Mastering jersey fabric: Simple sewing tips for you!

December 29, 2024 - by Eva Melsbach

We love ❤️ Nicki!

Nicki fabric, a variant of velvet, is a knit fabric with a smooth back and a soft front that has insulating properties due to its structure and thickness. The fabric is durable and is excellent for items such as children's clothing.

Despite the general recommendation to wash Nicki at 30-40 degrees and not tumble dry it to avoid damage, we have had good experiences with tumble drying to keep the fabric soft and nice. If you are unsure, testing a scrap of fabric can be helpful. Caution is advised when ironing to avoid permanent marks.

When working with Nicki, it is important to pay attention to the direction of the pile, and it requires sharp cutting tools as well as careful securing of the pattern. A new, fine needle should be used when sewing to prevent damage to the fabric.

If it is... outside

...turns cold, wet and unpleasant, the urge to bundle up and get cozy grows proportionally. Since we humans don’t hibernate and have to venture out the front door every now and then without a sofa blanket, we need soft, cozy, warm feel-good clothing. Naturally, we sew it ourselves!

Also known as velour

A wonderfully cozy material that is perfectly suited for comfy clothing is velour fabric. And not just for pajamas, because velour is definitely suitable for everyday wear. For those of you currently having disturbing childhood memories from the 70s and 80s coming to mind, seeing teddy bears, muddy colors, mullets, and mustaches… You are not alone, but we can overcome this trauma together. Let's give velour a second chance!

What exactly is Nicki?

First, let's take a closer look at this wonderful material. Nicki is the little, not-quite-so-fancy cousin of velvet. Nicki is a knit fabric consisting of two yarn systems. The underside, or back, of the fabric is smooth, while the front is cuddly soft. Terry cloth and Nicki are produced in the same way. If you were to shave the head of stretch terry and then roughen it up… Tadaaa! Due to its roughened, thick structure, Nicki possesses an insulating layer of air, making it super warm.

Velour fabric, velvety soft but tough as nails

Perhaps it is due to its kinship with velvet, which was reserved for the nobility, that many consider velour to be delicate; in reality, however, the cozy material is tough and therefore particularly well-suited for children's clothing. Of course, not all velour is the same, so there are naturally thinner, more delicate varieties as well as thicker, more robust versions.

How to wash and dry velour correctly

Does anyone else have memories of stiff, scratchy, worn-out velour clothing? Yes? Exactly. That is also velour. Anyone who washes towels without fabric softener and air-dries them in the sun knows the effect too. But this can be avoided.

Most fabric manufacturers recommend a washing temperature of 30–40 degrees and state that the fabric should not be tumble-dried. Yes, that is the safest option. And of course, tumble drying puts strain on the fabric and the pile, and the additional mechanical stress causes colors to fade faster and edges to wear out sooner…

Into the tumble dryer!

But let's be honest for a second. I have three children, let's call them the three little pigs, and I would be lost without my tumble dryer. I throw most of our clothes into the dryer (on a medium setting) turned inside out—including the velour sweaters I've sewn for the whole family—and our velour quality has held up very well so far, remaining soft, velvety, and beautiful.

If you're unsure, why not test a scrap of your fabric? Or you can use fabric softener (or vinegar) to keep the fibers soft, shake it out after washing, and preferably dry it lying flat on a towel so the rack of the drying stand doesn't press into the pile.

Iron the polo shirt?

Actually, you don't need to iron velour, especially if it comes fresh out of the tumble dryer. Should the velour look a bit wrinkled, you can steam it slightly from the back, ideally placing a towel underneath for this as well. Under no circumstances should you iron the front, as this can lead to unsightly permanent impressions.

Cut and sew jersey fabric

Now for the processing: Even if you are working with solid-colored velour, you cannot simply lay out your pattern pieces however you like. In addition to the grain line (or wale direction for knitted fabrics), velour has a so-called "nap" that you need to be aware of and should determine before cutting. Do things sometimes go "against the grain" for you? Yes? That is exactly the grain we need to identify in velour, but it is quite simple. If you stroke the surface with your hand and it feels very soft and smooth, you have found the direction of the nap; for clothing, this should run from top to bottom. If you stroke in the opposite direction, you are going against the grain of the velour, which is why you will feel resistance. But why is the direction of the nap relevant? For one thing, your garment will feel less comfortable if you don't pay attention to the nap, and for another, the color of the velour fabric will appear different depending on the direction of the nap. For example, if you were to cut one trouser leg with the nap and the other against the nap, the legs would appear to be different colors later on.

Cutting velour takes a bit of getting used to. Because of the pile—the little fibers—the material sticks to itself when placed right sides together, but it also tends to shift and is relatively thick. You should definitely work with a sharp cutting tool (either scissors or a rotary cutter, as you prefer) and secure your pattern with pins or weights.

A walking foot on your sewing machine is also helpful when working with velour; if you can adjust the presser foot pressure on your machine, you should reduce it slightly. By the way, velour is a bit delicate in one respect: make sure to use a new, undamaged, and relatively fine needle with a rounded tip (a jersey needle) for sewing. Otherwise, standard or damaged needles can tear holes in the fine knit fabric while sewing.