Double knit fabric is becoming more popular in both the home sewing community and with ready-to-wear fashion, but what is double knit fabric and how do you sew it?
Today I’m going to take a deeper dive into this knitted fabric type and share more about the properties and characteristics of double knit fabric that make it suitable for sewing your own clothing.
What Is Double Knit Fabric?
Double knit fabric is a knitted fabric type with a unique construction process, where two layers of fabric are interlocked to create a denser and thicker fabric that has more stability than standard knit fabrics. This process happens by using a special knitting technique with two sets of needles that are the same size. The needles are used to knit both layers of the fabric at the same time. Double-pointed needles or circular needles are recommended to make the process easier if you’re going to attempt to hand knit your own double knit fabrics rather than use a knitting machine! And yes, I am side-eyeing you at the thought of hand knitting a double knit fabric!
Characteristics Of Double Knit Fabric
There are many characteristics that make this knit fabric suitable for garments:
- Dense: as there are two layers to it, double knit fabric is often more of a dense fabric than single interlock knits. This makes it a favorite for those colder winter months as the additional thickness helps to provide warmth and insulation while eliminating the need for lining.
- Easy to sew: while other types of knit fabric can be tricky for sewing beginners, double knits are much easier due to their more stable structure. They’re also less likely to stretch out when sewn if you pick a more high quality double knit.
- Less stretch: although there is naturally an element of stretch with any knitted fabric, the double knit variety generally has much less and is considered to be more of a stable knit. For this reason it is a favorite for more structured clothing types like jackets.
- Resilient: can a fabric be resilient? Actually yes! And in the case of double knit fabrics, resiliency is being wrinkle resistant and having a strong resistance to sagging too, which are properties we all appreciate I’m sure!
- Reversible: as the two layers of fabric are knitted at the same time, the final fabric looks the same on both sides when finished. This is also why it is sometimes referred to as ‘double jersey’ because the fabric is two layers of the ‘same’ jersey that are interconnected.
- Smooth finish: typically double knit fabrics are smoother than other knit types like rib knits or single knit fabric types like French Terry and sweatshirt fleece.
- Stability: one of the great benefits of using a double knit fabric is the enhanced stability that it has when compared to other, lighter-weight knit fabrics. This makes them great for garments that are prone to warping or distortion as the stable structure of a double knit fabric will limit that. They’re also less likely to curl or roll at the fabric edges.
- Stretch recovery: single knits tend to be more stretchy, while double knits have more stretch recovery built in due to their more dense construction.
- Versatile: double knit fabrics are usually available in different weights and textures and are constructed using a variety of fiber types too, which makes them ideal for all sorts of clothing types from dresses and skirts to jackets and pants!
3 Popular Types of Knits That Are ‘Double’ Knit
Let’s quickly take a look at some of the different types of double knit fabrics!
Interlock jersey: it’s a giveaway in the name, but interlock jersey is one of the most long standing popular double knit fabrics. It is a weft knit fabric where both sides of the fabric look the same.
Ponte knit: Also known as Ponte di Roma, this fabric is heavier than a regular jersey knit or the interlock jersey covered above. Ponte has become very popular in the last few years and is used to create clothing from sturdy leggings through to casual evening wear items. It is usually made from polyester or a blend of fibers that include spandex which provides increased stretchability while maintaining the fabric’s ability to recover.
Scuba knit: Another fabric that has recently become popular, scuba is also a couple knit fabric made from polyester. It has two way stretch and a more full body feel to it, which helps to provide a stable look to some interesting sculptural shapes when sewn up into garments.
It’s also important to note that while Ponte and scuba fabrics tend to be available mostly in polyester, there are many fibers used to create interlock jerseys, from natural fibers like cotton, silk and wool to more man made fibers like bamboo and rayon.
As you can see there are quite a few benefits to working with double knit fabrics when making your own clothing. Which type of double knit you opt for will largely depend upon the garment type you plan to sew, so do give some consideration to that before buying any.
I like to pop to the fabric stores to get a sample swatch of the different double knits available so that I can have a better idea of their weight, stretchability and recovery before finalizing on a choice.
Sewing With Double Knit Fabrics
Lastly, double knits are one of the easiest knit fabric types to sew with in my opinion, which is why so many have loved working with Ponte fabric. I have two tips for those who want to sew with double knit fabrics, but have yet to try for themselves:
1. Use a stretch sewing machine needle where possible, it helps to minimize skipped stitches.
2. Seam finishing for a double knit fabric can be as simple as a serging / overlocking or use a zigzag. However the structure of the fabric means that it can also handle all other seam types well too.
And that’s it! You now have all the information that you really need to get started sewing with double knit fabrics. Have a go, and let me know how you get on in the comments