Sew Cotton
 |
 1YD London Paris 24mm Linen Label Ribbon Sewing Fabric Tape Labels Cotton  US $4.50
|
 1YD Elephant 20mm Linen Label Ribbon Sewing Fabric Tape Labels Cotton US $3.60
|
| The Quilting And Crafts Blog |
What kind of knit fabric can I sew an easy sweater from?
I want to sew a sweater, something to keep me warm at the office. I don't knit and I don't have a serger, just a simple singer sewing machine. I want something medium- to light-weight, semi-stretchy and a little bit fuzzy. Somewhere between fleece, cotton-knit and flannel. Something that would make a nice, warm, long, button-less cardigan, kinda like a blanket with sleeves. What kind of material am I looking for?
I'd probably point you at a 100 wt Malden Mills microfleece. It's a soft, easy to sew knit, wears like cast iron, and sews very easily. About the same weight as a cashmere sweater. Another possibility, one that looks more flannel-ish or suede-y is Malden's microchamois -- again, easy to sew and nearly indestructible.
Here's a comparison photo set between a Malden microchamois and a heavy cotton flannel:
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=17858466&uid=9417699
For scale, the leaves on the microchamois are about 5/8" wide.
Here are some possibilities:
http://www.milldirecttextiles.com/dept2.asp?dept=l12&id=0821361021613416017925091
http://www.owfinc.com/Fabrics/Fleece/P100.asp
http://www.rockywoods.com/polartec.htm
http://www.peakfabrics.com/polarfleeces.htm
The worst thing about Malden's fleeces, imo, is they don't wear out. I'm still wearing a jacket from the mid 1980s, so choose a classic style!
