The Sewing With Stretch Edition
- Rosie Jones
- May 6
- 7 min read
Welcome to Sew & Tell, our new weekly edit landing every Wednesday. Inside you’ll find sewing tips, clever tricks, inspiration for when your sewjo is hiding, and plenty of answers to your burning questions.
Each week, we’ll spotlight one question from our community - so if there’s something you’ve been wondering about your sewing projects, just get in touch and let us know. Everything we share is designed to help you sew with more confidence.
This week we are diving into sewing with stretch and trust me there's a lot to share!
✂️ Tip of the Week - How to Measure Stretch Percentage Fabric
If you’ve ever looked at a pattern that says “requires 30% stretch” and thought… what does that actually mean? This is the simplest way to work it out.
Start by laying your fabric flat on a table alongside a ruler or tape measure. Measure out 10cm of fabric and mark that point with a pin, or just hold it between your fingers.
Keep the start of the fabric held firmly at 0cm on your ruler. Then gently stretch the fabric along the ruler, pulling from your 10cm mark. Don’t yank it, just stretch it as it would naturally sit when worn.
Now check where that 10cm reaches when stretched:
If it stretches to 11cm, that’s 10% stretch
If it stretches to 12cm, that’s 20% stretch
If it stretches to 14cm, that’s 40% stretch
Once you understand how to measure it, the next step is knowing why it matters.
Patterns are designed with a specific stretch percentage in mind. That stretch is what allows the garment to fit your body properly, especially in areas like the bust, waist, and hips where movement and comfort are key.
If you use a fabric with less stretch than recommended, the garment can feel tight, restrictive, and sometimes you might not even be able to get it on. If you use a fabric with more stretch, you can end up with something that feels loose, baggy, or doesn’t hold its shape in the way it was intended.
It also affects how the garment behaves over time. The right stretch helps a piece recover and keep its shape, while the wrong choice can lead to sagging, twisting, or seams that feel strained.
This is one of those small skills that makes a huge difference. Once you start checking stretch before you cut or even buy fabric, your finished garments will feel more comfortable, look better, and behave exactly how the pattern intended.
🧵 This Week’s Make Inspiration: The Bold One – Fredy or Rossi Wrap Dress
We’ve had this dress up on the mannequin in the studio for a couple of weeks now and the consensus is in… you all absolutely love it. I don’t think we’ve ever had a sample garment get quite so many compliments.
As gorgeous as it is in our linen mix in that teal colourway, we keep coming back to how good this would look in our stretch soft slub viscose as well. It’s lighter in weight, so perfect for a proper summer version, and it has 3% spandex which gives it that little bit of extra comfort.
What’s really nice about this fabric is that it behaves like a woven when you’re sewing it, so you’re not battling with it, but you still get some of the benefits of stretch. That bit of give makes a real difference when it comes to wearing it, especially on a warm day when you just want something easy and comfortable.
I’m personally dreaming of making one in the cerise, as we all know how I feel about pink, but the navy is just as good. And the two together… a colour blocked, striped version could be very good.
🧵 Sewing Machine Spotlight: Stretch Stitches
If you’re starting to sew with stretch fabrics, your sewing machine already has more to offer than you might think. Those stretch stitches aren’t just decorative, they’re designed to move with your fabric so your seams don’t pop the first time you wear your garment.
Here are a few of the most useful ones to get familiar with:
Zig Zag Stitch
The one most people already know, and often the first stretch stitch you’ll use. It allows the seam to stretch without breaking, making it perfect for sewing jersey seams, finishing edges, and even attaching elastic. Adjusting the width and length can give you more control depending on the fabric.
Lightning Stitch (Stretch Straight Stitch)
This one looks like a straight stitch at first glance, but it has a slight back-and-forth motion that gives it built-in stretch. It’s great for seams where you still want a clean, straight finish, like side seams on a t-shirt or dress, but need that flexibility.
Three-Step Zig Zag
This stitch takes three small stitches in each zig and zag, creating a stronger, more flexible seam. It’s ideal for attaching elastic, especially on underwear, swimwear, or waistbands, as it holds everything securely while still allowing movement.
