DIY – SewSiz

Homemade DIY Fabric Face Mask Tutorial and Patterns – Adult and Children Sizes

2020 Fashion Masks

It’s been a while since my last post and the world has been through some major changes since then! I’ve been meaning to post my mask patterns since last year but haven’t found much time in between working from home, spending extra time with family, and making mask orders.

I left my apartment in NYC for a while early on in the pandemic to head back to Ohio to be with my family during the quarantine. I didn’t have my usual tools, patterns, fabric, and setup to get all of the projects done that I had originally anticipated for the year or even record everything to post like I wanted. But I’m happy to say that I’m starting to get back into my projects which I’m really excited about.

My main project for this past year has been making face masks. I’ve probably made over 350 masks at this point. Now that I have all of my tools available to share tutorials and the world has opened up a lot more (not so much here in NYC yet) and wearing masks has become a part of our everyday lives, I wanted to share my fabric face mask pattern with everybody.

I originally based my patterns on the recommendations from hospital websites but they didn’t work for everyone so after fitting them on myself and family members I came up with a few different sizes that I think work for most people; Regular (closer to the standard mask size), Small (petite), Children’s, and Toddler sizes. I personally wear the small/petite size but I listed the measurements below.

I originally created the pattern thinking I’d have to use bias tape as the ear loops, since elastic wasn’t available ANYWHERE and stores were closed with no other options. I was luckily able to obtain some but that’s partly where the inspiration for the design came from.

All of the research I’ve found shows that a tight knit cotton fabric in the best option for face masks. It’s not going to be as protective as a medical mask but it is the most functional option while still making it easy to breathe. I would’t recommend using any other fabrics/fiber contents. I focused on getting a sleek look and finding the best fit with this fabric to allow the most protection and offering a variety of sizes.

“The preliminary results, available online, show that the most important factor to determining whether a mask will protect a person is not the material used, but how well it fits on the wearer’s face.” I made my pattern into 4 different sizes in order to get the best fit!
https://news.northeastern.edu/2020/04/20/pantyhose-toilet-paper-coffee-filters-which-materials-make-the-best-masks-to-stop-the-coronavirus/

I posted the patterns to purchase below along with the sewing instructions. If you have any questions or need any help please leave a comment below!

Supplies:

Cotton Woven Fabric
Thread
Pins
Fabric Shears
1/4″ elastic or bias tape
Face mask pattern – see mine on Etsy

Fabric Face Mask Pattern Purchase

Adjust elastic/earloop lengths for better fit

Regular sized – closest to the standard medical face mask size (H 6 3/4″ – W 7″ – Earloop: 8″)
Small/Petite sized – good for petite adults and juniors (H 6″ – W 6 3/4″ – Earloop: 7″)
Children’s* sized – kids 5+ (H 5 3/4″ – W 6 1/4″ – Earloop: 6 1/4″)
Toddler* sized – kids 2-4 (H 5″ – W 5 3/4″ – Earloop: 5 1/2″)

*Children’s and toddler masks should be worn under adult supervision

The mask contours at the top and bottom to get a snug fit around your nose and under your chin without adding too much bulk along the sides. The pleats help it open more or less in order to get the best fit on a variety of different face sizes. I finished the side edges with a self binding so that it looks neat and sleek without seeing the bulk of the pleats at the edges. I also like having the elastic coming out of the top and bottom of the mask instead of directly out the sides so that there is less stress and tugging on the ears.

You can purchase a digital download of my patterns on Etsy!

SewSiz Etsy Shop

Sewing Instructions:

Cutting:

Be sure to cut the mask on the straight grain (cut 2 pieces) with the bias edge trim on the bias (cut 2 pieces). See the below image for insructions.

Cut the elastic to the proper length (see pattern – make adjustments as needed to fit you best)

Fabric Face Mask Cutting Layout Instructions – SewSiz.com by Kelly Ann Sizler

Sewing:

Step 1

With right sides together, sew the pieces together with the 1/2″ seam allowance at the top and the bottom (the part that goes over the nose and under the chin).

