Sewing with new-to-me fabrics is one of my favorite things and I've been spending the past couple weeks trying out an incredible versatile fabric: Double Brushed Poly Knit Fabric. Besides always wanting to give it a whirl, my other reason is that I've just added this fabric type to my shop and I needed to test drive them to see just how well they'd sew in a number of different projects.
There wasn't a ton of info out there about sewing with this fabric, so I'm sharing a few simple DBP knit sewing tips I've learned to make it easy to get great results and have maximum project possibilities with this wonderful type of fabric.
What is Double Brushed Polyester Knit?
A medium weight stretch knit fabric that:
- is 95% polyester, 5% spandex
- brushed on both sides to give it an ultra soft feel
- has 4 way, 50% stretch
- has good recovery to give it the perfect drape and shape
It also
- does not shrink or fray
- is 56 inches wide for lots of project possibilities
What can you make with Double Brushed Poly Knit?
SO many wonderful and wearable things. Leggings, dresses, tops, scarves, headbands, loungewear, pajamas, underwear, plus blankets, soft toys, pillows....sky's the limit!
I've been sewing up a storm with them and have LOVED the results. I made myself this maxi dress...
which is SO comfy to wear thanks to the buttery soft finish:
And a sweet tween dress for my 11yr old to wear to church:
With a matching headband with the scraps leftover since the fabric is so nice & wide:
I also made some relaxing lounge pants that are the perfect weight for summer:
How do you sew with it?
You can use a regular sewing machine, overlock or serger.
Here are the best ways to sew with it on a basic sewing machine for perfect assembly & finish.
Needles
Start with the right needles for knits.
Those designated as stretch or ball point will easily go through this knit without pulling.
I also recommend using a stretch twin needle for a professional finish on hems & necklines and to have that all important stretch too.
The result is two perfectly even rows of stitches:
Stitches
It's key to use a stitch that will stretch. Basic narrow zig-zag, triple stitch, triple zig-zag, overcasting/knit stitch (this being my favorite one) all work great, as do a few others. Consult your machine manual for all possible options. Unlike normal straight stitches, these provide give and strength which are needed when sewing with knit fabric. Sewing straight stitches means the fabric can't stretch without breaking the thread - you definitely don't want that!
Walking Foot
Not required, but this specialty presser foot grips fabric from the top (instead of just the feed dogs underneath), so the even hold keeps layers from creeping or stretching while you sew. Most machines do not come with one, but it makes a big difference when sewing knits, so it's worth getting one and they are not very expensive. Added bonus: it's great for quilting & woven sewing!
Paper-backed Fusible Tape
This item is also optional, but makes hemming Double Brushed Poly Knit very easy. Simply iron onto the wrong side along the fabric edge and then peel away the paper, fold closed and press into place to fuse the hem, then sew. It stabilizes the fabric so it won't pull or stretch while sewing and no pinning will be needed, which saves time too. It also means you'll measure a perfect hem every time!
With these few tips in mind you'll be ready to sew all sorts of soft & beautiful things with Double Brushed Poly Knits! If you like these prints, you can find them, and more lovely DBP knit fabric designs, HERE.
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