What is jersey fabric?<\/h2>\n\n
Jersey is a knitted or warp-knitted fabric created by a special type of knitting or stitching. In this process, the threads are linked together in loop form, resulting in a stretchy and comfortable fabric. Thanks to its exceptional stretch and softness, it feels pleasant and comfortable against the skin when worn, which has made it many people’s favorite fabric. The flexibility of jersey allows unrestricted movement, which makes it ideal for sports activities and everyday life.
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<\/a><\/a>History of jersey<\/h2>\n\n
The history of jersey fabric is closely connected with the Channel Island of Jersey, from which it got its name. This island, located between England and France, played a crucial role in the creation and development of this popular fabric. There are a variety of jersey types, which differ from the manufacturing process, composition, structure and intended use. For a better overview, the following types of jersey are listed according to their respective manufacturing processes.<\/p>\n\n The single jersey is the most common type of jersey knitted fabric. Like hand knitting, here right and left stitches are knitted alternately (right-left weave). The thread runs horizontally along the fabric. This creates the characteristic right and left sides of single jersey, resulting in different front and back sides. It should be noted, however, that this knitting technique has the disadvantage that if the fibers are damaged, running stitches can form. Nevertheless, due to this special knitting method, the jersey fabric is characterized by elasticity in the longitudinal and transverse directions. The production of the single jersey can be in different designs, thicknesses, materials and textures.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n This classic fabric is made from 100% cotton fibers and is known for its softness, breathability, and comfort. Cotton jersey can be found in a variety of garments including t-shirts, dresses, underwear, baby, and children’s clothing and much more!<\/p>\n\n Thanks to elastic fibers, such as spandex, stretch jersey offers high stretch and elasticity, allowing it to conform well to the body and provide unrestricted freedom of movement. This type of jersey is often used for tight-fitting garments such as leggings, bodycon dresses and sportswear.<\/p>\n\n Viscose jersey is a smooth, flowing fabric made of viscose fibers with a cooling feel. It\u2019s fine shiny surface and soft texture offer high wearing comfort. It is ideal for summer garments such as skirts, blouses, and light pants due to its skin-friendly and cooling properties. Its virtually wrinkle free nature also makes viscose jersey suitable for elegant tops and blouses with a silky sheen.<\/p>\n\n Modal fibers (a modified viscose spun fiber that is slightly stronger and more dimensionally stable than regular viscose) derived from natural cellulose give this jersey its softness, smoothness, and color retention. It is especially popular for underwear, nightwear, and T-shirts.<\/p>\n\n Made of synthetic polyester fibers, this type of jersey is wrinkle resistant, durable and dries quickly. It finds application in sportswear, T-shirts, and dresses.<\/p>\n\n The fine, thin polyester fibers make microfiber jersey soft, lightweight, and breathable. Thanks to its high moisture wicking properties, it is particularly suitable for sports activities and outdoor clothing.<\/p>\n\n This fine jersey is made of silk fibers and impresses with its smooth texture, luxurious sheen, and incomparable softness. It is often used in high-quality dresses, tops, and nightwear.<\/p>\n\n Sweat Jersey is a thick jersey fabric typically made from cotton or a blend of cotton Blend of cotton, polyester, and spandex. Characteristic is its roughened inner side, which gives it a pleasantly soft and fluffy texture. Texture, while the outside remains smooth. Due to the use of an additional yarn during production, sweat jersey generally has a greater generally has a higher thickness compared to conventional jersey. Rib jersey is a special single jersey in which the stitches are knitted twice right and twice left to create the characteristic rib pattern. Usually consisting of cotton, occasionally with spandex or as a cotton-polyester blend, rib jersey is characterized by its double stitch count, which makes it particularly elastic and noticeably thicker than conventional single jersey. The term “jacquard” refers to a special weaving and knitting technique that allows patterns to be incorporated into the fabric. <\/strong>By using 2 rows of needles, a wide variety of patterns can be formed in