Come on now woman, gird your loins - you can do this! I was in my 60s before I first touched knits and was thrown in the deep end with lycra for my DGD's ballroom dresses! Terrifying? I'll say so but it's more in the mind than in reality once you get a few of the basics down.
1. Try to cut it out accurately and handle it gently, not because it's a fussy fabric, but just because we get so used to sewing fabric with no stretch that we tend to grab hold of fabric and stick those pins through without being aware what pressure we put on it. Get some extra fine pins and they'll go through like butter.
2. Use a walking foot - as a P&Qer you'll be well used to using one and always pin at right angles to your seam so the pin doesn't stretch it out making it wavy along the seam and that has the added benefit that you can sew right up to it before removing it. Reduce the foot pressure to reduce the drag too.
3. If you don't have an overlocker, use a wobble stitch - a very narrow zigzag, to add a bit of give and don't use the stretch stitches like the lightning stitch or the triple straight stitch (if at all) until you're absolutely sure it's right because they're a nightmare to unpick and you may pluck and ruin your fabric in the process.
4. Here's one that is my biggest tip of all. Forget the ballpoint and jersey needles, use a
stretch needle instead (130/705H-S) because it has a ballpoint tip just like the others but its eye, scarf and shank have adaptations that reduce skipped stitches making them great for far more knit types than the ballpoint/jersey type. More and more sewing shops have them these days but you'll find them in any
decent online supplier and you can get them in a
twin needle for a nice double row of stitches on your hems.
5. And now the good news! Be prepared for some pretty down and dirty techniques that would offend the sensibilities of those sewing woven fabrics such as just turning a neckline under and zigzagging it (or using a twin needle) or making a waistband by simply stretching elastic to fit the edge, zigzagging it on and then folding it under! Not the only upside - often no darts at all and fitting is so much easier. It's really not evil at all.
Hope that helps. Oh yes, and if you get to like it do put an overlocker on your Christmas list - they're fabulous! Even the little cheap Brothers will do a decent job and are easier to thread than many others (unless you go wild with an air-threader like the Juki MO-1000).
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