Tips for Sewing With Knits: Make Your Dream T-shirt!

Podcast Transcript

Sarai
Welcome back to Seamwork Radio, where we share practical ideas for building a creative process so you can sew with intention and joy. So Haley's out on parental leave with her new baby, so I'm flying solo, and I've invited some really fun guests to join me on the podcast.

And today, I'm here with Whitney from TomKat Stitchery.

Hi, Whitney!

Whitney
Hello! Thank you so much for having me on.

Sarai
Whitney's goal with TomKat Stitchery is to share the creative process of sewing and curating a better wardrobe with people from all over the world.

She has a really popular YouTube channel and tons of classes and resources to help you learn new sewing techniques and make plans to sew your entire wardrobe.

So today, Whitney's here with us to share her 10 favorite tips for sewing with knits so you can find and sew your dream T-shirt pattern.

I'm so happy to have you here, Whitney. I'm so happy to talk knits.

Whitney
Absolutely. It's one of my favorite things to talk about, one of my favorite things to sew with. So yeah, I could talk all day about them.

Sarai
And your YouTube channel is such an awesome resource for people who are interested in knits or any sewing, really, and upping their sewing game.

What is it that you like the most about sewing with knits?

Whitney
There's a few things that I really like about sewing with knits.

Number one, I just I really enjoy wearing knits. I find them easy to fit. I find them comfortable. I find with the newer fabrics that are out there, it's really easy to get a very polished look while still maintaining that comfort.

But as far as sewing with them, I find them quicker.

While I do do a majority of my net sewing on a serger, I also know that a lot of people don't have access to that machine. Just as easy to sew them on the sewing machine. But I do find them just a little bit quicker to get through. I find them great palate cleansers.

The T-shirt in particular is one of my favorites because it's just such a great wardrobe basic. It can be layered, it can be as-is, it can dress things up, dress things down. And then obviously, once you've learned to get a really great fitting T-shirt, it's so easy to hack it into dresses or different necklines.

I just find it a great base pattern to play around with, I guess.

Sarai
Yeah, absolutely. I've been thinking about this because on our YouTube channel, I've been starting to document the process—I’m trying to get to having an 80% handmade wardrobe. That's my goal. I would like for 80% of my wardrobe. It doesn't have to be 100%, it doesn't have to be perfect, but 80%.

And part of that is replacing some of the store bought clothes I have. So even the basics, like T-shirts and things with things I've made myself.

And it's so fun because you get to really choose all those details, all the fabrics, everything that makes a T-shirt really stand out in your closet and makes it something you want to wear.

Whitney
Absolutely. Absolutely. Colors that you want to wear that are not available in the stores, certain patterns. I completely agree.

Sarai
I think a lot of people, at least people who are newer to sewing or haven't really gotten into knits, feel a little bit intimidated by them.

What is it that you think intimidates people about knits?

Whitney
I think maybe the biggest thing is just the fact that the knit fabric stretches, and people don't know how to compensate for that. It's easy to pop stitches. Our fabric needs to continue be able to stretch even after it's been sewn.

I think that that does intimidate some people. Obviously, because of the nature of the stretch of the fabric, we can come into some sewing in particular issues with the machine or with our seams getting pulled out of shape. Some of those troubleshooting things that once you have a few little tips and tricks in your bucket, aren't so hard to get around.

But it can be a little intimidating when you're used to a fabric not having give and then all of a sudden being very stretchy.

Sarai
Yeah. Do you think that when people are first getting into knits, they should invest in a serger right away? Is that something that you think is necessary?

Whitney
Absolutely. No, absolutely not. I think that is very doable on a sewing machine, especially with a lot of the major thread companies now are offering these stretch threads that I think makes keeping our seams stretchy and keeping them even having that recovery as well that a lot of our spandex fabrics have makes it so much easier to be able to sew quality garments on a sewing machine and not having to have the serger anymore.

I mean, I still enjoy the serger. I enjoy the professional finish that it gives. But yeah, it's absolutely doable with just a sewing machine, just a zigzag stitch.

