What stitch do you use to sew stretchy fabric?

Use a stretch stitch or long and narrow zig zag stitch instead of a straight stitch so that your seams can stretch with the fabric. If you don’t have a stretch stitch on your machine, set your stitch length to the narrowest zigzag setting (0.5) and your stitch length to a medium setting.

What tension should I use for stretchy fabric?

Tension: For loftier knits or stable knits, like ponte or scuba knit fabrics, try a lower tension around 2 or 3. Around 4 is usually good for heavyweight knits. The 4-5 Tension range generally yields the best results with light to medium weight knits.

Why is my sewing machine not sew stretchy fabric?

Try a different presser foot. A dual feed foot or walking foot attachment for your sewing machine is great for helping to stop one layer of material stretching out when sewing. Check the manual of your machine to see which one is compatible.

Do you need special thread for stretchy fabric?

All-purpose polyester thread will work fine as it has some give when stretched. Cotton thread is not recommended. If the item you’re making needs to be stretchy or form-fitting to the body, you may want to use elastic thread. Only use elastic thread in the bobbin of your sewing machine, and wind it by hand.

Do you need a different needle for stretch fabric?

Choose the right needle – all stretchy knit fabrics should be sewn with a special needle; either a ballpoint or a stretch needle. A ballpoint needle consists of a rounded tip, which pushes the yarns away when sewing. It avoids damaging knit fabric while cutting and sewing.

Why is my sewing machine skipping stitches on stretch fabric?

The most common cause of a sewing machine skipping stitches is a problem with the sewing machine needle. The needle may be slightly bent, even if you can not see the bend. It may have developed a dull point from use, or it may have a nick in it.

What does a stretch sewing machine needle look like?

Visually, this needle has a shorter eye than a standard needle, a special flat shank, a deep scarf and specially designed to prevent skipped stitches on stretchy fabrics. It has a medium ballpoint tip (less rounded than the Jersey/Ballpoint needle).

What should your sewing machine tension be?

The dial settings run from 0 to 9, so 4.5 is generally the ‘default’ position for normal straight-stitch sewing. This should be suitable for most fabrics. If you are doing a zig-zag stitch, or another stitch that has width, then you may find that the bobbin thread is pulled through to the top.