jersey by alternating knit, no-knit, and tuck stitches. These patterns can be created with both solid and multicolored yarns. In this case, the right and left sides have the same patterns, although they have different binding sides due to the playful alternation of patterns. The double jersey is a knitted fabric, which consists of two-layer knitted surfaces. . It is made by right-right or left-left weave, which can be done only by machine, because several needles connect several stitches at the same time. Both the right and left sides of the fabric are identical. The thread runs vertically along the fabric. Romanit jersey is the most popular double jersey. This double-faced fine knit fabric is characterized by its heavy quality and excellent care properties, making it ideal for comfortable garments of all kinds. Romanite jersey can be made of materials such as viscose, nylon, polyester and spandex, although the respective proportions can vary. Therefore, Romanit jersey is often used to make figure-hugging garments that maintain a smooth silhouette and retain their shape. Depending on its composition, Romanit jersey can also have a warming effect, making it suitable to produce winter clothing.<\/p>\n\n Interlock jersey also belongs to the category of double jersey, with the difference that when knitting this jersey, two rows of needles are used and the stitches formed cross and interlace in a right-to-right weave. This interlock jersey can be either 100% cotton or a blend of cotton and polyester. Cloqu\u00e9 jersey works similarly to jacquard jersey, but with the difference that it consists of two different layers of fabric. A special connecting yarn is woven loosely and tightly around the two layers of fabric in different ways, creating patterns with a three-dimensional effect (bubble effects). Jersey is a popular fabric in the clothing industry and impresses with a variety of outstanding properties. These make it not only comfortable to wear, but also extremely versatile and easy to care for. Some of the most important properties of jersey are explained in more detail below:<\/p>\n\n A particularly remarkable property of jersey is its stretchability. Due to the use of elastic fibers or the special knit construction, the fabric can stretch in different directions. . As a result, it adapts well to the body and ensures unrestricted freedom of movement.<\/p>\n\n Jersey is a breathable fabric that wicks moisture away from the skin and allows good air circulation. This property keeps the body cool and dry, which is especially beneficial during sports activities or warm weather.<\/p>\n\n Due to its lightweight nature, jersey feels pleasant on the skin, provides a comfortable feel and does not cause any unpleasant heaviness or strain. This makes it ideal for light summer clothing or as a travel companion, as it takes up little space in your luggage.<\/p>\n\n Jersey is usually easy to care for and hardly wrinkles. Most jersey fabrics can be easily washed in the washing machine and dried without affecting their shape or softness.<\/p>\n\n The wide range of jersey variants, such as cotton jersey, viscose jersey, interlock jersey and stretch jersey, gives the fabric impressive versatility. These variations allow the fabric to be used for a wide range of garments and designs – from casual T-shirts and fashionable dresses to comfortable underwear and functional sportswear.<\/p>\n\n Sewing with jersey requires a special approach to achieve good results. The stretchy fabric can stretch when sewn, so it’s important to keep a few points in mind. Here are tips that will help you sew successfully with jersey.<\/p>\n\n Especially as a beginner, it is important to carefully consider which jersey fabric is suitable for your project. In advance, you should look at the properties of the fabric and check whether it fits your project.<\/p>\n\n Before any sewing project, it is advisable to wash the jersey fabric according to the washing recommendations. This will prevent unwanted shrinkage. For fabric edges that curl, it is recommended to sew wide overlock or zig-zag seams along the edges before washing and trim them after washing to minimize curling. Alternatively, you can use a steam iron to steam the jersey fabric well hot. <\/p>\n\n Since the edges of some types of jersey like to curl, it can be helpful to use spray starch, spray adhesive, elastic sewing tape, removable stabilizer or similar to prevent this effect. These can be easily sprayed, glued or ironed onto the edges. Especially for beginners, this can be a good method. However, with experience, you can manage without tools<\/p>\n\n Use a special jersey needle or a stretch needle for your sewing machine. These needles have rounded tips that do not damage the jersey fabric and produce clean stitches. For pure cotton jerseys we recommend using stretch needles, while for jerseys with synthetic fiber content or fabrics made entirely of synthetic fibers (such as polyester, spandex, lycra, microfiber, etc.) super elastic stretch needles are the most suitable choice. In the JULIANA MARTEJEVS sewing kits<\/a> with jersey fabrics you get the matching jersey sewing machine needle for free.