Step 2

Flip the mask with right sides out and press these seams open and then flat

Step 3

After it’s pressed take the notches and match them up going from top to bottom to get the 3 pleats, pinning them in place as you go. Do this to both sides and iron them flat.

Step 4

Stay stitch the pleats down at 1/4″ in from the edge to secure them before adding the binding edge pieces

Step 5

Pin the bias cut edge finish pieces to the edge with right sides together. Make sure to fold down the 1/2″ seam allowance on the ends (top and bottom) of the bias strip as shown below.

Sew this piece to the mask edge using the 1/4″ seam allowance.

Do this to both sides and then press these seams open

Step 6

Pin the elastic 1/2″ in to the top and bottom of each edge as shown below (make sure the elastic doesn’t twist) and stitch the elastic to the seam allowance to keep it in place.

Step 7

Fold the bias strip over the seam allowance twice so that the raw edgers are enclosed. Pin it down, you can iron it too if that helps you to keep it in place, and stitch it down right next to the seam edge making sure it is all enclosed.

Step 8

Top stitch 1/4″ at the top and bottom part that goes over the nose and under the chin. Make sure you’re starting at the edge and going through the elastic at the sides to reinforce it so that it doesn’t pull out.

That’s the last step, you should now have a fully completed, stylish, sleek contoured face mask!

If you don’t sew but would like to order go to the below page and send me an email!

Made to Order Fabric Masks

Thanks for checking out my post. Please leave any comments and questions below and let me know how this pattern works for you!

I’d love to see your finished products so please tag me in your social media posts! #SewSiz

Stay healthy!!

Sewing Basics – Fixing Seams and Sewing Buttons

So, I have a new design project coming soon! It seems to be taking me forever to get this second one out while keeping things up to date here. But in the meantime I wanted to post this little basic sewing lesson

Whenever I have a conversation with somebody about sewing and I tell them that I know how to make my own clothes, I’ve noticed that the first thing almost everyone says to me is that “I don’t even know how to sew a button.”

But it’s actually pretty easy! And sewing and fixing up your own clothing is a great way to keep them out of landfills, considering we throw out a significant amount already.

In 2017 8% of all municipal solid waste landfilled in the U.S. was textiles, or 11.2 million tons.

So in this post I want to show you 2 main hand sewing techniques you can use at home to fix up your own clothing, one of which is how to sew buttons!

Let’s get to work 🙂

Watch the full YouTube video below for the full tutorial:

Slip Stitch

This stitch can be used to sew up ripped seams.

Just start out with a needle and thread and knot one end of the thread.

See the full video for a good trick on how to easily knot the thread end before sewing

Next put the needle in the crease of the seam at the back where the rip starts through to the front and pull the thread through.

Now take the needle and put it in the other side of the seam, in the creased edge directly across from where the thread came out on the other side. And slip the needle behind the crease of the seam for about 1/16″-1/8″ then push it outside again and pull the thread through.

Put the needle in the other side again directly across from where the thread came out and continue this process until you’ve made your way through the entire ripped portion of the seam.

Slip stitch process- see YouTube video for more details

Once you get to the end of the rip go back down the other way towards where you started, continuing the same slip stitch process, to reinforce the seam and get any spots you might have missed.

When you get back to your start position, put the needle and thread through the back and knot it off to finish the stitch.

Actual ripped seam example on the back side of a pencil skirt above the slit (kick pleat)

Actual slip stitch example sewn on the back side of a pencil skirt above the slit (kick pleat) I did for a client

Actual slip stitch example on the back side of a pencil skirt above the slit (kick pleat) I did for a client – final result

Buttons

2-Hole Button

Start out with a needle and thread and both ends of the thread knotted together.

Put the needle through the back of the fabric where the button used to be and then through one of the holes in the button and pull through from back to front. Then put the thread through the front of the other hole and pull through from front to back.