Sarai
Yeah, that's interesting. That's a great tip because I haven't actually sewn with any of those stretch threads myself. So I'm very curious about them.

Whitney
Me too. I've only just dipped my toe in because, again, I do so much on the serger, but they're really amazing. It's amazing how even just with a straight stitch, how much stretch and recovery I can get with that thread as opposed to a regular polyester all-purpose thread. They're pretty cool.
Sarai
That's cool. All right, let's get into your 10 tips.

Whitney
Okay. Well, and that is one of them, the stretch threads.

There are so many, not necessarily gadgets. Well, there are some helpful notions and gadgets that are out there. We obviously, as seamstresses, a lot of us also like collect the things that go with sewing, whether that be fabrics or all the different things that can help make our life a little bit easier.

I've tried to keep these things that are accessible to everybody, so not necessarily something that you're going to have to spend a ton of money on, which is why I think it's important that when we are talking about sewing with knits and learning to sew with knits, then it can totally be done on a sewing machine.

What's the best sewing machine? It’s the one that you have access to, the one that you have right in front of you or the one that you're most easily able to get your hands on. That's a It's a great thing with sewing to me to make it... Because it should be accessible to everyone. It's a wonderful little hobby.

But I think the first thing when it comes to sewing with knits is a walking foot.

Most sewing machines do come with a walking foot, maybe that comes with your brand of sewing machine. There are so many generic walking feet that are out there, heck, even on Amazon.

You don't have to spend a ton of money on them. Some of them can be quite costly. I'm not sure why, but just as long as you’ve got a walking foot. The reason for that is that for those that aren't familiar with a sewing machine, the bottom part of your sewing machine is called the feed dogs, and that is what's grabbing the fabric and pulling it through.

A walking foot mimics that on the top. We're pulling our top layer and our bottom layer through at the same rate. You're not going to get the stretch of the seam. You're not going to have one layer getting stretched and then the other one not getting stretched, and then it comes up with wavy seams.

It just makes navigating knits, I think, so much easier. That is definitely something if you're going to be sewing with nets that you're absolutely going to want to have in your toolbox.

The second thing is a good needle.

A ballpoint needle is technically what we want to be using for knits. It's a little hard to tell with the naked eye, but a little bit more rounded at the bottom, which makes it easier to get in through the knitted threads of the fabric as opposed to the woven.

But particularly because so much of our fabric nowadays has a spandex component, I prefer actually a stretch needle. It is a ballpoint needle, and I'm not even sure what makes the difference. I just notice I get much less skipped stitches when I'm using a specific stretch needle. I prefer the Schmetz ones, but those are my favorite.

They're pretty easy to get at all the box stores and Amazon and Wawak and all of that. But that is my favorite. I keep them in a couple of different sizes.

You want a smaller size needle for your finer fabrics and a little bit larger size for your thicker ones, your pontes and that sort of thing. But that will really help, in my opinion, from those skip stitches and just help make life just a little bit easier.

Sarai
Just to clarify for people, this is something they would use in their serger or in their regular straight stitch machine?

Whitney
Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.

With the serger, there's not a walking foot option with the serger, but there's differential feeds that you can mess with a little bit if you are getting the wavy seams, which gets a little bit more into the nitty-gritty of a serger.

But yes, I use the same needles in my home machine as I do in my serger. So yeah, definitely.

Okay. And then, like we were talking about, that stretch thread. It's just something that's new on the market, and I think relatively new, but I feel like all of the major thread companies now have a stretch thread in their catalog, whether that's Coats & Clarks. I've seen the Madiera.

I really like the Gutermann. That's my favorite. They're Maraflex. But yeah, you can find them in all the different colors. You do use this in the top thread, just like you do in the bobbin.

It's different than elastic thread, which is what you would use for shirring and that thing. But you use it just like you do regular thread.

I don't use this in a serger. I don't think it's necessary to use the stretch thread in a serger. The thread's fine. The way that the serger stitch works, you're going to get enough stretching through there. But it's really cool.

If that's something that you're interested in trying out, just getting a neutral color and just do some little tests. I was messing around with it. I was filming a class and messing around with some of it. It's really amazing stuff. The technology of thread, who knew that there were steps to take? I know.

