Tricotage: How to Choose the Most Suitable Knit Fabric for Sewing?

Knit fabric is one of the most comfortable materials for sewing everyday clothing. It is stretchy, pleasant to wear, and well suited for projects where comfort and freedom of movement are important. Knit fabric is used to sew T-shirts, dresses, leggings, pyjamas, children's clothing, sweatshirts, trousers, hats, and loungewear.

If you want to view the full selection in one place, start with the collection knitwear. Here you will find various types of knit fabrics for both lighter and warmer sewing projects.

What is knitwear?

Tricot differs from woven fabrics in that it is knitted or made from loops. Therefore, it is usually more elastic, softer, and more comfortable to wear. This property makes tricot particularly suitable for clothing that fits close to the body or is worn a lot in everyday life.

Selecting knit fabric, it is important to consider not only the color or print, but also the fabric thickness, elasticity, composition, drape, and intended use.

Cotton knitwear for everyday clothing

Cotton knit fabric is one of the most practical choices for T-shirts, dresses, children's clothing, leggings, pyjamas, and loungewear. It feels pleasant against the skin and is well suited for garments that are worn often.

If you want to sew solid-colour clothing or match knit fabric to patterned fabric, take a look solid-color cotton knitwear. It is a good choice for basic garments, details, and pairing with printed fabrics.

If the project calls for something more playful or expressive, such as children's clothing, a dress, pyjamas, or a T-shirt, useful will be printed cotton jersey.

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Loopback knit is usually thicker than lightweight cotton knit, so it is well suited for sweatshirts, sporty-style trousers, jackets, tunics, and children's clothing. It is a good choice if you want to sew comfortable, soft, and practical everyday clothing.

You can browse a wider selection in the collection French terry. If you want patterned fabric for children's clothing, a sweatshirt or a set, also take a look at printed loop knit fabric.

Warm knitwear for colder weather

Warm knit fabric is suitable for garments that need a warmer, softer feel. It is often chosen for sweaters, trousers, children's clothing, warmer loungewear, and everyday clothing for cooler weather.

If you are sewing autumn or winter clothing, check out insulated knitwear. This fabric is especially useful if you want the garment to be not only stretchy, but also warmer.

Ribbed knitwear for details and fitted styles

Rib knit is stretchy and visually recognizable by its ribbed texture. It is well suited for fitted tops, dresses, garment details, cuffs, collars, and hems.

If you need stretch fabric for more form-fitting clothing or details, check out ribbed knit. Meanwhile, for finishing sweatshirts, trousers, or jackets, can also be useful fabric finish edges or cuffs.

Which knitted fabric should you choose?

If you don't know where to start, choose the fabric by sewing project:

• For T-shirts and casual dresses suitable cotton knit fabric.
• Children's clothing cotton jersey and printed jersey work well.
• For jumpers and trousers suitable loop-knit fabric.
• For warmer clothing Choose insulated knitwear.
• For collars, cuffs, and garment trim ribbed knit fabric or cuffs work well.
• Pajamas and loungewear choose soft and skin-friendly knitwear.

How to care for knitted fabrics?

Tricot garments are generally recommended to be washed gently and to avoid excessively high temperatures. To help the fabric maintain its beautiful appearance for longer, turn the garment inside out before washing. You can read more about fabric care in the article Fabric care cheat sheet.

Where can you buy knit fabric for sewing?

At Šarlote Fabrics, you can choose from a variety of knit fabrics for sewing clothing — from lightweight cotton jersey to loopback jersey, rib knit, and brushed knit fabrics. Explore the collection knitwear and choose the fabric best suited to your project.