Burda Style For people who sew

Lycra. Most people are affraid of using lycra but it is not as difficult as it seems. If you have an overlocker, the most important thing is to get your tension right. I choose to use 3 cottons and no floss. Use one needle (closest to the blade) and two loopers. You must practice on scraps first and adjust your needle tension .If you stretch the material and the cotton breaks, you must loosen the tension until it does not snap any more.

Oct 30, 2009, 12.46 PM by styles

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  Oct 30, 2009, 11.23 PMby KateXXXXXX

  I’ve just finished a set of Lycra projects, and I have to say that sewing it was easy…

  Because of the type of fabric I was using on the last one (nylon Lycra swimwear fabric), and the type of project (pods!), I used the widest cut on both my sergers and 4 threads. I used 120’s polyester thread from Empress Mills here in the UK. I fitted both sergers and both sewing machines used on the project with STRETCH needles, in size 80. There were small adjustments in tension from the ‘standard’ set-up on both sergers. I only ever use cotton or silk thread in the serger on cotton or silk non-stretch projects.

  For recent dance and swimwear projects I also used 4 threads because of the firmness of the fabric and the stress on the seams when the garments are in use. For lighter weight use and super-stretchy fabrics, knit lace and those that can ravel, I like to use wooly nylon in the loopers and a three thread stitch.

  Lycra fabrics I have used in the last couple of years include poly/Lycra velour, viscose/Lycra, nylon/Lycra swimwear, woven denim with Lycra, and a poly/wool/Lycra suiting fabric, also woven. I tend to do the seams on all with the overlocker/serger, unless I’m doing tailored things, when I’ll use the ordinary sewing machine and use a stretch fabric technique.

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    Oct 31, 2009, 02.05 PMby styles

    I’m so glad to have met someone else who works with lycra. Very interesting the way you use your threads. It’s very different from the way I do it. I’ll keep watching for more tips. Thanks

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  Oct 31, 2009, 07.49 PMby KateXXXXXX

  I will admit to being a bit OCD with thread. ;)

  I do quite a bit of historic dress recreation and wedding stuff, as well as the more esoteric Lycra insanity, and I try to match thread type and weight as well as possible to fabric type and weight, and to the process. I’ve also found by experimenting that using the correct needles for the fabric in both types of machine works better than sticking to Universals in the overlocker/serger, as so many instruction books seem to advise. So thicker, harder fabrics like polycotton curtain fabric, canvas, denim, etc. get Jeans needles all round, Lycra knits get STRETCH or SUPER STRETCH when I find them, fine fabrics get skinny needles and threads… Wool, linen, and cotton wovens get universal needles in the correct weight for the fabric and cotton thread, poly blends tend to get cotton wrapped polycore, and silk gets silk thread in the ordinary machine and either long-staple fine cotton threads like YLI and Aurifil, silk (if I can afford it – or if the customer can afford it, more like!), or good quality lingerie poly thread if I can get the colour in the serger/overlocker. I find that being this fussy gives visibly better results.

  I like woolly nylon for some things, but generally a decent quality 120’s poly or polycore will see you through MOST serger/overlocker processes. For rolled hems I’ve used woolly nylon, glossy floss, 120’s polycore, and occasional other threads, again depending on the effect I need to achieve.

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    Nov 1, 2009, 12.25 PMby styles

    I’m amazed at the detail you go into concerning your cottons you use. Thanks so much for your info. Most of the time I do not have the time to experiment like that. September/October month I have been sewing for a modern dance show and sewed +- 80 outfits, mostly in lycra, so there was no time for experimenting. As I said before the three threads of cotton work perfectly for me with no breakages. Most of the garments I made were unitards wich take a lot of streching.

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  Nov 1, 2009, 12.10 AMby katensew

  At one time I had a small business making ice skating wear and worked with lycra . I used a four thread overlocker and size 80 ( 9) ball point needles. To applique on the surface I often backed the shapes with stretch interfacing and used zig zag stitch – again with the fine ball point needle. If the skirts were of several layers I used a wide but close-together zig-zag stitch to affix to the bodice as it was often too thick for the overlocker.

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    Nov 1, 2009, 12.40 PMby styles

    When I do applique on the surface of a leotard I choose to use two sided iron on vilene. The applique can be drawn onto the paper of the vilene.Then ironed onto the applique matterial (usualy also lycra) with a coolish iron. Then cut out the applique on the drawn lines. Then Iron onto the leotard and then either use a small ziq zag or sometimes a straight stitch, depending how fine the applique is, to secure it. No pins are then needed or fear of the applique moving. There is still enough stretch in the leotard as the violene is very thin and has some stretch to it.

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  Nov 1, 2009, 01.28 PMby KateXXXXXX

  Styles, are you using actual Vilene, or Bondaweb, which is paper backed glue?

  When I’ve had to applique on stretch fabrics, I’ve tended to use a quilters spray baste glue (which evaporates after a few days), as this holds the shapes in place long enough to zigzag them down but doesn’t leave a stiff Vilene layer or permanent glue layer like the Bondaweb. It leaves them stretchier. I also find that it’s quite a skiddle to get ANYTHING to glue or fix permanently to Lycra… Well, my Kandykane tool seems to manage with the jewels, but just ironing shapes on is a bear! :D

  I don’t usually do large runs of stuff: most things are single items of specially designed bespoke stuff (sometimes based on commercial patterns, sometimes designed from scratch by me), and I build experimentation time for things like stitch quality and finish and jewel work into the schedule. After all, when you are paying your dress and costume maker £800-£1500 for a single item, you expect your dressmaker to take those little extras into account. I’m never proprietorial about my ‘secrets’: I learned through experiment (which is fun!), and from other generous fabric artists, and I’m a teacher, so passing things along is second nature.

  I’ve air-brushed silk, hand brushed, stenciled, dyed, and screen-printed yardage and garments, glued, hot-fixed and hand and machine stitched embellishments, eyelets and all sorts over the years. I’m hoping to learn new skills from both of you. :)

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    Nov 3, 2009, 07.35 AMby styles

    It must be a bondaweb that I use, as it is very thin but I’m not as clued up with all these names as you are. Does this quilters spray baste glue get sprayed on to the piece being appliqued to the garment? Do you only sew it after a few days when the glue has evaporated? It sounds like a great time saver. What is a Kandykane tool?
    I’m not sure if there is much you can learn from me but I am always willing to learn from others and their eperience. So kind of you to share your ‘secrets’.

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  Nov 3, 2009, 08.27 AMby KateXXXXXX

  With the spray baste, you spray the back of the applique fabric and sew straight away. If you wait too long, it’s gone! :) I use it for basting smaller quilts, but tend to pin baste the bigger ones. I usually have this one, but there are others: http://www.creativegrids.com/acatalog/info_N0227ABC.html

  The Kandykane is a hot-fix wand. It heats up almost like a soldering iron and melts the glue on the back of hot-fix jewels. You pick up the jewel with it and pop it on the fabric. Mine is PINK! http://www.gemnidiamante.co.uk/show.asp?id=344&cat_id=32

  This is the Bondaweb: http://www.aliceandginny.co.uk/page17.htm I buy whole rolls of it!

  This might be a good alternative, though I haven’t tried it yet: http://www.creativegrids.com/acatalog/info_N0380.html

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    Nov 4, 2009, 08.02 AMby styles

    Thanks so much Kate. I’m going to look into these sites.

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  Nov 4, 2009, 08.57 AMby KateXXXXXX

  There are some seriously fun things to play with out there… I want to try this stuff! http://www.creativegrids.com/acatalog/info_N0550.html