Sarai
It's been around for so long, you'd think.

Whitney
What else could they do to it? It really does, yeah, make a huge difference, especially if you're doing all of your sewing on a sewing machine. Slow me down if I get going too fast. I can talk about this all day long.

Sarai
No, this is great. But we've got some stitches on our sewing machines that can help with that. Whether you're using just regular all-purpose thread or the stretch thread, we want a little bit of give in those seams so that when they stretch to go over our heads or to go over our shoulders, that they go back with the fabric, go back into shape, have that recovery.

Technically, all of them are a form of a zigzag stitch. You've got the little lightning bolt stitch. A lot of us on sewing machines, even the most basic. That's a stretch stitch, which is just a really narrow zigzag.

But if you don't have that, it's very easy to adjust the width and length on your regular zigzag stitch that's on your machine. I like a 2.5 length and a one width. I think that's nice. It gives a little bit of the illusion of a straight stitch on the front if you've got that seam pulling apart a little bit.

When it comes to topstitching and that thing, I think I think that the triple stitch is a really good one. What that stitch does is it goes forward and backward three times, but they're right next to each other. It's like a really condensed zigzag stitch before it goes forward. It goes slow because it uses a lot of thread, but if you're top stitching down a neckline or maybe on your sleeve, hems and that thing, that can be a really good option.

Play around with the stitches your sewing machine. Get some scrap pieces of knit fabrics and see what they can do. I feel like most of us have multiple stitches on our machines, and how many of those do we actually know what they do?

Sarai
I know. It's so fun to play around with them, too. We just did this tutorial on YouTube for hem stitching, and playing around with all the different fancy stitches that I'd never used before on my machine was so fun. So, yeah, I definitely encourage people to play around. It's so fun to to see what your machine can do.

Whitney
Absolutely. Yeah, we all stick with what? Like the five that we know. But yeah, get on there, play around, experiment, find out what works the best for you.

On that note, the next little tip, I have a coverstitch machine that I also use quite frequently. I love it with knits.

It just makes a straight stitch on the top. It's either a single or a double straight stitch on the top with a chain on the bottom, which just makes a very stretchy hem, and it goes back recovery-wise.

But if you would like something similar to that, a double needle creates that same look on the face of the garment. It'll give you a very even double stitch hem.

They do still sell those stretch needles as well. You can get them in a couple of different widths. You do want to make sure that the plate on your machine is wide enough for those. So test, because we don't want to be hitting the plate of our machine with the needles. But that It creates the two stitches on top and then a zigzag on the back.

It's not quite as stretchy as a coverstitch. But again, if you're using that stretch thread, I think it's a great way to get some more professional-looking or ready-to-wear-looking hems or even topstitching without having to invest in a coverstitch machine.

If you're still a ways from investing in a cover stitch machine, which I love mine, but it's a great way to still get that and sew with knits successfully with just the addition a separate needle.

Sarai
We have a cover stitch machine in the Seamwork office, but I don't have one at home, and I use the double needle all the time.

Whitney
Yeah. Especially if you're just doing hems on a coverstitch machine, and a costly machine to have just for hems.

Sarai
Yeah, it takes up space, too.

Whitney
Yes, absolutely. So the double needle, the twin needle there for the win is always a really good idea.

Okay, another thing that I like that I find really helps to elevate a garment, help with the longevity of, specifically T-shirts, but any knit dresses and that thing, are some stay tapes, especially stay tapes in the shoulder seam.

I use a woven stay tape, so it has zero give. It's fusible. I iron it into the shoulder seam on the back, and it just keeps your shoulders from growing over time. From then pulling your neckline out of whack. It keeps things through all of the different washes looking better, in my opinion, especially if you like to use rayon or viscose jerseys for your T-shirts because that fiber is so heavy. It has a tendency to grow and so easy to stretch out those shoulder seams with those fabrics that are a little bit heavier fiber.

A little stay tape, some people use clear elastic in that shoulder seam as well to help give that stability. But that is one of my favorite ones to use, as well as I love a good double-sided hem tape for the hems of my knits.

