You Do Have Fabric Options

While the general rule of thumb is to follow a designer’s purpose, thoughtful pre-planning allows you to replace suggested wovens with knit options*. Knits are beneficial in a number of ways. Most importantly, knit fabric has built-in stretch which reduces fit concerns experienced in close-fitting designs. The majority of knits are easy to sew and require little, if any, seam finishing. The nature of knits also eliminates the need for tricky construction techniques, can minimise the need for support layers (interfacing and lining) and fabric stretch replaces the need for bias-cut grainlines.

Additionally, quality knits provide weight and drape equivalent to finely woven cloth cut on the bias. This latter feature of knits has important cost-saving benefits.