Elastic/Overedge Stitch
Often a combination stitch that looks a bit like a zig zag with a straight stitch alongside it. This is designed for sewing and finishing in one go, helping to stabilise seams on stretch fabrics and prevent edges from rolling or stretching out.
Triple Stitch
The triple stitch is one of those stitches that doesn’t look that exciting on the dial, but it’s incredibly useful once you start using it. Instead of a single straight stitch, the machine stitches forwards, backwards, and forwards again on the same line, which makes it much stronger and gives it a bit of built-in stretch. It’s great for seams that need to take some strain, like leggings, underarms, or anywhere that gets a lot of movement. The only thing to be aware of is that it really means it when it says secure… if you make a mistake, it’s almost impossible to unpick cleanly, so it’s worth taking a second to check everything before you start stitching.
⭐ Sewing Skills: What’s the Difference Between Stretch and Ballpoint Needles?
If you’ve ever stood in front of the needle section wondering which one to pick, you’re not alone. Stretch and ballpoint needles are often grouped together, but they’re designed for slightly different jobs.
Ballpoint Needles
These have a rounded tip that gently pushes between the fibres of the fabric rather than piercing through them. This helps prevent damage like ladders or holes, which is especially important when working with knitted fabrics like jersey.
They’re a great general choice for stable knits. Think t-shirts, cotton jersey, interlock… fabrics that have some stretch, but aren’t overly stretchy or fine.
Stretch Needles
Stretch needles also have a rounded tip, but they’re designed specifically for fabrics with a higher stretch content, especially those with elastane or spandex (like swimwear, activewear, or very stretchy viscose jerseys).
The key difference is in the eye and the scarf (the part of the needle that helps catch the thread). Stretch needles are designed to reduce skipped stitches, which is a common issue when sewing very stretchy fabrics.
So which should you use?
If your fabric is a stable knit with moderate stretch → go for a ballpoint
If your fabric is very stretchy, fine, or contains elastane → go for a stretch needle
Using the right needle makes a bigger difference than most people expect. It can be the difference between smooth, even stitching and a machine that constantly skips stitches or chews up your fabric.
FAQ: Can I Use a Stretch Fabric for a Woven Pattern… and Vice Versa?
Short answer: sometimes… but not without thinking it through.
Patterns are drafted with a specific type of fabric in mind, and that choice affects everything from the fit to how the garment goes together.
Using a Stretch Fabric for a Woven Pattern
This is often the more forgiving swap. Because stretch fabric has give, you’ll usually still be able to get the garment on, even if the pattern wasn’t designed for it.
But, the extra stretch can change the final look. You might find the garment ends up looser, drops differently on the body, or grows slightly with wear. Details like darts, facings, and structure can also behave differently in a stretch fabric.
It’s also worth thinking about the design itself. Some features just aren’t designed with stretch fabrics in mind. Things like crisp collars, structured waistbands, button stands, and sharp facings can be much harder to recreate neatly in a stretch fabric, especially if it’s soft or drapey. You may lose some of that clean, structured finish the pattern was aiming for.
Using a Woven Fabric for a Stretch Pattern
This is where things get tricky. Stretch patterns rely on the fabric to move with your body, often without things like zips or extra ease built in.
If you swap in a woven fabric, you may not be able to get the garment on at all, or it could feel very tight and restrictive.
The Key Things to Ask Yourself
What role is the fabric playing in this design?
Is it providing structure, or is it providing stretch and movement?
And just as importantly, what kind of ease does the pattern use? If a pattern is designed with negative ease (meaning it’s smaller than your body and relies on stretch to fit), a woven fabric simply won’t work. You’re very unlikely to get the garment on.
If it has positive ease, you may have more flexibility to experiment, but the final look and feel will still change depending on your fabric choice.
Once you start thinking about fabric and ease together, these decisions become much clearer and you’ll have far more control over how your finished garment turns out.
❓ Got a sewing question you’d love us to answer? Share it with us - it might inspire next week’s email!
That’s it for this week’s Sew & Tell! I hope you’ve found a little inspiration, a handy tip, or a spark to get back into your sewing projects.
Until next Wednesday, happy sewing!
Rosie xxx
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