Because number one, you iron it on, pull the tape off, fold it up, iron it again. But it keeps your hems very consistent.

I find that a one-inch hem on the bottom of my T-shirts or the sleeves, it's just a really hefty professional-looking width, if that makes sense. It just looks more ready to wear and store bought. Honestly, that one is just really more for ease. It's just so easy to have it all nice and pressed up.

When I go to do my hems, I'm also making sure that I'm catching the back of that hem in either the cover stitch loop or the zigzag from the twin needle. But those are lovely. You can find a few different brands of those as well.

Sarai
Yeah, I love that stuff.

Whitney
Yeah. I mean, why make life more complicated? The easier it can be, the better.

Sarai
That’s my motto.

Whitney
Yeah, absolutely. I am here for the joy of sewing. I am not a couture seamstress, and I'm okay with that.

I am here just to enjoy... I'm a ready-to-wear seamstress. That is my level of detail and professionalism, while doing the more detailed stuff can be fun. But yeah, we're here for the joy. Sometimes we just need that palate cleanser, that quick little make.

Sarai
Absolutely.

Whitney
I think another tip that I I would say is fabric. I feel like, especially people that are newer to sewing, period, or maybe just newer to sewing with knits, picking the correct fabric to go with the correct project can be a big hurdle.

Sometimes a project can be sewn very well, but maybe the fabric was wrong, and so it's not laying how you envisioned, or it's boxier than you thought, or drapier than you thought, just because you picked the wrong fabric for that pattern.

I have three substrates, I guess, that I particularly like for T-shirts. My favorite being cotton spandex jersey. Cotton is a little bit more of a structured fiber. It's got a little bit more body, and I like how it holds its shape. It fits a little bit closer to the body because it holds its shape, but I like that it hugs my curves the way I want it to hug for most times. I also find it fits a little bit closer to the body, which helps with layering. If my T-shirts that I want to put under things, I would say that's That's really my personal favorite fabric to use for most T-shirts.

But there's also, like I mentioned, a viscoce or rayon. You can use those interchangeably, spandex fabrics that create a little bit more of a drape.

If you're someone that really enjoys maybe a little bit more oversized T-shirt, something a little slouchier, a little bit more comfortable, I think a viscoce or rayon spandex is fantastic. Anything with drapey details, like maybe a flounce sleeve or a cowl neck or something like that, looks wonderful. This goes in rayons because the fiber is heavier and it falls in on itself. That can be a fun one to play with.

It's typically a little bit thinner fabric. If it is clinging, sometimes it clings a little more to lumps, bumps, that thing, which can be fine because the different fabric properties can be good and bad depending on what your end goal is.

Then a really good in between if you're not sure where you want to go. I feel like this is a—not new— But I see it more recently, but a cotton modal spandex mix, which is the best of both worlds a little bit, I feel like. It still has the structure of the cotton with a little bit more relaxed feel of the modal. Then personally, I like spandex in my fabric for that recovery.

Although 100% cotton, all of the wonderful organic cottons that are out there, 100% cotton, are fantastic, you just may want to choose something a little bit like a boxy or T-shirt or something that doesn't fit quite as close to the body.

Then maybe you want a different fabric for the... If it's a crew neck, for the neck band so that the neck band at least goes back into shape when it's pulled over the head. But yeah, there are so many wonderful fabric stores that are out there, these independent fabric stores. I

do recommend buying the best quality that you can afford, whatever that might be. That doesn't necessarily mean the most expensive. Sometimes we can find some really great stuff on second-hand or even upcycling and thrifting in that thing. But quality of fabric does, in my opinion, it makes a better in-product.

So, the best that we can put in the end, the better that comes out on the other side.

Sarai
Yeah. Another knit fabric that I really like for T-shirts is a linen knit. I think that makes just such a nice wearable T-shirt. I have a couple of linen T-shirts, and especially when the weather gets warmer, they're just so nice and breezy and comfortable to wear.