Repeat this process a few times until the button is sturdy and reinforced through the fabric.

Lastly just make sure you end with the bottom at the back of the fabric and knot off the thread to finish it off.

4-Hole Button – option 1 – parallel stitch lines

Start out with a needle and thread and both ends of the thread knotted together.

Repeat this process a few times. Then from the back go over to one of the other buttons and restart the process with the other 2 holes until the button is sturdy and reinforced through the fabric.

Lastly just make sure you end with the bottom at the back of the fabric and knot off the thread to finish it off.

4-hole button option 1 – parallel stitch lines

4-Hole Button – option 2 crossed stitch lines

Start out with a needle and thread and both ends of the thread knotted together.

Repeat this process a few times. Then from the back go over to one of the other set of buttons and restart the process with the other 2 holes until the button is sturdy and reinforced through the fabric.

Lastly just make sure you end with the bottom at the back of the fabric and knot off the thread to finish it off.

4-hole button option 2 – crossed stitch lines

Jacket Button

Start out with a needle and thread and both ends of the thread knotted together.

Put the needle through the back of the fabric where the button used to be and then through one of the holes in the button and pull through from back to front. Place another needle or pin flat over the button and sew the button on with the pin/needle resting on top of the button and under the thread.

This will allow for added ease behind the button for the thicker jacket/coat fabric.

Continue sewing as you would a regular button and then just slip the needle/thread out when finished

Sewing jacket buttons – use pin for added ease

Shank Button

Now a shank button doesn’t have holes because it has a loop (shank) at the back. They tend to be half dome shaped.

This button is typically used for jackets and coats but you don’t need to sew with the added ease because the shank at the back does that itself.

Start out with a needle and thread and both ends of the thread knotted together.

Put the needle through the back of the fabric where the button used to be and then through the shank hole and pull the button to the fabric. Put the needle back through the fabric from front to back again to attach the button and continue this process until the button is secure.

I hope this helps you fix up your own clothing at home. Let me know if you have any questions or need any help in the comments!

DIY Alterations – Making a Dress Sleeveless

Removing the Sleeves

Did you ever buy a dress or a top where the sleeves are slightly too tight and just don’t fit right, but the rest of the fit is okay so you try to make it work anyway?

Sometimes the industry doesn’t take the proper time to get a really good fit in the armhole, or the factory makes mistakes in production, so this can happen. In fast fashion things are done fast, but not necessarily well, for a lot of different reasons.

This is another client project because these dresses were bought despite the fact that the sleeves were too tight, so she just wanted the sleeves to be removed so they could be wearable as sleeveless dresses.

Just keep in mind that you have to be careful with this type of project. If the armhole is too big then it won’t look right as a sleeveless option because the armhole will be loose and have gaps.

So let’s get started! The step by step process is below.

*SewSiz by Kelly* Ann Sizler – Let’s get started!

And see the full DIY video on my YouTube channel (link below).

Supplies:

Top/shirt/Dress to alter

Fabric shears

Paper for pattern

Paper scissors

Seam Ripper

Clear plastic ruler

Curv ed Ruler – Option 1

Curved Ruler – Option 2 (I prefer this one for armholes)

Step One: Seam Rip the Sleeves

Use a seam ripper to completely remove the sleeves from the garment

*DIY Alterations – Sleeveless Dress – Seam rip the sleeve from the armhole*

Step Two: Fit the Armhole

Try on the garment with the sleeves detached to see how the armhole fits.

If it’s too tight like the one I was working on mark where it should be lowered or where the fabric needs to be removed in order to make the armhole more comfortable. I like to use safety pins for this.

*You can’t add fabric to make the armhole fit tighter, so if this is a big garment and the armhole is loose this project won’t work out, as stated above.

Step Three: Make the New Armhole Pattern

If you don’t need to fit the armhole move on to Step Five.

If you need to alter the armhole you need to make a pattern to get the right shape.

First iron/press the armhole to get it to be flat

Next trace the armhole front ad back to get the original shape.

