Fixing swimsuit
Helene
I made a swimsuit last summer, but unfortunately the saleslady
at the fabric store had sold me the wrong type of elastic, so once it
got wet, the elastic stretched, and stayed stretched, making it too
big. I am looking for ideas on how to remove the bad elastic and
replace it with good-quality swimsuit elastic. I used a three-step
zigzag stitch to sew the original elastic on, and I'm not sure what
would be the best way to remove it.
Also, tips on sewing the new elastic on? The way I did it was
to pin the elastic to the fabric, and use elastic only slightly
smaller than the suit. While sewing, I stretched both fabric and
elastic about halfway to maximum stretch. Is that too much? I tested
on a small piece and it seemed OK, but on a longer seam it cam out
looking a little odd.
I'd prefer not to have to make a completely new suit, but if
it seems that'd be the best thing to do, I will (I still have some of
the fabric I originally used).
Thanks,
Helene
Deb Baddorf
wrote:
...
> Also, tips on sewing the new elastic on? The way I did it was
> to pin the elastic to the fabric, and use elastic only slightly
> smaller than the suit. While sewing, I stretched both fabric and
> elastic about halfway to maximum stretch. Is that too much? I tested
> on a small piece and it seemed OK, but on a longer seam it cam out
> looking a little odd.
...
>
> Thanks,
> Helene
From memory (somebody can correct me if I'm way off) the Stretch
and Sew patterns have you use about a 2/3 to ratio: if fabric
length is 1, use 2/3 of elastic. Pin to suit. Stretch elastic
till it matches fabric length. If using a zig-zag stitch, let
the fabric stay relaxed, just stretch the elastic. [Well, maybe
stretch the fabric a little, but not heaps.] If a straight
stitch must be used, then you will have to stretch the fabric
pretty stiffly too.
Stretch & Sew line which always gave me the giggles, but
which I certainly still remember:
Sew with "relaxed bottom". _They_ meant that the fabric, which
wasn't being stretched much, should be on the bottom, and the elastic
up. However, I kept interpretting it other ways ....
-- Deb bad...@fnal.gov
Sue Coatney
: replace it with good-quality swimsuit elastic. I used a three-step
: zigzag stitch to sew the original elastic on, and I'm not sure what
: would be the best way to remove it.
seam ripper. I'd recommend ripping from the elastic side - that
way you'll get fewer lycra threads.
: Also, tips on sewing the new elastic on? The way I did it was
: to pin the elastic to the fabric, and use elastic only slightly
: smaller than the suit.
You need to use less elastic - someone else mentioned 2/3's - that
should work. Often the pattern instructions will give you recommendations
on how much to use (size x - use y"" of elastic).
Also, the fabric should be lightly stretched - not to much though.
Sue
Patti Fairfax
denim bikini. No one had told me that regular elastic
loses ALL elasticity when it gets wet. I wore this
swimsuit to the beach, took a quick dip, then made an even quicker
run for my towel, frantically trying to keep my swimsuit
from falling off!!!
I was a junior or senior in high school at the time, and I
saw NO humor in the situation!
Babs Woods
>Helene (le...@bigwpi.WPI.EDU) wrote:
>: replace it with good-quality swimsuit elastic. I used a three-step
>: zigzag stitch to sew the original elastic on, and I'm not sure what
>: would be the best way to remove it.
>It's a lot of work, but you can rip out the elastic using a
>seam ripper. I'd recommend ripping from the elastic side - that
>way you'll get fewer lycra threads.
>: Also, tips on sewing the new elastic on? The way I did it was
>: to pin the elastic to the fabric, and use elastic only slightly
>: smaller than the suit.
One thing I have yet to see mentioned: cut off the old elastic. If
you have a pair of bibbed embroidery scissors, use these. I swear by
them for close trimming and this kind of repair trimming.
Make up a sort of piping with the elastic inside instead of a cording.
Use this elasticized trim in place of the old elasticized edge. You
can use the spare fashion fabric or something else to contrast with
the suit. You then have a new suit.
I have a bunch of copies of an excerpt from one of the Time/Life
Library ad insert flyers which covers this. I think you cut the
fabric to 3-4x the elastic width, then stretch stitch or serge the
elastic to one raw edge of this fabric strip. Then fold the fabric
to enclose the elastic, leaving a seam allowance width the width of
the elastic (or 5/8", which might be easier to handle. Sew this on,
right sides together, fold under the seam allowance and trim and
then topstitch in place. (At least I think this is how they show it,
this should work, though.) You now have a decorative and functional
edge, which is one you may also see on RTW swim suits.
>You need to use less elastic - someone else mentioned 2/3's - that
>should work. Often the pattern instructions will give you recommendations
>on how much to use (size x - use y"" of elastic).
Or you can compare it with a commercially made suit or between
several patterns' instructions, or both. I don't know off the point
of my head, but this 2/3:1 ratio sounds reasonable, though.
>Also, the fabric should be lightly stretched - not to much though.
On the elasticized trim, too.
>Sue
-babs
--
"Excuse me, while I dance a little jig of despair."
- had...@ics.uci.edu (Ted Hadley)
Mary Shafer
According to a pattern I just read, you should go about 1:1
elastic:fabric everywhere except on the backs of the legs, where you
should go 2/3:1, to get the suit to cup the buttocks. I haven't tried
this yet, but I'm going to be trying to make a leotard pretty soon.
--
Mary Shafer DoD #0362 KotFR sha...@ursa-major.spdcc.com
Some days it don't come easy/And some days it don't come hard
Some days it don't come at all/And these are the days that never end....
Marie-Christine Mahe
>According to a pattern I just read, you should go about 1:1
>elastic:fabric everywhere except on the backs of the legs, where you
>should go 2/3:1, to get the suit to cup the buttocks.
Yep. I -have- done this, several times, and that's about right. If you use a
good pattern that fits well, and you tighten the elastic anywhere except in
the back of the leg, you can hardly get into the thing. Guess how I learned
that :-)?
I use the clear polyurethane elastic, which is supposed to be
chlorine-resistant and which is feels very soft. It seemed a bit wimpy at
first sight, I didn't really trust it, but it's holding up and doing its job
very well, and it's totally impervious to getting wet.
I use basically the Stretch and Sew book (sew splashy?), which incidentally
does -not- recommend stretching your fabric as you sew. My machine doesn't
have many fancy stitches, and I don't have a serger. But I've been very happy
with the method where I attach the elastic to the fabric with a step zigzag,
then I fold it over and topstitch with a double needle. Looks good, covers
the elastic, takes brutal stretching without a complaint.
Marie-Christine
mahe-marie...@yale.edu
Mary Beth Renze - Sun Pittsburgh - SE
I took a trapunto quilting class where we used machine-solable thread for
basting. Someone asked the teacher what else you could use this
'washaway' thread for.
She replied, "Sewing Men's Bathing Suits".
So, who wants to try this trick and report back to the net? :-)
Mary Beth
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Mary Beth Renze
Systems Engineer 412.369.4316 phone
Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation 412.369.4300 main
Pittsburgh Office and Research Park 412.364.6520 fax
5500 Corporate Drive, Suite 350 x24316 internal
Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Mary.Be...@East.Sun.COM
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Paul C. Dickie
> I took a trapunto quilting class where we used machine-solable thread for
> basting. Someone asked the teacher what else you could use this
> 'washaway' thread for.
>
> She replied, "Sewing Men's Bathing Suits".
ROTFL!
Am I *glad* that I never learned to swim! ;')
< Paul >