Collection: cuffs

Bündchen Wissen

What are cuff fabrics and how are they made?

Cuff fabric is an elastic knit, i.e. a cotton blend mixed with elastane. This gives the desired elasticity and prevents the clothing from stretching out quickly due to pulling and pushing. We offer cuffs in tubes and as ready-made cuffs to buy online. The tube version is often also referred to as knitted cuffs or knitted tubes. In terms of the design, a distinction is made between ribbed cuffs and fine knit cuffs. The ribbed version or chunky knit version is characterized by the fact that its structure is firmer and therefore more robust, while the fine knit versions are thinner and finer. Ribbed cuffs are therefore very suitable for items of clothing that are used every day and are therefore subject to high demands.

What is cuff fabric suitable for and where is it used?

Cuffs are mainly used for finishing the hem of clothing. Due to their special design, they sit nice and close to the body. The tightly fitting cuff fabric ensures that the warmth is retained by the clothing. Anyone who sews clothing can therefore hardly avoid cuff material. Cuffs are great for:

• waistband
• leg cuffs
• necklines
• cuffs
• arm warmers
• leg warmers
• headbands

They are especially great for growing clothes for babies - because you can use cuffs as "growing cuffs".

Tip: Simply sew the cuffs twice as long and fold them over once or twice - this way the harem pants will fit for much longer!

Tips for processing and caring for cuff fabric

What do I need to consider when buying, cutting and sewing cuff tubular fabric?

When you are thinking about it beforehand, you should bear in mind that you will usually need less material for the cuff than the actual circumference of the garment. A good guideline is a fifth less in circumference than the garment you are sewing on. If you are working with a pattern, please use the measurements from the instructions or even a pattern piece that may have been included. Here, too, it is important to note that these are often guidelines for comfort, which can always be adjusted to suit your own desired fit.

Now you have found the right width and you still need to decide on the length of the cuff. It is important to remember that the cuff will be folded in the middle during sewing. As a result, the height must be twice as long as it will be visible in the final state. Sharp scissors or a rotary cutter are recommended for cutting. Ironing the folded edge or the fold is usually not necessary for cuff fabrics, but can be done this way.

Before actually sewing it on, the cuff fabric must be fixed to the garment so that nothing can slip later when sewing. To do this, turn both pieces of fabric inside out so that the visible part is on the inside and stretch the cuff before pinning or sewing it on until it sits correctly and can be placed on the garment. If desired, you can also pay attention to the positioning (back, side) of the seam of the cuff connection. Both pieces of fabric are now placed on top of each other, overlapping the cut edges, and pinned. After these preparations, you can move on to the actual sewing.

A zigzag stitch or an overlock stitch is suitable for attaching cuff fabric if you are sewing with an overlock machine. The cuff fabric itself is closed with a straight stitch. The cuff does need to be stretched a little when sewing it on, however, as it is narrower than the hem. It is important to work on the marked areas piece by piece. The difficulty lies in only stretching and pulling the cuff fabric by the required length and not the fabric of the garment. This requires a bit of skill and practice, but can be mastered relatively quickly thanks to good preparatory work. The garment can then be turned right side out again.

What should be considered when washing, drying and ironing cuff fabrics?

Cuff fabric can also be pre-washed before processing. Since cuff fabrics are usually a mixture of cotton and elastane, it is advisable not to wash them too hot, as they can otherwise shrink. We generally recommend 30°C. To find the optimal washing temperature, you should pay particular attention to the composition of the other textiles to which they have been attached.

There are cuff fabrics that are suitable for tumble drying and those that are not. We therefore tend to recommend normal drying. Here, too, the recommendation for drying the main fabric must be followed.

Due to their design and fit, cuffs rarely, if ever, need to be ironed. If ironing is necessary, please only use a low to medium setting.

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