HOT Part Two

Firstly a recap on the process!!!

1.Searching

2.Planning

3.Designing

4.Making

5.Detail

This week we start off with Designing and specifically the Drafting process.

I know people find drafting quite hard, but I think practice make better and more confident in your own skills.

If anything I would suggest, buy yourself a good pattern that comes with a variety of neckline and sleeves. Otherwise ask a costume design or dressmaker to help you draft a pattern.

Now this pattern is quite simple in design and terms of sewing complexities.

The only think that you have to figure out before you start cutting the material is seam allowances and what material goes over what.

Two rules that I follow when zig zagging is flesh always goes underneath and sequin material is always on top.

4. Making

Once all your pieces have been cut out its time to start the pinning. Take your time when pinning and put as many pins in as you like. One think I always make sure to do is put a pin in any angles or points because they are the mostly points that might fold or move when sewing.

This is an example of my pinning.

Now everything on this leotard is going to be zig zagged stitched on to the flesh and once that is all complete then I pin the front and the back together via the sides, shoulders and crutch. This part is all completed on the over locked, however if you don’t own an overlocker have a look at the different stitches on your sewing machine as many new sewing machines have a stitch that mimics and overlocking stitch.

The next steps are to join the leg bands, which can be done in two ways either with an actual band that you then thread the elastic through or to attach the elastic onto the Lycra (like what you see in bathers). I prefer the band style, as it is more effective in preventing wedgies.

However I do use the bather style “elastic-ing” for the top part of the leotard, which includes the neckline, back line and sleeves

If you never have attached elastic to Lycra I would suggest starting off on the sewing machine first. You have to be pretty confident to do it on the overlocker.

This leotard also include a little skirt, and I have gone for an ‘A’ Line skirt. Now in terms of sewing I have overlocked the side seams and have attached the skirt to the leotard with a zig zag stitch.

Next week it's time to get the glue, sparkles and ruffles out and start decorating this leotard! As you can see in the picture above that I have already pinned the flowers on the top half of the leotard that will need to be sewn on.

xx