Whitney
Yes, yes. And And honestly, I really love merino, a moreno jersey, which is just as good, in my opinion, in summer as it is in winter, because it's naturally antimicrobial, it's naturally wicking. Those are great base layers as well.

Sarai
Yeah. And if you do a lot of outdoor activities, like you do a lot of hiking and that thing, it's great for that because if you're a hiker, you know that cotton is not the best choice for hiking because it retains water and can be very cold if you get wet.

Whitney
Yes, you were correct. I even have quite a bit of my workout wear that's in a merino-nylon mix, and it's fantastic for hot weather just as well as base layers.

There's some really good natural fibers. Yes, and this is what's fun about knits. Sky is the limit.

Which is the next one, is finding a good T-shirt pattern, whatever that is from whatever company, but just finding one, maybe you put a little bit of work into getting it to fit you great. But having that one TNT, tried and true pattern, for those that aren't familiar with the terminology, but having that one really great T-shirt pattern that is easy to hack a different neckline on, hack a different sleeve on it, short sleeve, long sleeve, hack it into a dress.

But not that you shouldn't or couldn't try many different T-shirt patterns, because I do. I like some for different reasons, depending on what I want for my finished product. But having that one base that's just really easy to go back to if you know, okay, I want a boat neck style T-shirt and a Breton stripe.

Okay, well, I can go back to this one and know that it's going to look great and fit really well.

The bonus of T-shirts is that when it comes to fitting, the knit fabric does a lot of the work for you. They, in my opinion, are much easier to get a great fit on than a woven top, for instance. It's a great place to start with a fitting journey if that is something that you're new to finding a really great T-shirt pattern.

And again, there's so many out there. Free ones, ones you can buy. Most pattern companies have them. So a pattern company that you know fits you really pretty great from the get-go is a great place to start with that.

Sarai
I had a question about fitting since you brought that up. I think one of the things that people find difficult about fitting knits is that every fabric behaves differently.

You have any advice for people when they're trying to get that great fit on a T-shirt, when they might want to try different fabrics?

Whitney
Actually, I just had someone ask this question on the YouTube channel not that long ago. Maybe the pattern fits you really well in a cotton spandex jersey, and then you make it in a rayon or maybe something with a little bit more drape, even like a linen rayon blend. I've gotten some really beautiful fabric like that.

Now all of a sudden, the T-shirt looks really big. I think the biggest tip when it comes with that is I don't think that necessarily you need to make any fitting adjustments to the pattern because the pattern is a base pattern, fits you really great.

There are just maybe some concessions that we need to make for the fabric.

Getting a T-shirt pattern maybe to fit you in a fabric that doesn't tend to grow or move, so like a cotton spandex. Once we've nailed down the fit, just knowing, okay, if I'm going to make this in a fabric that's got a little bit more drape or even a fabric that maybe doesn't have quite as much recovery, then we just play around with some of the seam allowances.

Maybe we're taking it in a little bit more at the side seams, or maybe that's we know this V- neck gets a little too plunging on me when it's in a drapey or fabric.

My T-shirt pattern, I actually have multiple neck lines drawn on it, so I will trace off whatever I'm making. Even having a couple of different options for your scoop neck or your V-neck, I think would absolutely make sense.

Unfortunately, when it comes to pairing fabric with patterns, it really comes down to trial and error. That's the best way to learn. I know that that can be... Because fabric costs money. I mean, it's time and effort and money that we're putting into these projects, and it's a real bummer when they don't end up the way that they do.

But that's honestly the best way for us to learn. I will say, most of the time, even when we come up with a fail, very rarely is it unsalvageable. Usually, there is something that can be done to alter it and get it wearable and still working. So don't be scared to try.

Sarai
I think you bring up some good points about thinking critically about the fabric and what types of fabric are going to work with that particular pattern. If you do get it, like you said, if you get the fit right with a certain type of fabric, you can think a little bit more critically about which other types of fabrics might have the same kinds of properties so that get a similar fit.

Again, like you're saying, it's trial and error and really figuring out, for example, how rayon behaves a little bit differently than a cotton spandex.

You can know that and learn about that, but sometimes you have to do it yourself to figure out what that looks like.