<\/p>\n\n Choose the appropriate stitch type for your sewing projects. Use a zigzag or overlock stitch for stretchy seams to ensure that the seams will stretch without tearing. A stitch length of 2.5 to 3 mm works well for most jersey fabrics. Less tight projects like The Oversized T-Shirt<\/a> sewing kit can also be sewn with a straight stitch.<\/p>\n\n As a rule, you can use normal universal sewing thread for jersey fabrics without any problems. However, there are also special threads for jersey fabrics, such as elastic sewing thread, which stretches well and does not tear. This keeps the seams flexible and able to move with the jersey fabric. Depending on the sewing machine, the selected thread should be tested to make the best choice.<\/p>\n\n Before you start the actual project, always do a test stitch on a scrap piece of fabric. This will allow you to check the stitch settings and make sure the stitch you choose will work well with the jersey fabric.<\/p>\n\n Not all sewing machines allow you to regulate the presser foot pressure. A special jersey or Teflon sewing foot allows the fabric to slide smoothly under the presser foot without stretching the fabric. If a special foot is not available, a piece of tissue paper can help between the fabric and the presser foot, which is removed after sewing.<\/p>\n\n Overstretching can cause distortion of the jersey fabric and messy seams. To prevent this, you should not overstretch the fabric, but give the presser foot a little bit of the fabric stretch. This will minimize overstretching.<\/p>\n\n To prevent the jersey fabric from being “swallowed” by the sewing machine during initial and final locking seam, there are a few tricks. For initial locking seam, it is best to hold the top and bobbin thread ends with your hand and pull them back a little while locking seam. This will reduce the likelihood of the fabric being “swallowed” into the sewing machine. Other methods include using tissue paper between the presser foot and the jersey fabric or placing a remnant piece of jersey fabric at the end of the seam to keep the presser foot level and ensure neat locking seam. For beginners, here is a YouTube video that will help get started in the world of sewing machines.<\/p>\n\nTypes of jersey<\/h2>\n\n
Single Jersey<\/h3>\n\n
<\/a>Cotton jersey<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Stretch jersey<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Viscose jersey<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Modal jersey<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Polyester jersey<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Microfiber jersey<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Silk jersey<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Sweat jersey<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Rib jersey<\/h3>\n\n
<\/a>Jacquard jersey<\/h3>\n\n
<\/a>Double jersey<\/h3>\n\n
<\/a>Romanit jersey<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Interlock jersey<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a><\/a>Cloqu\u00e9 jersey<\/h4>\n\n
Jersey properties<\/h2>\n\n
Stretchability of jersey<\/h3>\n\n
<\/a>Breathability of jersey<\/h3>\n\n
<\/a>Jersey lightness<\/h3>\n\n
<\/a>Jersey easy care<\/h3>\n\n
<\/a>Versatility of jersey<\/h3>\n\n
<\/a>How to sew jersey fabric?<\/h2>\n\n
Prepare jersey sewing<\/h3>\n\n
What jersey fabric is suitable for sewing jersey?<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Jersey fabric prewash<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Cut jersey fabric<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>How to sew jersey fabric?<\/h3>\n\n
Choose the right needle for sewing stretchy fabric<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Suitable stitch length and stitch type for jersey fabric<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Sewing thread for sewing jersey<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Test the stitch with the jersey fabric<\/h4>\n\n
Use a suitable presser foot<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Avoid overstretching<\/h4>\n\n
<\/a>Bar-tacking stretch seams<\/h4>\n\n
Video tutorial: Sewing a tanktop made of rib jersey<\/h4>\n\n