I looooove sewing knits. They are definitely my go-to for wearing and for sewing. Most ready to wear knit tops, dresses, swimsuits, skirts (and more!) are hemmed with a coverstitch machine. That’s how they get that beautiful finish with a double row of stitching on the right side of the garment and what looks like serging or overlocking on the inside. And while getting a coverstitch machine is on my “someday” wish list, I don’t have one yet!

So, to get a similar finish without a coverstitch I use a double needle on my regular sewing machine! This results in a beautiful double row of stitching on the outside and a zigzag stitch on the inside. It’s not quite as beautiful on the inside as the coverstitch, but from the outside it’s pretty much identical!

These shirts were finished with my double needle – it looks great, right??

And the best part of all this is – the double needle is really super easy to use! I have a video below showing you how to use a double needle on your sewing machine! And if you prefer reading, I have written instructions farther down… just scroll on past the video!

What you need

  • double needle *affiliate link
  • two full bobbins
  • one thread spool (matching color to bobbins)
  • sewing machine

Video

 

Written Instructions

Ok, so I like to just use an extra bobbin instead of another thread spool as my source of thread for my second needle. I just find this easier than always having two thread spools of a certain color on hand because other than black and white, I usually only have one spool of each color at a time. So the first thing you’ll want to do is fill two bobbins with thread matching you project.

two bobbins held up in front of a sewing machine

Next, you can insert one of the bobbins into the bobbin case just like you normally would.

inserting a bobbin into a bobbin case

Then put the other bobbin onto the bobbin winder – but DON’T engage the winder. We’re just using it as a place to hold the bobbin while we sew. You can place the regular spool of thread onto the spool pin on your machine – just like normal.

bobbin thread on bobbin winder, regular thread on spool pin for double needle

Next, thread the regular spool thread through your machine exactly like you normally would – literally. There’s nothing different about threading! And then thread it through ONE of the needles. It doesn’t matter which one, I chose to thread my regular spool thread through the left needle.

thread the regular thread as normal and put through one of the needles

Then take the thread from the bobbin that’s on top of your machine (your second needle thread) – and thread it through you machine JUST LIKE NORMAL! It goes through all the same places through your machine as the first thread – literally follow the same path as the first thread. Once you get to the needle, simply thread it through the other needle. So for me, I threaded the right needle with my upper bobbin thread.

two threads threaded through machine for double needle

a double needle on a sewing machine

Now it’s time to sew! This whole thing is probably sooo much easier than you expected – and the sewing part is no different. Simply set your machine to a regular straight stitch – usually the typical 2.5 mm stitch length works fine. And start sewing! Simple as that!

sewing with a double needle

a seam sewn with a double needle on a regular sewing machine

Now here are some tips for sewing with a double needle:

  1. Make sure you sew with the RIGHT SIDE of the garment facing up – this is so important because whichever side is facing up gets the double row of stitching and the side facing down gets the zigzag.
  2. Try to sew AT LEAST 1/4 inch from the folded edge of your fabric. I have found that trying to sew right along the edge is super difficult with a double needle – I get tons of bad tunneling and the fabric gets constantly sucked down into the machine. So sewing a little farther in helps a ton!
  3. If you really need to sew close to the edge, or if you are having major issues with the fabric “tunneling” (or getting a raised bubble of fabric between the two rows of stitching) try using wash-away spray starch (*affiliate link) or stabilizing/basting tape (*affiliate link). You can also try messing with the tension settings on some scrap fabric.
  4. And finally – I recommend not backstitching, and instead leaving long thread tails to tie off when you’re done – I’ve found this to be more sturdy and long-lasting, and it looks nicer! However, if I’m being honest… I don’t always follow my own advice here… 😉

Alright, that’s all there is to it! I hope this helped and you’re feeling ready to try out a double needle. I promise you’ll love it!

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