Whitney
Absolutely. Even just trying on your T-shirts and making some side-by-side comparisons on the differences can be really helpful.

It's not just knit fabrics. I mean, the wovens do the same thing. It just helps just to get in there and start messing with it.

My daughter is an artist. She is a painter. I equate it almost to different mediums. Her oil paints behave differently than her acrylic paints, and definitely different than the watercolor paint. But you just got to get in there and play with the medium in order to determine what it's going to do and to get your desired end effect.

So think of the fabric as your paint.

Sarai
Exactly.

Whitney

But then on that note, I think when it comes to working with knits and sewing with knits, is now that we've made this wonderful garment, how do we take care of this so that it does last us a long time?

Because I've done a little bit of an experiment. My mom was always complaining. She was buying these very nice quality T-shirts and getting random holes around the belly, from where her pants were abrading.

There are a million different theories out there about why these holes appear in these ready to wear T-shirts. I'm pretty convinced it's fabric. Even these higher-end companies selling these higher-end T-shirts, in order for everything to come out, how do they make their profit?

Well, they either save money on one end in order or they raise their prices. I'm pretty convinced that as seamstresses, or sewers or sewists that we can a lot of times source much nicer fabric than what we can necessarily buy in the stores.

I think it's worth it to put in the time and money into T-shirts because they're going to last you so much longer than the $5, $10 T-shirt that you can get in Target.

Yes, I can buy a T-shirt for way less than what I can make it, but it's not going to last me nearly as long. That plays into just how we're laundering and how we're taking care of these finished garments. I wash everything in my washing machine.

Is that the right word, washing machine? Yes, that sounds weird to me for a second.

Sarai
The washing contraption.

Whitney
Yes, the big machine that washes my clothes.

I try to use the highest quality soap I can use, especially on my handmades. But I air dry everything.

The spandex content in our T-shirts does not like the heat. Occasionally, they do get thrown into the dryer because other people do laundry in my house as well, which is why we should always wash and dry the yardage before we make the T-shirt so there's no major shrinkage.

But I do try and air dry all of my finished T-shirts, and you're going to have a reduction in pilling, you're going to have a reduction in the fading of the color.

They just seem to last much longer when you just take care of them properly, even though it's tempting just to toss them because it's a T-shirt, just to toss it into the dryer, but to get more longevity out of that when we take care of what we made a little bit better.

Sarai
Yeah. I also always get those holes in my T-shirts, and I always attribute it to the cats, digging their claws into my belly when I hold them. But I don't know.

Whitney
Which can totally also, yeah.

Sarai
I'm sure it doesn't help, but...

Whitney
Definitely. Yeah, I've read all sorts of different theories, but I told my mom, I was like, Okay, we're going to make you a couple of T-shirts, and I'm just curious, are you just really hard on T-shirts? Or is it the difference in fabric?

And so far, the couple that I've made her, she's not getting the holes. So I don't know. We'll see. It's my very unscientific, my hypothesis for the dreaded holes in the fronts of T-shirts. But I’m here for the longevity, here for the longevity, especially on our handmade wardrobe.

Sarai
Absolutely.

Whitney
Where am I at? Am I at 8, 9? I'm not even sure where I'm at in my tips now.

I think probably the biggest tip, though, when it comes to sewing with knits is, like I said, just to try. Nothing catastrophic is going to happen if you make a T-shirt that turns out horribly wrong.

Again, there's very little that we can do to a T-shirt that is not fixable, especially with some of these tips and tricks, using the walking foot, using the correct thread and the correct needles. That is going to set you up for success, so you're not getting horribly stretched out seams and that thing.

But it's so satisfying to have a garment that you've made and to be able to wear that proudly. I get really tickled. I make most of my clothes. I'm like you, not 100%, but it's funny because my dad just finds it mind-blowing that I've made my T-shirt. I can show up in a blazer and pants say that that I've made, and his mind is not nearly as blown as in a T-shirt.

Just keeping that perspective, that the reason that we're doing this is for the joy of sewing.

