Hello! I'm not the best with sewing, but Im attempting to make a Beast Boy cosplay using a body suit base and adding his purple overlay. Are there any tips or basic knowledge that would be helpful when approaching this or any tips for sewing qith spandex? Thank you!
Hello there!
For basic spandex knowledge, I will point you over to the powerpoint for my panel on the subject.
Some of the basics that you will want to know:
Be sure that your purple fabric is of a similar stretch and recovery as your bodysuit. Make sure it this applies to all stretch directions. More stretchy is fine, but you don’t want it to be less stretchy. Recovery refers to the ability of the fabric to snap back into shape after it is stretched, so you want to make sure the fabric holds that tension well and snaps back quickly so that you don’t end up with a saggy bodysuit.
When sewing with spandex, you will need a few extra supplies. Mostly, you will want to use a stretch needle, which is a type of ballpoint needle (prevents runs in knits) that helps prevent skipped stitches, and either a walking foot or tear-away stabilizer. Since skipped stitches are the biggest concern with knits, this will help prevent that from happening because it will keep the fabric stable as you sew.
While you sew, be sure not to stretch the fabric as you go. This will create wavy, lumpy seams. Also be sure that the fabric does not hang down on the front or backside of the machine, and is supported as it is fed through. You want to lightly guide the material with your hands, not pull it through.
You can sew spandex on a regular sewing machine as long as you have a zigzag stitch! I prefer a narrow and long zigzag, as this allows stretch while helping to prevent visible “ladder” stitches on the outside of the garment, but mess around with your machine’s settings to see what works for you. If your machine has specialty stretch stitches, these are even better, as they retain more stretch than a simple zigzag. Refer to your owner’s manual to see what is available, and test your stitches on a scrap of fabric first.
As for adding the purple overlay, you can base your pattern off of the existing bodysuit. I would (carefully) mark and then cut out the area that needs to be purple. Mark it while it is on your body, and then fold it in half when it is off of you to get it symmetrical. Marking while it is on your body will ensure that your markings end up where they need to be while worn. Use the cut out piece as your pattern for the purple piece, being sure to add a little bit of seam allowance so the finished product isn’t too tight. (You can cut slightly inside of your markings to make the parts that will remain black have seam allowance, which may be helpful if your suit is especially tight. If you do this, be sure to add a bit of extra allowance to the purple so it matches up to the original markings, and then add seam allowance on top of that.) You will need to take the black pieces apart at the existing seams in order to properly create the pattern.
Alternatively, you can mark the pattern on yourself, trace it, and then applique the purple on top instead of cutting into the suit and piecing it together.
I would also recommend taking a peek at the bodysuits section of our website for more helpful tips.
I hope that helps! Good luck :]
—Fabrickind / Q&A Staff / Twitter
