Meanwhile, the Facebook group contains countless great tips on how to work with my fabrics, and to ensure that this valuable knowledge is not lost, I have compiled the most important ones here.
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Pre-wash
Since fabrics can always shrink a little in the wash, I recommend pre-washing the fabrics (especially the cuffs) before sewing, using the same conditions as when they will be washed later as finished garments. This is also particularly important because every washing machine washes slightly differently. -
Cut
Since wool fibers stretch more than cotton, it's recommended to cut garments that are meant to fit close to the body about one size smaller than you would from cotton jersey, depending on the build of the person being sewn for. Cutting is particularly successful if you run a sharp rotary cutter once around the pattern, as this minimizes the risk of unintentionally stretching the fabric. Replacement blades for rotary cutters are available here: https://danischpur.de/products/rollschneider-ersatzklingen-von-prym-45mm -
fabric side when cutting
Wool jersey and wool-silk jersey are actually interlock fabrics and therefore don't have a designated right or wrong side (which is why they don't curl annoyingly at the edges). This is especially practical for unprinted fabrics, as it allows for very space-saving cutting. Our special tip: If the pattern calls for cutting fabric pieces from two layers, cut them out individually. This saves a tremendous amount of fabric, especially for sleeves. Just be careful to pay attention to the grain, as the stretch is only in one direction. -
needles
Be sure to choose super stretch needles (https://danischpur.de/products/super-stretch-nadeln-schmetz) because their rounded tips don't pierce the fibers, which can cause holes in the fabric. Instead, they gently push the fibers aside. These needles are also suitable for overlock sewing. Using the wrong type of needle (including jersey needles) is responsible for most problems (loops on the underside, skipped stitches, holes along the seams) when sewing highly stretchy fabrics. Regularly replacing your needles is recommended to ensure consistently perfect sewing results. -
Yarn selection
In principle, any yarn that your machine can handle is suitable. Unfortunately, we haven't had good experiences with organic cotton yarns so far, as they tend to break easily in many machines during sewing. Therefore, we offer very tear-resistant polyester sewing thread in our range that matches the colors of our fabrics: https://danischpur.de/products/nahgarn. -
Machine selection
Wool-silk blends and wool jersey can be easily worked with both an overlock machine and a regular sewing machine. When sewing with a machine, a stretch stitch such as a zigzag stitch or a faux overlock stitch should be chosen, as the seams in the very stretchy fabric would otherwise tear under stress. This is especially true for topstitching – here too, we recommend not using a straight stitch or a twin needle stitch, which can easily tear under use, but rather a stretch stitch. -
Processing with a sewing machine
If your sewing machine has adjustable presser foot pressure, it's recommended to reduce it. This will reduce the pressure on the fabric and prevent it from distorting while sewing. If your sewing machine doesn't have adjustable presser foot pressure, you can use a walking foot. This ensures that the fabric is fed evenly from both the top and bottom. To determine whether the presser foot pressure has been reduced sufficiently, or to get a feel for sewing with a walking foot, it's advisable to do some test stitching on a scrap of fabric first. -
Overlock processing
If jersey fabric is being sewn with an overlock machine and the seams are puckering, increasing the differential feed will help. The differential feed controls how quickly the fabric is fed by the front and rear feed dogs of the overlock machine and can thus prevent puckering during sewing. -
Iron
Wool-silk blends can be ironed without problems using the wool setting on your iron, with or without steam. The fabric may change color slightly, but this will disappear after a few minutes and does not mean the fabric has been damaged. Ironing on transfers is also possible. Just be sure to pay attention to the temperature and ironing time. -
Sew
Always guide the fabric, never pull on it! Pulling on the fabric will cause ripples in the seam. When starting the sewing machine, don't begin too close to the edge, otherwise the fabric will get caught in the machine. It can help to hold the two thread ends of the upper and lower threads and gently pull on them until the fabric is properly guided under the presser foot. And – most importantly – SEW SLOWLY. -
Sewing in thicker areas
Things can get tricky, for example, when sewing on a cuff and having to sew over multiple layers of fabric at once. In this case, the fabric isn't fed evenly, and the machine sews "in place." Here—and only here—it can be helpful to gently pull on the fabric to assist the feed dogs in overcoming this small obstacle. Immediately stop pulling! Alternatively, you can also try slightly lifting the presser foot and sewing a few stitches using the handwheel until the obstacle is cleared. -
