3 tips for sewing knits for doll clothes

1. Look for double knit knits

2. Use a 1mm wide zig zag for all the stitching

3. Use the same knit for the bands or don't have bands

Look for Double Knits

The plain pink knit is the same on both sides. 

This one is printed lycra. The all over pink print keeps it from curling.

If you want to make a quick and easy knit top for your doll you should look for double knit fabric. This is the type of knit that looks like stocking stitch on both sides of the the fabric. Most T-shirts are made from this knit. However, many women's knit tops are made from single knit. Since I like to use second hand garments to make many of my doll clothes I have to make sure the knit fabrics will be easy to sew.

Single knit fabrics will curl up on the edges making it almost impossible to sew seams properly or finish off bands with a row of stitching. The seam allowances cult up and you can't get them to lay flat so you can secure them when you do that stabilising row for the bands.

I have found that printed lycra can be quite stable due to the printing. The ink makes it stiffer than usual. 

Double knits are great because they are difficult to make run or fray. You don't have to overlock raw edges. Normal use for play should see your garments lasting for ages.

Single knit and double knit are the terms I use.

The more technical terms are:

1. Jersey or plain stitch. It has two different sides with vertical ribs on the right one and horizontal ribs on the wrong side. The fabric curls towards the right side. Jersey is the most popular type of knit fabrics due to a variety of colors, patterns and useful consumer properties – it is comfy, soft and stretchy.
2. Interlock. Unlike jersey, both sides of interlock knit are with lengthwise ribs and look the same way. The fabric features good shape retention, medium or heavy weight, smooth texture. (Taken from https://tissura.com/articles/knit-fabrics )

Use 1mm wide Zig Zag Stitch

Width set to just below 1

Stitch type set to zig zag

Since I started sewing my knits with this very narrow zig zag I hardly ever have a problem with the needle pulling the fabric down. You will also find that the narrow zig zag stops the knit from stretching so much as you sew. It doesn't look as wrinkled like a lettuce leaf when you use the narrow zig zag.

I use the narrow zig zag for all the stitching. The seams and the top stitching. 1mm is so narrow that it almost looks like straight stitching.

I find that I don't have to worry about using a knits needle when I use the narrow zig zag. 

Use the same knit for the bands or don't have bands

Double knits are great to use as bands. They have plenty of stretch and hardly curl at all when you stitch them to fit.

Bands can be narrow or wide. They can be doubled and sew on with one step. These bands look good with two rows of top stitching on the garment side of the band. The two rows firmly secure the seam allowance.

Band can be done like binding. You sew the garment and band right sides together with the band piece as a single layer. Fold it over to the wrong side so it forms a narrow band over the seam allowance.

Pin it in place and top stitch on the band side of the seam. Careful trim the edge on the wrong side back to 1/8". 

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Happy Doll Dressmaking,

Val