French Terry

[Ploshkin]

I received 2 lengths of French Terry yesterday from Fabric Godmother.  It was my intention to make a couple of quick sweatshirts.  I thought French Terry had a looped back and was the thickness of sweatshirt fabric but it is much thinner and more loosely knitted than I thought.  I'm not too sure how to use it now.  I do have some knit interfacing which I think may help with neckbands and hems as I don't think the fabric itself has enough body for that.
Does anyone have any tips for using it?

[sewmuchmore]

My understanding is that French Terry should have a looped/pilled back and smooth front. Like any jersey you can buy different weights and it is often described as a light weight sweatshirt fabric. Is it French terry they have sent or have they got the wrong description on the webpage.
Would it be ok for t shirts or tunics?

[Vezelay]

You have my sympathies Ploshkin - I've often bought fabric online only to find it's quite different from my expectations and unsuitable for the project I had in mind. I think "French Terry" is a broad church. I have 4 kinds in my stash, all completely different thicknesses and stretchiness. They all have looped backs though, two are cotton/lycra, the other two 100% cotton. I noticed that some online stores like Girl Charlee and Minerva are selling French Terry which is all polyester/viscose, so that must surely behave quite differently again. As Sewmuchmore says, I think loop back is the bottom line, although on one of my fabrics that's so small and fine you could miss it.

I rarely get swatches sent here 'cause I'm in Ireland but maybe that's your answer for future FT buys. By coincidence I read on a sewing blog yesterday about someone who made a great pair of Misty jeans from Fabric Godmother stretch denim then couldn't wear them because the fabric bled blue dye everywhere even after washing. She got a refund. If your fabric doesn't have a loop back, you could ask them in what way is it French Terry.

PS I'm about to make a Linden Sweatshirt from the thinnest of these. I can't see your fabric obviously but I've certainly made tee-shirts from thin, stretchy fabric and the neckbands and hems/waistbands worked fine (no interfacing). Yours may turn out better than you think!

[Ploshkin]

These are the 2 fabrics.
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The striped one is described as Terry Loop Backed Cotton Jersey.  It does have a looped back but a fairly loose knit.  I was expecting the loop back to be more like towelling.  It has a fair bit of stretch both ways.
The blue one is described as French Terry Jersey.  It does not have a looped back and has very little stretch in either direction.  They are both 100% cotton and said to be ideal for sweatshirts.
The weight of both fabrics is pretty much the same - If I had bought a budget dishcloth the weight might just about be satisfactory.
I don't dislike either of them, I just need to have a rethink about what I will use them for.  I can see curly hems being an issue.  I have used Fabric Godmother many times and had some lovely fabrics from there.  I think this is a case of my erroneous expectations having never come across Terry in the flesh before.

[Lizzy777]

This is worth a read here https://www.dragonflyfabrics.co.uk/french-terry-new/
It also gives some pattern suggestions too.

Dragonfly fabrics are calling it 'french terry knit fabric' and give some detail on the fabric they are selling.

You can also look up french terry melange (may be similar to what you have perhaps? ).
I think just because a fabric is sold as french terry, it doesn't necessarily mean it is loop backed?
Think you just need to check with the Seller as to how the reverse of the fabric looks, before buying in future.
I would do that now too.

I didn't know the above either till I googled. I assumed like you, that is was loop backed?

lizzy

[Vezelay]

Seriously, I think your striped budget dishcloth would make a lovely summer sweatshirt top. I looked at the FG website for the first time - lots of lovely fabric so I could become a customer! It's an ill wind....