How do you topstitch knits?

**Kori** · 02-11-2006, 01:00 AM

I know many of you coverstitch. I don't have a desire to buy or use one.

A single straight stitch always looks best for me and I've never had a problem with it breaking. Maybe it's because I make my neck openings big enough so they don't need to stretch much. I feel like it's not professional though so I don't know if I should sell anything like that. That's why I use RTW shirts in my outfits but I want to start creating and selling with some of my cute knit print stash. My double stretch needle never looks good. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I get that puckering between the stitches. Sometimes I don't topstitch at all which looks fine as long as it's ironed. I tried doing a zig zag tonight and it looks okay. I can't get any topstitching to work on stretchy baby nay or baby lulu. Even some I have that were coverstitched get all stretched out.

Tip, ideas? What do you do (besides coverstitch)?

**Missy** · 02-11-2006, 01:04 AM

I would love any tips here also. I thought it was jut my inexperience (is that a word?)
Missy

**BonaDea** · 02-11-2006, 01:43 AM

Depending on the weight of the knit I ...
A) serge first then double needle. I find that gives the edge more stability and makes my stitches consistantly nicer.
B) on finer/lighter knits I've been known to serge 1/2" lastin to the edge prior to turning and hemming.

I like the look of a wider double needle but if I'm dealing with lighter weight knits I find that a double needle that is enough smaller than the width of my serging so it fits within the serging is a much safer bet for me.

Hope you find something that works for you.

ETA: on the really light weight knits I've been known to opt for the last years trend of unfinished seams just to keep my sanity.

**anikasmama** · 02-11-2006, 03:16 AM

Have you tried the triple straight stitch? It's a stretch stitch. I prefer that at necklines over a double needle, just my preference though. I vary between the triple straight stretch and a double needle for shoulder seams depending on the look I want.

**PixiesMama** · 02-11-2006, 08:33 AM

I use the triple straight stitch often on baby nay knits.

**littlelemon** · 02-11-2006, 09:24 AM

Okay, what is a triple straight stitch? You topstitch with a double needle and then go back with a single needle and do a stretch stitch between the previous stitches? Is that right? I also get that roll of fabric pushing up between my double needle on the lightweight knits and it is so annoying because there doesn't seem to be much I can do about it.

**mc-squared** · 02-11-2006, 09:36 AM

The diagram on my machine looks like:

lll
lll
lll

The stitch goes two stitches forward and one stitch back. That is what I have been using. The double needle scares me a bit but I'm learning. I like the look of a single stitch much better though.

**mommy2maya** · 02-11-2006, 10:09 AM

Another thing that REALLY helps, especially with stretchy knits is lengthening your stitch length, my usualy setting is 2.5, I use 3.5 for topstitching knits. I've also found that I need a super stretchy hem with my destructo boy- he can blow out the best hems on tshirts, lol. I have to use a wide long zigzag for his shirts- it's about the only thing that works.

**tara** · 02-11-2006, 10:37 AM

I'm another one who hasn't had any luck with the double needle, and I use my triple straight stitch for shirt hems and topstitching around the neck. Sometimes I don't topstitch around the neck if I like how it looks without it.

Tara

**Kori** · 02-11-2006, 10:39 AM

Thanks everyone! I'm going to try that tripple straight stitch. Do you adjust the length on that at all?

**tara** · 02-11-2006, 11:00 AM

Kori, I usually have the length set between 3 and 4 for that stitch. You can do some test stitching and see what you like. I think anything in that range would work fine.

Tara

**Kori** · 02-11-2006, 11:30 AM

Here's my first try at a triple straight stitch. I set the length to 3. Mine only goes up to 3.5. I think I'll try that on the next one. Does this look right?

Thanks!

**tara** · 02-11-2006, 11:42 AM

Yup, that's about what mine looks like, too. My Elna goes from 0-4. I just checked b/c I used on the raglan hems the other day, and I had mine set at 4.

Tara

**Shalon** · 02-11-2006, 11:46 AM

I'm glad you asked this Kori. I have the same problem and it's one of the reasons I've been putting off making Iven some much needed shirts. lol!

**hoppytoad** · 02-11-2006, 12:06 PM

We needs to make this thread part of our "tips" section. We have a tips section, right?

I like double needle on baby things, but only after I've first serged the edge before I turn it over. Also, if I use a wider double needle, I don't have as much of a "ridge" of fabric between the needles.

On bigger kids stuff, I think I'll try the triple straight stitch. It looks really nice on your shirt, Kori! I've been using a zig zag mostly, and I don't like how it looks, really.

**starkl** · 02-11-2006, 12:07 PM

On Duncan's knight shirt that I showed the other day, I tried out the stretch stitch...Duncan refers to it as the "lightning bolt" stitch on my machine and I really like the way it looks. It's like a mini zigzag, looks decorative from the outside, but I gave a really good yank on it after it was done and it was nice and sturdy and plenty stretchy.

I flat out hate double needles, I can never get them to work right, so I was happy to see that this stitch works well.

**PixiesMama** · 02-11-2006, 12:08 PM

Yep Kori, that looks good!

I usually do set my length as long as it will go.

**belladonna** · 02-11-2006, 01:05 PM

Can someone tell me what the stitch looks like in your menu? Is it the 3 vertical lines one? My manual doesn't really say what each stitch is or where to use them, lol. I've been using the twin needle a lot this week but it is a pita to set up.

**arasmama** · 02-11-2006, 01:18 PM

Walking foot. Before I had my CS, I had to use it on the stretchy rib knits with the double needle.

**Kari_mom** · 02-11-2006, 02:05 PM

I have better luck with double-needles if I play with the upper tension a bit. If it is lightweight and still wants to tunnel, I feed in strips of tear-away stabilizer under the garment as it goes under the presser foot, or spray-starch and press the fabric before I sew to help stabilize it. Sometimes, though, it is late and I am tired and I just zig-zag.