Jersey abaya: is a stretch abaya right for you?

Knit against woven

• Stretch: woven cloth gives only on the diagonal. Jersey stretches across its width, and with elastane in the mix it stretches lengthwise too and springs back.
• Comfort: jersey moves with you when you bend, drive or lift a child. Nothing pulls across the back or at the elbow.
• Drape: it hangs straight down under its own weight and settles against the body instead of skimming past it.
• Creasing: very little. It can be rolled into a bag.
• Warmth: this depends on fibre. Cotton and viscose jerseys breathe; polyester jersey holds heat.
• Surface: soft and matte, more casual in feel than a woven abaya cloth.

Three drawbacks to plan for

Cling. Jersey shows the line of whatever is beneath it: waistbands, pocket edges, the texture of a ribbed top. Static makes thin synthetic jerseys worse. A heavier jersey and a cut with real flare skim better than a thin, narrow one.

A hem that drops. A full-length knitted garment is heavy, and that weight pulls the loops of the knit longer over time. An abaya that cleared the floor when new can touch it after some weeks on a hanger, more so in heavy viscose jersey. Store it folded, dry it flat, and expect the length to settle a little.

Pilling. Small bobbles form where the cloth rubs: under the arms, at the hip where a bag sits, on the seat. Soft, loosely knitted and blended jerseys pill soonest. Washing inside out on a gentle cycle slows it, and our article on pilling and static explains how to tidy it up.

How stretch changes the fit

In a woven abaya, looseness has to be cut in as ease, because the cloth will not give. Jersey gives, so the same measurements feel roomier, yet the same amount of ease hangs closer and softer. If you want the outline to stay loose, keep the ease generous anyway and add shape through an A-line or flared cut instead of relying on stretch. Our guide to how loose an abaya should be explains ease in plain terms.

A knit changes a few other points as well:

• Length: mention that the cloth is a knit, so the hem can be set with some drop in mind.
• Shoulders: shoulder seams in jersey are normally stabilised so the weight of the abaya does not stretch them.
• Front: closed, pull-on shapes work well. Open fronts in thin jersey tend to roll at the edge unless they are faced or bound.
• Sleeves: a narrow sleeve is comfortable in jersey in a way it rarely is in a woven cloth, and it stays at the wrist.

What to wear beneath

Choose smooth, woven underlayers. A light cotton or viscose slip dress, or a plain kurta and straight trousers without bulky pockets, lets the jersey slide instead of grip. Avoid ribbed knits, leggings with thick seams and anything textured. What to wear under an abaya has more combinations for hot and cold weather.

Asking for a jersey abaya

We make abayas to measure, but knitted cloth is not something to assume: ask for it in your quote, and we confirm what is possible on your fabric and design. If you are sending your own jersey for Stitching Only, include its fibre content, its width and whether it stretches one way or both, along with photos, on the quote form. We confirm it is suitable, and how much is needed, before you post it. If you would like us to supply the cloth, describe the weight and feel you want and the fabric we propose appears in the written quote. How fabric changes fit and drape is worth reading first.