Fabric 101: Ribbed Knit

Ribbed knit fabric is a type of material that has noticeable lines (or ribs) running down the length of the fabric. Ribbed knit fabric is highly stretchy horizontally, but typically has very little stretch along the length of the ribs. It is most commonly used as the collars, cuffs, and waistbands of T-shirts, sweatshirts, and sweatpants. 

Because ribbed knit fabric is a type of double-knit jersey, it tends to be thicker than other types of stretch material. That’s why you may also see it used as the main fabric of sweaters, outerwear, or even winter leggings. 

Fabric	Ribbed knit
Texture?	Distinct ribs along the length of the fabric
Stretch?	Significant stretch crosswise, little to no stretch lengthwise
Heavy or light?	Generally medium-weight
Stiff or drape?	Usually a fairly stiff drape
Nap?	No nap
Typical fiber content?	Usually cotton, but also with rayon and polyester blends (other fibers are used, but rarely)
Opaque or sheer?	Opaque, sometimes novelty ribbed knit fabrics are semi-sheer
Shiny?	Ribbed knit fabric is not shiny
Fraying?	Does not fray
Pilling?	It can fray, especially if made from rayon
Cool or warm weather?	Can be used with garments for any type of weather, but lightweight ribbed knit is also used for summer clothing
What to make?	Cuffs and collars, sweaters and cardigans, summer tank tops and undershirts; novelty rib knit fabrics can be used for winter accessories (like scarves), shirts, and dresses too
What needle to use?	Use a jersey needle, size 80 or 90

What kind of fabric is ribbed knit?

Ribbed knit material is probably the most easy-to-recognize types of knit fabric. It is characterized by distinct lines (or ribs) running lengthwise along the fabric. Ribbed knit fabric is made to be extremely elastic across the ribs with a high ability to bounce back and recover quickly from being stretched. Meaning, if you stretch out the fabric and let go, it will almost immediately bounce back to its original shape.

The width and pattern of the ribs can be different depending on the fabric too. For example, you can have a 1×1 rib knit which will have even ribs that are fairly small spread evenly across the fabric (2×2 and 3×3 are the same thing with larger ribs). You can also have something that is 4×2, which will have ribs that are twice as wide as the space in between. 

Ribbed knit fabric versus ribbing

Ribbing is a subset of ribbed knit fabrics that is almost exclusively used for cuffs, collars, and waistbands. It is typically denser than other types of rib knits and has a very stiff drape. The characteristics of ribbing allow it to recover from being stretched easily, so it can maintain a tight hold and maintain its shape. Since cuffs and collars are areas that end up being stretched a lot, ribbing is the best type of fabric to use.

What can you make with ribbed knit fabric?

The most common place you will see ribbed knit fabric used is collars, waistbands, and cuffs of sweaters, T-shirts, jackets, and pants. The other common use is as a material for sweaters, cardigans, and jackets. Lightweight versions of ribbed knit can be used for summer tank tops and undershirts (male and female). Rarely, you will also see more lightweight versions of ribbed knit used to make skirts and dresses.

Properties of ribbed knit fabric

• Texture: Because most ribbed knit is made out of cotton, it will have that typical soft texture that is characteristic of cotton fabric. If the fabric is made out of a different material, the texture will depend on the type of fiber used.
• Stretch: You can generally expect at least a 50% stretch across the fabric, but even a 100% is common. However, ribbed knit usually has very little or no stretch along the length.
• Weight: Most ribbed knits are fairly dense fabrics that can be characterized as medium to heavy weight. However, some types of rib knit are more lightweight, and these kinds are also looser and flowier. These will be light to medium weight, with a more breathable weave.
• Drape: Most ribbed knit fabrics have a stiff drape. It’s not the kind of fabric that will make for a flowy skirt or loose-fitting shirt. The exception is some novelty rib knit fabrics that are more on the lightweight side and are used for summer tank tops. 
• Fiber composition: Ribbed knit fabric can be made from any type of fiber. However, it’s usually made with cotton or some kind of cotton blend. Rayon and polyester rib knit are also not uncommon to find, and wool is often used as a chunky sweater-style ribbed knit.
• Opacity: Most ribbed knit material is completely opaque. The only exceptions are some novelty rib knits that are created to be much more lightweight than typical ribbed knit fabric.
• Fraying: Since it’s a knit fabric, ribbed knits, and ribbing do not fray.
• Pilling: Unlike other types of knit fabrics, ribbed knits are resistant to pilling because of how densely they are knitted together.
• Wrinkling: Ribbed knit is fairly resistant to wrinkling. This is especially true of thick ribbing, which will barely have any creases or wrinkles (think about the cuffs of your sweaters and jackets, they don’t ever wrinkle).
• Breathability: Because it’s usually made from cotton, the fabric can be quite breathable. It generally depends on how dense the fabric you’re working with is. The thicker the fabric, the less breathable it will be while you’re wearing it.

How to sew with ribbed knit fabric

If you’re sewing across the grain on a ribbed knit fabric, it’s an incredibly frustrating fabric to work with. It stretches out so easily. When I first tried to use it as a collar, I ended up with a ‘bacon’ neckline. The waviness of the seam was so bad it looked like a piece of bacon. 

I’ve since learned some ways to help mitigate the stretch of the fabric as I sew it. The easiest way is to use a serger (or overlock machine). This is a separate machine that is often better for working with knit and stretch fabrics because it can feed the fabric through evenly. 

But if you don’t have a serger, there are still some steps you can take to use ribbed knit with your regular sewing machine. It will take some trial and error, so use some scrap pieces of fabric and play around with the settings of your machine using these tips:

• Switch your needle to a jersey needle. This will keep the needle from breaking the knit yarns as you sew, and it will help prevent too many thread jams and tangles.
• Use a zigzag or lightning-bolt stitch. A straight stitch will not be able to stretch with your fabric and will end up snapping as soon as you try to stretch the fabric along the seam. Since the fabric doesn’t have much stretch in the lengthwise direction, the stretch stitch is really only necessary for seams that run across the body.
• Change the presser foot settings so that it’s not clamped down as tightly.
• Adjust the top thread tension on your sewing machine. This will vary a lot depending on your machine, so test settings on a scrap piece of fabric.
• Test different lengths and widths of your stitches. You want it to be wide enough that the fabric can still stretch, but not so wide that you have gaps in the seam.
• Try installing a walking foot on your sewing machine to help feed the fabric through more evenly.
• Apply wash-away tape to the seam before sewing to temporarily stabilize the seam
• Place a piece of tissue paper on top of the seam as you sew. If nothing else works, this is my goto piece of advice.