Topstitching
When topstitching a transverse seam that will later be subject to tension, a stretch stitch should be chosen. Otherwise, a straight stitch will prevent the fabric from stretching at that point, leading to the seam tearing quickly. -
Clean up
When sewing with a stretchy stitch such as a zigzag stitch or faux overlock stitch, the seam edge is automatically finished. The same applies, of course, when sewing with an overlock machine. Finishing the edges is recommended for wool jersey or wool-silk blends, as otherwise runs may occur. Finishing is not necessary for boiled wool; it can be left raw. However, Pomeranian boiled wool must be finished. -
hems
For hems, the following method has proven very effective in our group: if an overlock machine is available, the fabric edge is finished with the overlock, then folded over and ironed. At least 2 cm should be folded over, otherwise the hem will turn outwards when the garment is worn. Now, locate the fabric edge by feel and hem it from the right side with a stretch stitch (a triple zigzag stitch or a stretch decorative stitch also looks nice). Sewing on the finished edge minimizes the risk of overstretching the fabric. Alternatively, you can place stabilizer (https://danischpur.de/products/stickvlies-fur-fluchfreien-nahspass) under the seam; this also prevents the fabric from stretching while sewing and thus avoids puckering. Place the stabilizer on the wrong side of the fabric, as some residue will likely remain in the seam even after removing it. -
Wave formation
If waves do form, it helps to steam the wavy seams with an iron at the end. To do this, set the iron to the wool setting and activate the steam function. Now hold the iron close to the fabric and steam onto the seam, then press briefly. -
Applications
For appliqués, due to the fabric's high stretch, it's recommended to place stabilizer (https://danischpur.de/products/stickvlies-fur-fluchfreien-nahspass) under the fabric. Again, place the stabilizer on the wrong side of the fabric, as some residue will likely remain in the seam after tearing it out. You can sometimes find small pieces of fabric for appliqué here: [link] - these mini surprise packages are enough for small (patched) garments and are great for experimenting or having a variety of combinations and fabric types on hand. -
snap fasteners
When using snap fasteners, the fabric should be reinforced beforehand, as the stress of opening the snaps can otherwise cause holes and runs in the delicate fabric. This can be achieved by ironing or sewing on some fusible interfacing underneath, or by reinforcing the fabric with a bit of boiled wool. We have had particularly good experience with the 8mm jersey snap fasteners from Prym and have therefore included them in our shop: https://danischpur.de/products/prym-druckknopfe-jersey-ring-8-mm-60-stuck -
walk
When sewn with an overlock machine, boiled wool becomes very bulky at the seams due to its thickness. Machine sewing is recommended in this case; however, the raw edges of Pomeranian boiled wool should be finished beforehand. The softer boiled wool doesn't fray and therefore doesn't need to be finished. Since Pomeranian boiled wool isn't stretchy anyway, it looks particularly attractive if it's sewn with a straight stitch, then one side of the seam allowance is folded in one direction and topstitched, and the other side in the opposite direction and also topstitched. The softer boiled wool also looks especially lovely when used with raw edges. Alternatively, it can be finished with wool braid . -
cuffs
Wool fibers are more elastic than cotton fibers. Therefore, wool and wool-silk ribbing are also more elastic than most cotton ribbing. We recommend a maximum stretch factor of 0.6 when sewing. Some even prefer a factor of 0.5. Generally, wool jersey and wool-silk fabric are also well-suited for ribbing, as both fabrics are very stretchy. However, we still recommend incorporating an elastic band when using them as waistbands. -
Wool fleece doesn't need to be finished and can be left with raw edges. However, a wool braid trim is also possible, which looks very chic, for example, on the wool fleece blankets you all love so much.
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Wool terry tends to pill a little when cut – a raw edge is not recommended, as the edge will eventually look unsightly. However, finishing the edges before sewing is not necessary. Generally, wool terry can be sewn using the same tips as wool/silk, except that you don't necessarily need to sew a size smaller, as the fabric is not quite as stretchy.
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Seam tape – we also have seam tape in our shop – https://danischpur.de/products/vlieseline-nahtband-flexibel-15-mm-50-m-weiss- which can be sewn into seams that are subject to particularly high stretching, such as the shoulder seam or the neckline seam. For this, we briefly iron the bias tape onto the (e.g.) neckline before attaching the neckband. When sewing on the neckband, the bias tape then disappears into the seam, stabilizing the fabric and preventing it from stretching out over time.