*DIY Alterations – Sleeveless Dress – Trace the front and back armhole*

After that just draw in the 1/2″ seam allowance to have that in mind (measure your garment to make sure it’s 1/2″ it might be less, if it is draw that measurement).

Measure and mark the positions you pinned to take in on the garment and mark those positions on the traced armhole. Make sure you’re factoring in the seam allowance (or hem) with this measurement since the positions you marked are where you want the finished edge to be, but there will be a hem added on to those measurements.

After those are marked, use your curved ruler to make a new armhole shape. It shouldn’t be curved in too much, it should be similar to the original curved shape with just a few adjustments.

I’m making the new armhole shape from the hem edge. Keep it consistent, if you’re doing it from the finished edge do it all the way from the shoulder and then add the hem allowance to that.

*DIY Alterations – Sleeveless Dress – Trace a new armhole based on alteration marks*

*If you’re not used to looking at flat patterns, to make sure you have a good armhole shape when you cut out the pattern hold it up to yourself to check that it’s not a crazy curve and make adjustments as needed.

Step Four: Cut the New Armhole

Pin your new armhole to the garment and cut out the excess fabric. Make sure you’re doing the front and back if needed (if you took it down at the under arm the front and back is necessary).

*DIY Alterations – Sleeveless Dress – Pin the new armhole pattern to the garment to cut the new armhole shape*

I also had a lining in the dress I was altering so after the outer fabric was cut I pinned the lining flat to the outer fabric and cut along the same armhole shape.

Step Five: Finish the Armhole Edge

If you cut a new armhole then you definitely need to do this step.
If not, your armhole edge may already be finished, if it is move on to the next step.

Pretty much all you have to do is finish the edge of the fabric so it doesn’t fray or roll. I recommend using a serger if you have one or a zig zag stitch on your regular sewing machine.

See my edge finishes post here for more details.

Step Six: Sew the Armhole Edge

Next, after the armhole edge is finished, bend back the edge the same amount as the seam allowance and stitch it down. My seam allowance was 1/2″ so I stitched it at 3/8″ in. If yours is a 3/8″ seam allowance I’d recommend a 1/4″ stitch.

Since I had the lining I just made sure the lining was bent back with the armhole edge so it was hidden in the hem as shown below

Step Seven: Press It and You’re Done!

That’s it! Your sleeved garment is now sleeveless and ready to wear!!

*DIY Alterations – Sleeveless Dress – Finished edge with serger and topstitch*

*DIY Alterations – Sleeveless Dress – Finished products!*

Let me know if you have any questions or need any help in the comments! 🙂

*Thank you for checking out my blog! – SewSiz by Kelly Ann Sizler*

Sewing Basics – Seam and Edge Finishes

Whenever you’re sewing you usually can’t just leave the cut fabric edges raw, chances are it will fray if it’s a woven or roll if it’s knit (for more on this see my fabric types post here).

So here are some examples of basic edge finishes to help you with your next project!

See the full video below on how to do each of these edge finishes:

Zig Zag Stitch

The zig zag stitch is probably the easiest edge finish to use for at home projects. All home sewing machines have this setting. It’s not ideal for fabric that frays a lot or very slippery fabrics, but it will still get the job done.

Clean Finish

Clean finished edges are also very easy to do with any sewing machine since you just need a straight stitch. You simply just are doing a baby hem on the edges of the fabric so that they don’t fray. If you have a fabric that frays a lot or is slippery and can’t use the zig zag stitch, this will be the next best option.

All you need to do is fold the edfe under about 1/8″ and stitch it down.

*Sewing Basics – Seam and Edge Finishes – Zig Zag Stitch and Clean Finish Edge*

French Seam

A French seam is for sheer fabrics. These seams are enclosed so it looks nice from the outside. This is a seam that essentially sewn twice so any part that would fray is inside of the enclosed seam allowance.

