Fabrics fall into a few big families. Knowing whether a cloth is woven or knit, and natural or synthetic, tells you how it will behave under the needle.
Woven versus knit
Woven fabrics are made of crossing threads and barely stretch, so they hold shape and fray at cut edges. Knit fabrics are looped and stretchy, needing ballpoint needles and stretch stitches.
Natural versus synthetic
Natural fibers breathe and press well but may shrink. Synthetics resist wrinkles and shrinking but breathe less and melt under high heat.
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Natural woven | Cotton, linen, silk, wool |
| Synthetic woven | Polyester, nylon |
| Semi-synthetic | Rayon, viscose, modal |
| Knits | Jersey, interlock, fleece |
| Heavy / structured | Canvas, denim, upholstery |
Match needle to fabric. Use sharp needles on wovens and ballpoint needles on knits. The wrong needle skips stitches or damages the cloth.
See the Cotton Fabric Properties and the Fabric Care Symbols.