What thread to sew knitwear?

When sewing knitted blouses, dresses, jackets, an important role is played not only by the correct choice of a needle for a sewing machine, but also by the quality of the thread itself. From its strength and elasticity directly depends on how smooth and neat the knitted seam will be. In the article, we will consider what you should pay attention to when choosing.

In specialty stores you can see a huge range of spools for overlockers and multifunctional sewing machines.

Choose threads for knitwear depending on the thickness of the fabric and its tendency to stretch. Fibers for machine stitching must be elastic, since the knitted fabric is stretched when sewing on the machine, and if the thread is selected correctly, it returns to its original form.

For sewing knitwear, synthetic or other artificial materials must be used.

• Reinforced - the most durable, perfectly stretch and take their previous shape again. Used for thick or medium-dense fabric. Have the designation "ЛХ", "ЛЛ" or "ЛШ". For example, number 36 is taken for a thin fabric, numbers 44, 65 - for a denser one. For woolen sweaters choose coils marked "LSH".

• Nylon - the fibers have a tendency to break under tension, therefore they are not used for stitching parts. Indispensable for hemming and hemming.

• Polyamide - these are tough nylon threads. They come in two varieties: twisted and monofilament. Twisted are used in the manufacture of shoes, bags and other leather items. Monofilament is softer in structure, suitable for sewing blind seams, it is used when hemming or trousers.For thin materials, take numbers 22, 33, for thick ones - 55-90.

• Polyester - the most convenient for work: the stitches are smooth and beautiful. Perfect for sewing and finishing clothes. Good color retention after washing. Ideal and Nitex have proven themselves very well.

• Spandex - made of latex or polyurethane, characterized by high elasticity and strength, there are options with and without winding. For fabric with a density of 28G take No. 100, for a denser 20-26G - No. 80, for double knitwear 16-20 G - No. 60.

• Textured - these are very soft fibers, made of lavsan, they stretch perfectly. These are ideal overlock threads and are used for overcasting inside seams on knitwear of any density. They are marked 18LT, 24LT, 37LT, etc. The higher the number, the thicker in diameter.

• Silk - durable and smooth, do not wrinkle products when wearing, washing and ironing.

The domestic brand "Gamma" enjoys high popularity, the products of this company are the most accessible to the general consumer. For the manufacture of knitted fabrics, the types Mikron and Nitka are most often used.

• Mikron Is a durable polyester used for the manufacture of clothing, footwear, leather goods. The smooth texture allows you to get even and tight seams with machine stitching. The coils are wound at 912 m (1000 yards). On the manufacturer's website, they are presented in 60 color options.

• Nitka - Made of 100% silicone coated polyester, abrasion and tear resistant, available for sewing and overlock sewing. The coils are wound on 4570 m (5000 yards). There are 242 colors in the palette.

The German company ALTERFIL manufactures products according to the special system Eko-Tex-Standart 100 and DIN EN ISO 9001: 2008. The threads are made of 100% polyester and come in several types.

• Reinforced are issued with the "S" badge, they are taken for the manufacture of high quality lightweight and outerwear.

• Textured with letter "B" used for sewing and processing knitwear, there are varieties for very thin fabrics and universal sewing.

• Elastic - very elastic in texture: stretched by 55-62%, used for processing stretch fabrics, sewing tracksuits, underwear, swimwear.

• Dip 20 semi - ideal for creating cover stitches (flat), available in 20 colors, has a characteristic soft sheen.

• Brilliant - it is viscose, it is often used for decorative seams. For sewing underwear or light stretch fabrics, insert into the shuttle.

For sewing on an overlock, the following brands are purchased.

• Coatsm, Nitex, Veritas - these are universal options, suitable for overlock and regular typewriter.
• Nitex, DH, RainBow produce soft stretchable fibers specifically for overlocks, they are used to process the edges of fabric, the choice of colors is huge.

Before purchasing new threads, it is recommended to take a piece of fabric with you to the store - this way it will be more convenient to choose the material in terms of shade and thickness.

Before starting work with new threads, it is recommended to check them whether they are elastic or not - they should not break when stretched.

• Place a small piece in hot water for 2 minutes, if after that the fiber will not be dyed, it means that it is dyed with high quality.

• Tuck into the machine and make a test line on a small piece of cloth... Even if the product is of good quality, if the sewing machine is set up incorrectly, the stitches may become tight or uneven.

If all the points are passed successfully, it means that you can safely start up the purchased goods.