The first step is to sew the seam at 1/4″ (for 1/2″ seam allowances) with wrong sides together (opposite than usual).
Next cut the seam allowance in half, close to the seam
After that press the seam open and then fold it over so that it is right sides together and the seam allowance you just sewed is between the fabric
Press it
Then sew this 1/4″ in encloses the seam allowance inside

*Sewing Basics – Seam and Edge Finishes – French Seam*

Flat Fell Seam

Flat Felled Seams are also enclosed seams but they are flat, and stitched down so you can see the extra row of stitching on the outside. These are the types of seams that are used on denim, take a look at one of your pairs of jeans.

First, just like the French seam, sew a seam with wrong sides together (full 1/2″ seam allowance this time)
Press it open
Next cut on of the sides of the seam allowance in half
Now take the longer seam allowance side the you didn’t cut and fold it over the cut, shorter, seam allowance. Press it like this
Next flip the seam allowance over so that open portion of the folded over edge is pressed down to the fabric
After that stitch down over that edge to attach it to the fabric, this way there are 2 rows of stitching

*Sewing Basics – Seam and Edge Finishes – Flat Fell Seam*

**The French and Flat Fell Seams are difficult to alter though because of the way the seam allowances are trimmed and then enclosed.

Serger Stitch

This stitch requires a serger machine. This is the type of edge finish that is used most in the industry so you’ll find most of your clothing with this type of finish inside. This stitch is also used to sew seams with stretchy fabric because it doesn’t restrict the fabric from stretching like regular sewing stitches would.

*Sewing Basics – Seam and Edge Finishes – Serged Edge*

Good luck with your project and let me know if you have any questions or need any help in the comments!

DIY/Fix-up – Upcycled Top

Adding Lace Yoke

A client gave me this top to fix up. She accidentally ironed a hole in it before she was even able to wear it once. It’s made out of a polyester/acrylic blend and you have to iron those fibers on a low heat setting or else the fabric can melt easily.

So, instead of throwing it out she wanted to know if there was something I could do to fix it. Upcycling is a great way to keep clothing out of landfills.

“Instead of throwing it out and replacing with a new one, see if you can fix it first. Learning to sew and how to do your own DIY can be a great money saver in the long run, while lengthening the life of the things you own.” – Glamour Magazine UK

*To learn more about fashion’s effect on the environment see my sustainability page here .

At one of my old design jobs we used to add a lot of lace inserts to garments, so I got the idea to add a lace yoke to the back where the hole was using leftover fabric I already had on hand.

See the full DIY video on my YouTube channel (link below) and all the steps in the rest of this post.

Supplies:

Top/shirt

Fabric for the yoke

3/8″ or 1/2″ Twill tape to match garment – can be found near fabric section in craft stores

Fabric shears

Paper for pattern

Paper scissors

Fabric chalk

1/4″ tape

Clear plastic ruler

Step One: Marking Seam positions

Using a thin tape mark on the garment where you want the yoke seams to be. I’m doing mine with a point at the bottom so it looks more intentional, but yours can be straight if you want.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to add 1/2″ seam allowances inside these lines.

*DIY Upcycled Top – Damaged top with tape marking where the seams for the lace insert will be.*

Step Two: Making the Pattern

First draw the lines where you’re going to cut. Like I said, you need to add 1/2″ inside so that you have room for the seam allowance.

I used fabric chalk to draw the lines, then I added a line 1/2″ in from the armhole trim because I wanted to leave the fabric around the armhole.

*DIY Upcycled Top – draw in 1/2′ seam allowance with the clear plastic ruler and chalk*

An easier way to do this would be to just cut the top and bottom yoke seams straight through the armhole and cut out that portion of the armhole. Just make sure to add 1/2″ allowance to the yoke pattern there to finish the edge. I would recommend doing that before you sew the yoke into the garment.

*DIY Upcycled Top – Adobe Illustrator flat sketch of 2 options for the lace insert – SewSiz by Kelly Ann Sizler.*

After that cut out on the chalk drawn lines and the you’ll use this piece to make the yoke pattern.

