when cutting and sewing. This may make the plaid stripes in your project look crooked! To keep everything in line, basic prep work is needed before you work with Flannel. After washing and drying, apply some spray starch to the wrong side of your fabric and press the wrinkles out. Don’t slide your iron across the fabric, as this can shift and skew your fabric. Just place the iron down and lift it up.

When sewing, use a basic straight stitch on a regular sewing machine. Don’t use your serger to construct your garment. The stitch on a serger may not be strong enough to hold your seam through wearing. You will want to use your serger to finish your raw edges though! Flannel will fray, which can lead to a lot of loose fibers and even weakened seams. If a serger or overlock is not available, use a zigzag stitch to finish your raw edges. 

Frayed Flannel Fabric

Caring for Flannel

Wash your flannel in cool water on a delicate cycle. This will prevent further shrinkage and pilling. Drying your flannel in a delicate, cool cycle will also extend the life of your project!

Summary

Flannel is so warm and cozy for the cool weather seasons. With a little prep-work, flannel is great to sew with and is sure to leave you with a project you are proud of!

Interested in working with flannel?

IndieStitch November 2021 boxes include 3 yards of flannel and the Ramona Shacket pattern from Petite Stitchery. Follow along our video tutorials as we make the project and learn even more about working with flannel, including – how to match stripes/plaid! Click here to learn more!

Pattern & Fabric

In this IndieStitch kit we featured the Bahama Bottoms from Sonia Estep Designs. According to Sonia Estep Designs’ website:

“Date night or lounging around, the Bahama Bottoms are the pattern to go with! Options include three shorts lengths and pants!“

These bottoms can be made with either a knit or woven fabric and include optional front and back pockets and optional drawstring.

The fabric choices in this kit were four different fabrics – all which give the finished project a different look. The fabrics included 100% Cotton Chambray, 100% Rayon Crepe with a teal boho print, Polyester/Spandex Brushed poly in a black boho print, and Navy modal cupro pique.

Notions

Required notions

The included required notion for this pattern is a 1/2 to 1.5″ elastic for the waistband.

Each and every box of IndieStitch includes coordinating thread & at least 2 sewing needles. This month’s needles were either ballpoint needles in size 75/11 or regular point needles in 70/10. The type of needle sent with each kit, is the ideal needle for that fabric. The knit fabric kits included the ballpoint needles and the woven fabric kits included the regular point.

Don’t forget about the pattern pieces! With an IndieStitch kit, printing or taping is not required for this 35 page pattern pattern! Two large-format prints were included in this box ready to trace or cut out.

Bonus Notions

This box of IndieStitch included 3 sewing tools to help get your project just right.

Wash Away Wonder Tape

Wash Away Wonder Tape is perfect for keeping those hems in place before sewing. It is a very helpful tool when placing pockets and working with fabrics that don’t hold a crisp fold after ironing.

Just fold, iron, and place a strip of tape in place to keep the fabric down. The tape dissolves in water, leaving no trace of it on your fabric. The best part? It doesn’t gum up your needle when sewing!

Flexible Ruler

When fitting and altering patterns, it is nice to have a flexible ruler to measure curves, draw curved lines, and even measure/record the shape of your seat to help with fitting!

That Purple Thang

It’s a funny name, but an awesome tool for your sewing room! It works great for turning fabrics and guiding fabric through your machine, but it also works well as a bodkin for threading elastic through a casing.

Sew Along

And of course, we can’t forget the sew along! Every box of IndieStitch includes an invite to our video sew-along so that subscribers 1) have some motivation/accountability to do the project, 2) get to share their finished projects, & 3) can ask questions and support each other during the project.

Sew-alongs are held in our Private Facebook Group and the videos are released via email for those who do not have Facebook Access.

Good fitting pants make you look your best. They create the foundation for a great outfit and can highlight your figure in just the right way. For this reason, it’s important to take time to make some fine adjustments to the pattern and take your pants from “just ok” to “awesome.”

Our bodies are unique and have a significant impact on how we look in our clothes. So even if you’ve been sewing for years, there are some things you can do to make a pair of pants fit more like the perfect pair. Read on to discover how!

5 Resources for your Best Fitting Pants

1. How to Fit Pants When Sewing Pants by Melly Sews

Melissa from MellySews.com showcases real life examples of pants fitting issues on her body, not just line drawings. She then shows how to adjust the pattern to correct the issue. There is also a YouTube video linked in the blog post that goes into more detail about each adjustment.

2. Pants Fitting Adjustments by Closet Core Patterns

This blog post by Heather Lou starts off with a pep talk that I think we all need to hear! Sewing is fun and don’t stress about the “perfect” fit. Good is good enough and pants fitting is an ongoing process. Heather than describes many different types of common fit issues such as gaping waistband, full calf, knock kneed, and so many more.

3. Pattern Fitting With Confidence by Nancy Zieman

Prefer looking at a book, rather than a screen for your fitting information? Check out this book by Nancy Zieman titled, Pattern Fitting With Confidence. In this book, Nancy breaks down common fitting issues in several garment types, not just pants, and shows how you can alter the pattern to better fit your body.

4. Tin Foil Crotch Curve Method – 5 Out of 4 Pattern Blog

In this blog post, Rachelle Summers shares how to use a flexible ruler or length of tin foil to determine the curvature of your crotch and how that curve interacts with the pattern pieces. This article will send you running to the kitchen to get your pants fitting their best.

5. Pants Sewing and Fitting – Love to Sew Podcast

Helen and Caroline at Love to Sew podcast tackle the topic of Pants Sewing and Fitting in episode 184! In this episode they discuss everything pants. From patterns, fabrics, hardware, & fitting, you are sure to learn something to take your pants to the next level.

Sewing pants for that are perfect for your body is a very rewarding project! By tapping into these resources, you will have all the tools you need to create a pair of pants that fit like a dream.

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