Most sweater fabrics don't need stabilization except at the shoulder seams.
Stabilize by serging over 1/2"-wide knit interfacing strips, 1/4"-wide clear elastic, bias tricot or stay tape. Measure and cut the stabilizer using the pattern shoulder seam as a guide. Place the stabilizer on the wrong side of the front shoulder seam and serge, catching it in the seam.
For a very stable shoulder seam, cut the seams with a seam allowance. Serge-finish the raw edges and seam with a straight stitch. Press the seam allowances open and topstitch with a long straight stitch on both sides of the seam, being careful not to stretch the fabric while stitching (7).
Ribbing Finishes
Cut the ribbing, ribbed-band or self-fabric trim a little shorter than the edge to be finished. Trim the ribbing and sweater unfinished edge seam allowances to 3/8".
Cut the ribbing twice the finished depth plus 3/4" for seam allowances. For a 1 1/4" finished band, cut the ribbing 3 1/4" wide. Note: The wider the finished band, the more stable it will be. Generally the finished ribbing depth for necklines is 1 1/4" or wider--2" or wider for cuffs and lower edges.
For a ribbed-band depth, cut a single layer the finished depth plus 3/8" for the seam allowance.
The ribbing length should easily go over the head or hand, and fit comfortably around the body at the garment lower edge. Test the length by wrapping it around the head, hand or waist. Cut ribbing to measure 2/3 of the garment opening. Cut self-fabric trim to measure 3/4 of the opening. Note: The more the ribbing or trim is stretched, the more it will curve toward the body and lie flat.
Straight stitch the band ends together with a 1/4" seam to form a circle; finger-press the seam open. With wrong sides together, fold the ribbing circle in half lengthwise. Starting at the seam, quarter--mark the ribbing. Also quarter--mark the garment opening. With right sides together, place e ribbing seam at a side seam and match the quarter--marks. Serge the pieces together with the ribbing on top.
Adjust the differential feed to a plus setting to ease the garment into the ribbing rather than stretching the ribbing to fit the opening. Steam and finger-press the seam toward the garment.
For a less bulky application cut the ribbing the same width as described above. Serge-finish one long edge. With right sides together, serge the unfinished edge to the garment opening; finger-press the seam toward the band. Fold the band finished edge to the wrong side, just covering the seam. From the garment right side, stitch in the ditch to secure (8).