Once it’s cut grab some paper and trace around the cut piece. Use a ruler to make sure you’re getting straight lines.

*DIY Upcycled Top – cut piece from damaged top to be made into pattern*

After it’s traced you need to add back the 1/2″ you cut off for the seam allowance on the shirt, and then you need to add another 1/2″ for the seam allowance on the yoke. So you’re adding 1″ total around the whole pattern. (Keep in mind if you’re taking the easier route, that you need to add only 1/2″ at the armhole edge, but still 1″ at the top and bottom)

*DIY Upcycled Top – Finishing up the pattern by adding in seam allowances*

Step Three: Cut Out Yoke Fabric

After the pattern is don’t, cut it out and then use it to cut out your yoke fabric.

*DIY Upcycled Top –* *Using the new pattern to cut out the lace/yoke fabric – Forgive my chipped nail polish* 😦

Step Four: Sew Bottom Pointed Seam

*DIY Upcycled Top – Attaching the yoke to to the top, sew the bottom point seams first*

Once you sew one side you need to clip in the center of the point on the original garment’s seam allowance in order to be able to sew the other side. Clip the seam allowance up to 1/8″ away from the seam so that it won’t cut into where you’ll see it on the garment. (shown in below pic)

*DIY Upcycled Top – Clip in at the center point to fit the yoke into to fit properly to the* seam

Once it’s clipped you can sew the other side.

After it’s sewn, press (iron) the seam with the seam allowance away from the lace.

*DIY Upcycled Top – finished bottom point seam*

Step Five: Sew Top Seam & Armhole Seams

Next do the same thing for the other seams. If you took the harder route, you’ll still need to clip in the corners similar to how you did at the point in order to get the fabric to fit.

Once those are all sewn, press those seams too and grab your twill tape for the next step.

*DIY Upcycled Top – Finished sewing the lace yoke seams*

Step Six: Sew Twill Tape to Seam Allowances

Attach the twill tape to the seam allowance that will be showing on the inside of the garment with about 1/2″ extending for each seam.

I would do the top and bottom first. Do the bottom pointed seam as 2 separate pieces with the extensions at the center as shown below. Then do the armhole last, if necessary based on which option you chose.

*DIY Upcycled Top – Adding the twill tape to the inside seam allowances.*

Once that’s done fold under the excess at the center and tack into place, but don’t attach it to the garment just yet.

Step Seven: Top Stitch Twill Tape to Garment

Fold under the excess twill tape ends at the armhole and pin the twill tape to the garment. Once it’s pinned sew the twill tape to the armhole at about 1/4″ in from the edge.

After that, pin the top and bottom seam allowance to the garment, with the pins showing on the back of the garment. Topstitch the twill tape to the garment at 1/4″ above the seam (for the top seam). Do the same with the bottom seam. In order to get a smooth pointed seam, start at one armhole edge and work your way to the point. Stop at the point, put the needle stopped in the fabric, pick up the presser foot, and pivot the fabric to the direction to sew up the other side. Once the fabric is in place, put the presser foot back down and continue sewing to the other edge.

After this step, just clip all the excess threads and you’re done!

*DIY Upcycled Top – Finished inside view of the lace insert with the twill tape edge finishes.*

I actually wound up adding another row of topstitching 1/8″ away from the first row since the twill tape was wide enough for it. But if you used 3/8″ taping I would just stick with the one row of stitching.

Finished Product!

Leave a comment if you have any questions!

Sewing Basics – Fabric Construction Types

Wovens Vs. Knits

If you’ve never worked with clothing closely this information is probably new to you but I find myself explaining these 3 basic fabrics types to people when discussing, clothing, fit, and commissioned projects so they can get a better understanding of why certain things can’t happen in the fabric, fit, and design world. So I just thought this little piece would come in handy, whether you’re planning on working on any sewing projects or not.

Wovens:

To start off a woven fabric is woven, as in a weave….Duh.

