CostumeCon32 - Sewing Stretchy Fabrics - It Takes A Village To Cosplay

Spandex, Lycra, Elastine – all names for the same thing – nylon or nylon-spandex blend
Aka milliskin, moleskin spandex, jumbo spandex, metallic spandex
Jumbo spandex is the bog standard
Spandex comes in 2-way or 4-way stretch
Sewing spandex – best to use a zigzag or a double over edge stitch
If your sewing machine has a lightning bolt shaped stitch – that’s for stretchy fabrics
Triple stitch is good for gloves
Use a fusible backing to sew applique
Finish applique with a silk stitch
Insetting applique looks nice but it’s fiddly
Use backing paper that breaks down with water to attach a stretchy applique on stretchy fabric so you can wash it away and have an applique that’s stretchy!
You can also use E6000 to glue appliques onto stretchy items

Patterns

What To Wear Under Spandex

Women – bras & boob magic, Spanx shape wear, dancers tights (also what figure skaters wear), laser cut seamless undies & thongs
Men – dancers belts: you need to get one. End of. Simple as. Just get one. If you don’t we will see your package. No one wants that. Especially the parents of the kids attending the convention.
Always get flesh tone undies unless you’re wearing a black outfit
When purchasing items trust the height measurement over the weight measurement on the fitting guide
Can get muscle suits to wear under outfits when cosplaying superheroes
Build muscle, glue it to the base garment, and cover it with the main garment to give the illusion of muscles/abs/other body shape changes
When sewing stretch fabrics you can leave the edges raw – they won’t fray

Dying

Can dye nylon spandex using acid dye
Can also paint nylon spandex using dynaflow
To get a cloudy paint, cut the water by half, wrinkle the fabric, and let it sit in the dye bath
Play with fabric and paint – make lots of samples
Use maypro gum to paint with dye
Always steam the dyed fabric to set the colour
Spandex onesie? Use crotch snaps for easy entry, exit, and trips to the bathroom!
Can also use an invisible zipper on the back
Baste the zipper first
Use backing paper
Sew with a ball point needle – it’ll say on the package; for stretchy fabrics
Do not pin stretchy fabrics with regular pins either – get ball point pins or they’ll damage the garment
If you’re having difficulty sewing stretchy fabrics, put some cloudy scotch tape on either side of the machine foot to help the fabric move through
Can get swimwear liners which will make see-through fabrics opaque – lay the liner and fabric together, sew, and then sew per pattern

Worked with stretch fabric? Want to?

What did you make? How did it go?

It Takes A Village To Cosplay!

Earla Alara

CostumeCon32 – Sewing Stretchy Fabrics