Ponte Double Knits

Can I purchase Ponte de Roma & double-knit fabrics at Spotlight?

Yes, you can. Browse our exciting range of double knit fabrics to discover a wealth of designs including plain, striped, patterned, sparkly and floral designs to suit all tastes, and all available by the metre. Ponte de Roma knits are stable, easy to sew knits that have a good weight, resist wrinkles and creases, but still have some stretch, which makes them ideal for creating a variety of garments including dresses, jackets, bottoms, skirts and tops. Here at Spotlight, you can choose from a wide variety of wonderful Ponte di Roma and similar knitted fabrics.

How is Ponte di Roma fabric created?

The fabric is a double knit, which means it is a double layer of fabric, knitted by machine with two sets of needles on two needle beds. The fabric can be knitted from all sorts of types and weights of yarn and elastane is often included to increase the stretch. It is a firm, stable knit which holds its shape well in a garment, which means that your clothes will look good for longer. Being a double-knit means that this is a two-sided fabric so it can often be used for unlined or reversible items.

Is Ponte di Roma fabric easy to sew with?

If you are new to sewing, or have not had much experience, sewing knitted fabrics can seem challenging. These fabrics are prone to stretching, rolling up at the edges, and being generally tricky to handle. But Ponte di Roma is easier than some other knits. Being a double-knit. Ponte di Roma fabric is often of a medium weight, this means it is better suited to more structured garments rather than draping clothes. However, it also means that it will hide any lumps or bumps we might not want on show, and is brilliant for any garments you do not wish to line. The double-knit structure makes the fabric a bit firmer and more stable - so it does not roll at the edges and is a lot easier to sew than normal knits.

What about the other knitted fabrics in the range?

There are a variety of different knitted and stretch fabrics available in this range from Spotlight. Sewing with knit fabrics does not have to be more difficult than sewing with woven material, but it takes a little time to get used to the differences. Here are some tips to get the best out of working with knitted fabrics:

• Use special needles on your sewing machine. Most machines will take special ballpoint needles or stretch needles, which are designed to cope with this type of fabric and will make it less likely that you will ladder the fabric.
• Use a small zig-zag stitch for sewing seams, specially where the material still needs to stretch, such as necklines, armholes etc. Straight hems can often bobble or make the fabric stretch more than you want to.
• Use a walking foot or dual feed foot attachment on your sewing machine to help to prevent the fabric from stretching out while sewing. They grip the fabric and feed both layers of fabric through the machine at the same speed. Consult your sewing machine manual to see which attachment your manufacturer recommends.
• Pay close attention to direction of stretch and always lay your pattern pieces accordingly (they should be marked). The direction of stretch (usually the width of the fabric) goes around the body.