Remember doing those paper weaves to make placemats or something in 1st grade?

It’s that same concept but on a super small scale. Instead of paper individual strands of thread are woven together to create the fabric. The tighter the weave, the thicker and more dense the fabric. Sheer fabric has a very loose weave. And, of course, the thickness of the thread will affect the fabric weight too.

Now there are also different kinds of weaves to create different looks or different types of woven fabric, but let’s just keep it simple for now.

Woven fabrics don’t have stretch so they cannot be used for garments that are meant to be very fitted. They will always require some sort of closure to get on and off, like zippers or buttons, due to the lack of stretch.

They also will fray once cut so the edges always need to be finished. There are many ways to do this but using a a serger, zip zag stitch, or French seams for sheer fabrics are some popular edge finishes.

Woven fabric attributes:

No stretch (although sometimes they can have elastic fibers in them and contain a little stretch)
Frays when cut
Most common uses: Button-up collared shirts, dress clothing, upholstery fabric, outerwear
Examples: shirting, twill, chiffon, satin, poplin, taffeta, velvet

Knits (cut & sew):

And at this end, knit fabrics are knitted…another duh

The knitting is in a similar way that a sweater is knit, but the fabrics you buy to make cut & sew knits contain finer yarns and so they are knitted tighter than a sweater.

‘Cut & sew knit’ essentially means clothing that is made from knit fabric that you cut out the pattern pieces with and then sew, as opposed to the way sweaters are knit (see below). If you haven’t noticed this stuff is pretty self explanatory, you just may not have heard these terms before.

A popular type of knit fabric you’re probably already familiar with is jersey, which is what tee shirts and most of your knit clothing is made with. Jersey is the stitch. Just as woven fabrics have different weaves, there are also different stitches knit fabric can come in, however jersey is the most popular.

This fabric has stretch. Depending on whether it contains elastic fibers like spandex, it can have a lot of stretch too. So these fabrics are used for fitted clothing (though elastic fibers are non-recyclable so they’re not that great, environmentally speaking). Clothing made with knit fabrics usually don’t need fasteners, unless they’re complicated styles, because the stretch allows them to slip on and off easily.

Knit fabric doesn’t fray but needs to be sewn with a stretch stitch in order to maintain the stretch in the seams after it’s sewn. Generally the industry uses a serger to sew these fabrics, but most home machines have stretch stitches on them too.

Since it doesn’t fray you can cut it without finishing or hemming the edges, but keep in mind the fabric may roll at the edges.

Knit fabric attributes:

Stretches
No fraying
Needs to be sewn with special stitch for stretch
Most common uses: tee shirts, activewear, casual wear, fitted clothing, swimwear
Examples: jersey, fleece (sweatshirts), french terry (sweatshirts), scuba

Knits (sweaters):

Sweaters are of course knit, but on a different machine than the knit fabric.

Sweaters have their own type of machine and use thicker yarns. The thicker the yarn, the looser the knit and the chunkier the sweater. The thinner yarns create lighter (fine gauge) sweaters that sometimes have the same appearance as cut & sew knits (gauges are another discussion since sweaters can be very complex, but essentially the lower the gauge the chunkier the sweater).

Sweaters also have different stitches like the fabric. But they also can contain multiple stitches in one piece by transferring stitches without having to cut and piece them together. Or seamlessly as you might say. 🙂

Sweaters are knit in the shape of the garment’s pattern pieces and then any seams are linked together with yarn. Therefore they are not cut & sew because there is no cutting or sewing machine involved.

Sweater attributes:

No sewing
Knitted garment patterns all in one piece including all finishings
Most common uses: sweaters, socks/hosiery, winter scarves, gloves, hats
No examples because a sweater can contain many stitches in one garment, even the edge finishes are different stitches in themselves

I could definitely go into greater detail on each fabric construction, but hopefully this just gives you the basic knowledge you need to help you pick out the correct fabric type for your next project or to understand what your clothing is made of a little better.

If you have any questions please comment below!