AAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGHHHH IT BURNS IT FREEZES!!!!

[lovetriangle]

How in the @*&^@&!#$@ do you sew spandex??? Give me 12 layers of brocade and I'm good. The finest silk organza? Fine. Add a little stretch and I'm a goner... I'd love some real tips on working with this stuff besides pin Pin PIN the crap out of it 'cause it's slippery as h*ll.

I have ball-tipped needles, a regular machine and a serger. Now all I need is the little elves to come and make my daughter's costume in the night...

Comments

[laurenmonkey.livejournal.com]

I sympathise! Stretch is the devil! try lots o pins and zigzagging if you haven't already :)

[pinque.livejournal.com]

A lot of the problem you may not be able to avoid I've found. I have two sewing machines and my 1960s Husquy will deal with stretch pvc (but has no real stretch stitch) and the other does have a stretch stitch but won't deal with the pvc as the plate is rather rougher and combined with the stickyness of the pvc on the needle... it's just messy.


It may also just be that needle! Honestly. In the middle of sewing my catsuit I changed needles as it was starting to get a bit warm so I thought a short break for it would be good.
No. The next needle from the same pack did not slide through the same way. I got skipping stitches galore.

About the only advice I can give is to also keep tension on both sides of the foot by holding the fabric on either side. It's one of those things you need to feel... apparently rather like driving someone else's car.. You have the same basic requirements but the touch required is different.

[marymont.livejournal.com]

Spandex is a breeze with a serger. I've used the overcast stitch on my regular sewing machine, but it didn't work as well as the serger.

Practice on cabbage first.

Yes, I've done lots of ballet costumes.

And if you really want help, I'm relatively nearby.

[myralea.livejournal.com]

several years ago i used to sew my younger cousins iceskating dresses with a pfaff overlock.
it is the only machine i've had that i can actually make strechy seams with that looks good....

that's all advice i can come up with, since i too find strechy fabrics something evil. good luck.

/m

[love3angle.livejournal.com]

I've always noticed overlocks are used on factoray made stretchy stuff, but will the seams actually stretch? Do I need to change the settings/tensions? I guess what doesn't make sense to me is that the regular straight stitch on my regular machine doesn't stretch and wil break threads if you pull the fabric to stretch... how are the straight stitches of the server different?

I'm such a dunce with these modern fabrics... LOL!