3 Best Stitches for Hemming Knit Fabrics (Without a Coverstitch Machine!)

Do you own a coverstitch machine? I don’t so instead I hem all of my knit garments on a regular sewing machine. So today, I want to share three great stitches you can use on a basic zigzag sewing machine that work beautifully for hemming knits… and one commonly recommended option that I’m not a fan of. As always, you can listen to the video below or read through the details.

Why You Need the Right Stitch for Hemming Knit Fabrics

Knit fabrics stretch, which means your hem stitch needs to stretch too. If it doesn’t, you’ll end up with popped stitches, puckering, or hems that just don’t lay flat. The good news? You don’t need a coverstitch machine to get a clean, professional finish.

1. Honeycomb Stitch: A Hidden Gem for Hemming Knits

The first stitch I recommend is the honeycomb stitch. You may not find this on every machine, but it is available on Bernina machines and some others like Eversewn.

Why the honeycomb stitch works so well:

• It has excellent stretch

• The stitch is fairly wide

• The bobbin thread moves back and forth, fully encasing the raw edge

• It helps prevent curling (especially with jersey knits)

• It creates a clean, flat finish on the back

This stitch is fantastic because it not only stretches—it also covers the raw edge, so you don’t have to worry about fraying or curling.

2. Three-Step Zigzag: The Best All-Purpose Stitch for Hemming Knit Fabrics

Next up is the three-step zigzag stitch—and this one should be on all zigzag machines.

What’s the difference?

• Three-step zigzag: takes three small steps in each direction

• Triple zigzag: repeats stitches over itself, creating a thicker, more prominent stitch

Why I recommend the three-step zigzag:

• It’s more subtle than the triple zigzag

• It stretches beautifully

• It’s great for adult garments

• It gives a professional-looking finish

Just like the honeycomb stitch, the bobbin thread moves back and forth, which means:

• The raw edge is fully covered

• The hem lays flat

• There’s no need to tuck the edge under to get a clean finish(which can get bulky with knits)

I have even started to notice this stitch showing up on ready-to-wear garments.

3. Slight Zigzag Stitch: Perfect for Children’s Clothing

The third option is what I call a slight zigzag stitch.

This is just your regular zigzag stitch with a few adjustments:

• Length: around 2.0

• Width: between 0.5 and 1.5 (nice and narrow)

Why this works well:

• It has enough stretch for knits

• It’s very subtle

• It’s more proportional for smaller garments

I especially love using this stitch for children’s clothing, like sleeves and smaller hems, where a larger stitch would look too heavy.

One important note:

This stitch does not cover the raw edge.

So before hemming, you’ll need to finish the edge by:

• Serging (if you have a serger), or

• Using a zigzag or overlock stitch on your sewing machine

Once the edge is finished, you can hem with the slight zigzag for a clean, delicate look.

Why I Don’t Recommend a Twin Needle for Knit Hems

Now let’s talk about the stitch I don’t recommend: the twin needle.

I know—it’s very popular in the sewing world because it mimics the look of a coverstitch machine with those two parallel lines of stitching.

But here’s the issue…

Common problems with twin needles:

• Tunneling (fabric forms a ridge between stitches)

• Waviness in the hem

• Difficulty getting the fabric to lay flat

Why this happens:

When hemming knits, you’re usually sewing on the cross grain—the stretchiest part of the fabric. That stretch works against you and causes distortion. Also, the twin needle was originally designed for pintucks, where tunneling is actually the goal.

So while you can make it work with adjustments and testing, I personally don’t find the results worth the effort—especially when these other stitches give beautiful results with far less frustration.

Final Thoughts: Easy, Professional Knit Hems Without the Fuss

If you’ve been struggling with hemming knit fabrics, I hope this gives you a few simple, reliable options to try:

• Honeycomb stitch for stretch and edge coverage

• Three-step zigzag for a professional, all-purpose finish

• Slight zigzag for delicate, smaller garments

These stitches make it easy to get great results—no coverstitch machine required.

Want to Learn More About Sewing with Knit Fabrics?

If you’d like more help working with knits, I have two wonderful resources for you:

• A Knits Mini Course that covers the essentials to get you started

• The Enjoying the World of Knits book and course, where I walk you through:

  • Different types of knit fabrics

  • Seven different necklines

  • Multiple hemming techniques

  • And so much more

I hope you’ll give one of these quick and easy hemming methods a try!

Thank you so much for joining me and happy sewing!