If we don't try, then you don't get that wonderful outcome, that wonderful feeling of pride in making something that you've worn. So, yeah, don't be scared. It is just fabric. And while it is time and money, again, thinking of it as an artist, I never say to my daughter, “Oh, my gosh, look at that canvas you just wasted,” because that's not the case.

We are learning and we get to wear our art, which is really cool, and show our individuality and our uniqueness right there in our craftmanship on our bodies every day. So is there any better thing for someone to say, “Oh, my gosh, I love your…" And be able to say, “Thanks, I made it?”

Sarai
People are always so impressed.

Whitney
They are, even when it's just a very simple T-shirt. That is probably my biggest thing.

Also, I have noticed in the sewing community, perfectionism, because I feel like sewing lends itself to the detail-oriented person. It's very satisfying to that type of person. But I feel like perfectionism, it steals joy, and it can get in our heads and take away the joy that is sewing.

So don't let perfectionism throw you off. If it makes you feel better, go put on that ready to wear T-shirt and compare it. And a lot of times, you're like, “Oh, my gosh, this actually is way better than. Is it perfect? No. But it's still better than what I was paying for originally.” So just keeping that mindset.

Sarai
Yeah. And even if it's not, even if there are things that really bother you about it, you get to learn from them. And that's really cool, too. And the next time you do it, it'll be a little better.

Whitney
Yes. You wear that T-shirt and maybe you decide, “You know what? It's riding up a little bit when I move around a lot or whatever, and then doing the research to figure out why it's doing that and how to fix it.

Sarai
I was going to say that I think that's a great thing about sewing with knits. Because they are fast, You can get that learning cycle going really fast. You don't have to spend days and days working on it. You make it, you find where you could improve it next time, and then you can make another one.

Whitney
Absolutely. That's what's so wonderful about it, because we don't ever want to become perfect in sewing. That's the fun of it, always being able to learn. I never want to get to the end of that. Embrace. Embrace the learning part of sewing and try out knits.

Sarai
Cool. Well, is that the last tip?

Whitney
I think so. I think I got the... I think I hit the 10.

Sarai
Great. Awesome. Those were amazing. I definitely want to... I think my big takeaway, I really want to try that stretch thread now because it's something I haven't done before.

I mostly use the serger for knits, but for those hems and all those other times when I do need to use a regular straight stitch machine, I want to try it out and see what it does.

Whitney
Even the decorative stitches with the machine. I feel like this opens up a whole realm of different things that we can do on knit fabrics with the stretch thread.

Sarai
Yeah, I'm excited about that.

Well, thank you so much for joining me today, Whitney. Me. And if people want to follow you, where can they find you?

Whitney
Well, you can find me at my website, which is TomKatstitchery.com, which is an easy way to find me at all my other areas. I'm TomKatStitchery on YouTube. We've got two videos that come out every single week. And then I'm TomKatstitcheryCarmel on Instagram and Facebook. Yeah, come follow along.

Sarai
And that's TomKat with a K for all of you listening.

Whitney
Yes, it is. It's T-O-M-K-A-T. Yes, it is.

Sarai
We'll put a link to those in the show notes as well.

If Whitney's tips have you wanting to do some shopping for knit fabric, I wanted to remind all of you that Seamwork members get discounts at some of our favorite indie fabric stores.

You can save anywhere from 10 to 20% on your purchases as a Seamwork member. A lot of people say that these discounts alone pay for their entire membership, and you can see a list of participating fabric stores at Seamwork.com/deals if you're interested in that.

And if you like this episode, we would love it if you would leave us a review. We read all of our reviews, and we are so appreciative of every single review and five-star rating that we get. So if you're listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or anywhere else, you're choosing to listen to this podcast, go ahead and leave us a review.

I also wanted to mention that we are now on YouTube. We have a separate YouTube channel just for the podcast, as well as our main YouTube channel. And those are just a way for you to listen to the podcast on YouTube. Some people prefer that.

Thank you again for joining us, Whitney.

Whitney
Thank you so much for having me on. This is a ton of fun.

Sarai
All right. I'm Sarai, and this is Seamwork Radio.