The inside of my jumpers and cardigans never become bobbled, despite the friction that must occur. So why can’t the pieces be sewn together inside out? Helen, by email

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Readers reply

Bobbling can be caused, as you say, by friction – but that’s not the only factor. The type of fibre used in the fabric, its softness, the stitch used and the way you wash it could all affect how much it bobbles, too. I would guess that your cardigan has a knit stitch (lots of overlapping v shapes) on the outside and a garter stitch (wiggly horizontal lines) on the inside. As a knitter, I have noticed that knit stitch bobbles more than garter stitch, perhaps as the fibres run vertically and are subjected to more friction in the horizontal plane.…