As a Fashion and Psychology Major, I have this need, desire, drive to know all there is to know about fashion. Textiles have always had me intrigued. What is the evolution of knit fabric? How can cotton and poly blend together and create so many different fabrics? Why is double knit in 2015 completely different than the fabric of the same name in the 1970s? Why do fabrics behave so differently? The questions are endless.
I feel knit fabric is evolution of textiles. Think about when all clothing was made of cotton. I cannot imagine wearing clothing without at least a little stretch. That sounds horrible to me. I remember fashions trends resulting in new social rules. NO SHIRT NO SHOES NO SERVICE. As a child of the 70s this was devastating. I did not go topless, just to be clear haha. I did not like and still do not like shoes though.
Knit is a good example of a fabric with a personality that has evolved over the years. I started sewing my clothes in the 1980s. Knit was one of my favorite fabrics. I love the way it feels, or the hand of the fabric. I never considered it as a difficult fabric to work with. But, as I got back into sewing earlier this year, the internet is FULL of techniques for sewing with knit. Threads Magazine defines slinky knit, jersey knit, and stretch velvet as moderately difficult to sew with. Everything else is considered easy by this magazine.