I have been sewing for years.  (I still consider myself an advanced beginner or intermediate seamstress, though.)  I have made a variety of projects from a variety of fabrics – but not too much variety.  They were all wovens.  So far, I have totally failed at every attempt to sew with knits.  Even what should have been some of the easiest projects – like making a t-shirt dress by sewing a piece of gathered fabric to the bottom of a t-shirt – have completely bombed.  Conversations with half a dozen experienced seamstresses revealed only their complete bafflement at my difficulty.

Then someone told me about Sew U: Home Stretch.  Wow; what a help!  The author walks her readers step-by-step through the creation of a knit wardrobe.  (She does assume you know some basics, like how to thread your machine.)

In the first half of the book, supplies and equipment are discussed.  A serger is recommended, and the non-overwhelming information about sergers is one of the book’s greatest benefits, I think.  Other options are given, however, for those of us who don’t own sergers.   We also read about the different varieties of knit fabrics, what their properties are, and how to handle them.  We read about selecting and using patterns, the process of cutting the fabric out, and how to go about sewing knits.  It is important to read all of these sections, as you are otherwise likely to overlook important information.  For the first time, though, someone acknowledged my specific difficulty, and offered a solution!

The second half of the book talks about designing and sewing various knit styles, beginning with the step-by-step construction of a basic t-shirt.  After establishing this basic process, entire chapters are devoted to crewneck t-shirts, raglans, and dresses.  In every case, multiple variations are shown, and we’re told how to adapt the basic sewing patterns to produce each one.  Finally, there is a chapter about “recycling,” with suggestions for altering and/or combining old garments to create new ones.

I enjoyed reading Sew U: Home Stretch.  The whole book is written in a fun tone and down-to-earth manner.  It is not full of sewing jargon; it is easy to understand, even for someone without a lot of sewing experience.  There is a good deal of emphasis on making your patterns your own.  I would have appreciated a little more insight into recognizing which type of knit fabric I’m looking at (“Is that jersey?  Or interlock?”), but the author otherwise addressed every question I had.

The included patterns begin with size XS, which was a pleasant surprise for me.  (I’m usually too small for everything.)  They only go up to L, though, so if you’re an XL or larger, you will need to alter the patterns or substitute them with your own.

If you’ve ever considered venturing into the world of sewing knits, but been intimidated, get this book and dive in!