Fabric 101: French Terry Knit

French Terry is an extremely comfortable and cozy knit fabric that is excellent for cold-weather loungewear. You probably have some items already in your closet made from French Terry fabric. It’s commonly used for thick, knit clothing, especially standard sweatshirts and sweatpants. 

French terry is categorized as a type of sweater knit fabric. It is created with a looped yarn texture on the reverse face of the material, while the front face is smooth and soft. The fabric is generally quite breathable (since it’s usually made from cotton fibers), yet still manages to have good insulating properties since it is much thicker than other types knit fabrics.

Fabric	French Terry
Texture?	The front face of the material is soft and smooth, while the back is piled with many loops of fabric
Stretch?	You can usually expect greater than 15% stretch along the width and a lesser amount of stretch along the length
Heavy or light?	Medium-weight fabric
Stiff or flowy drape?	Usually has a soft drape that’s somewhere in between stiff and flowy
Napped or piled?	Yarns are looped in a pile on the reverse side of the material
Typical fiber content?	Usually made from cotton or a cotton blend
Opaque or sheer?	Opaque
Shiny?	Non-shiny
Fraying?	Does not fray
Pilling?	Low-quality material is prone to pilling, and the reverse side is prone to pulling due to the looped yarns.
Other identifying properties?	French terry has a visible looping texture on the reverse side of the fabric
Cool or warm weather?	Better for cooler weather
What to make?	Sweaters, hoodies, leggings, sweatpants, cardigans, long-sleeved T-shirts
What needle to use?	Use a jersey needle (usually size 80 or 90)

What kind of fabric is French Terry?

French terry is a cozy and versatile fabric often used in winter activewear and loungewear. It is a type of knit fabric typically made from cotton or a blend of cotton and polyester, with a soft looped terrycloth texture on one side and a smooth surface on the other. This fabric is perfect for comfortable clothing that provides both warmth and breathability.

The unique looped texture on the reverse side of the material creates a thick fabric with insulating properties, making it a perfect choice for transitional seasons and sweater weather. This is why the fabric is most commonly used for garments like sweatpants and hoodies. French terry also has good moisture absorption abilities, which makes it work well for physical activity since it can absorb sweat and keep you dry.

French Terry fabric vs. terrycloth

French terry is the knit version of terrycloth. While the two are similar and the origins of the fabrics are related, terry cloth is a woven fabric with uncut loops, which makes it highly absorbent but not stretchy. French terry will only have the looping on the reverse side of the fabric, while terrycloth has it on both.

French terry and terrycloth are also used for completely different purposes. As I mentioned earlier, French terry is commonly used for activewear, loungewear, and casual sweatshirt-style clothing due to its comfort and breathability. Terrycloth, with its exceptional absorbency, is often used for towels, robes, and bathrobes.

What can you make with French Terry fabric?

French Terry is widely used in casual and athletic clothing. Most often, this means sweatshirts, hoodies, joggers, and sweatpants. However, the material is also fairly versatile and can be used for other purposes as well. You can easily make comfy casual tees and tops with this fabric, or even make super comfortable dresses for when the weather starts getting chilly. French terry is also soft enough to use for baby clothes and blankets.

Properties of French Terry fabric

• Texture: The looped side of French terry has a slight cushiony feel, while the front face has a soft, cotton-like texture.
• Stretch: French terry has a moderate amount of stretch. Typically, French terry only has a 2-way stretch, meaning it stretches horizontally across the fabric but not vertically.
• Weight: French terry is typically a medium-weight fabric. The material on the lighter end of the scale is more often used for dresses, baby clothes, or comfy T-shirts, while the French terry at the heavier end of the scale is more common and used for sweatshirts and joggers.
• Drape: French Terry has a moderate drape, offering a balance between structure and fluidity. The knit structure gives the material a natural flexibility, but it is structured enough to keep its shape and avoid drooping when wearing a sweatshirt or pants. 
• Fiber composition: French terry can be made from various fibers, but it is most commonly made from cotton or cotton blends. Recently, I’ve been seeing more French terry made from bamboo rayon too.
• Opacity: French terry fabrics are opaque, providing good coverage and preventing transparency.
• Shine: Since it is typically made from cotton or cotton blends, french terry tends to have a more matte finish and is not shiny at all.
• Durability: While it’s not going to pill as easily as, say, fleece material, French terry still has some tendency to pill. The looped texture of French terry can sometimes trap loose fibers, leading to snags and pulls over time as well. Otherwise, it tends to be an overall durable fabric that can withstand a lot of wear and tear.
• Wrinkling: French terry fabric is usually pretty wrinkle-resistant. However, it’s important to note that deep creases and folds can still cause temporary wrinkles in French terry fabric, especially when it is tightly packed or stored for a long time.
• Absorbency: The ability to absorb moisture is what makes it an excellent choice for activewear in cooler weather.

What to know before sewing with French Terry

French terry is a knit fabric, which means there is going to be some inherent difficulty when you try to sew it. However, compared to other types of knit fabrics, french terry is among the easier options. It’s typically more stable than fabrics like jersey or interlock, so it won’t stretch out quite as much and is a little more forgiving.

Not only do you need to switch to a special needle to account for the looped, knit structure, but you also need to work with the stretch factor of the material by using stretch stitches and preventing the fabric from stretching out as you sew it.

Tips for sewing with French terry fabric:

• Use a ballpoint needle (also called a jersey needle): This type of needle is specifically designed to work with knit fabrics and will help prevent the fabric from snagging or getting damaged during the sewing process.
• Consider a walking foot: If you have one, use a walking foot attachment on your sewing machine. This evenly feeds the fabric through the machine, minimizing stretching or distortion.
• Use zigzag stitches (or the lightning bolt stitch): Zigzag stitches provide extra stretchability and flexibility, which is advantageous when sewing stretchy fabrics like French Terry. They allow the seams to expand and contract with the fabric, preventing them from snapping or breaking under stress.
• Apply wash-away tape to the seam before sewing: this will stabilize the fabric and prevent it from stretching.
• Use a serger instead of a sewing machine: sergers are made with top and bottom teeth, which help it feed the fabric through evenly and prevent stretching.

How to care for French Terry fabric

French terry is not an overly delicate fabric, so it’s fine to wash it in a standard washing machine on a regular washing cycle. If the fabric hasn’t been pre-washed, there is a chance it can shrink. So, it’s best to avoid hot temperatures and stick to cool water.

Likewise, you can stick French terry fabric in a standard dryer. If you pre-washed the fabric to shrink it before sewing with it, it probably doesn’t matter what settings you pick (but low-heat is probably better). If you did not pre-shrink your fabric, you definitely want to use low-heat settings and be aware that the material might still shrink a bit.