This page is reserved for discussion on elastics. Anyone can ask a question or pitch in with an answer … you don’t have to wait for me to answer it! Do you want to know what elastic to use in a key hole opening, how much tension you should apply or how to thread elastic in a spaghetti strap? Well here is where you can seek advice or give it!
If you’ve read any of my blog you’ll know I keep trying to avoid the topic of sewing because I need to place emphasis on the pattern making. Afterall that’s what the site is all about … teaching fashion students how to make patterns for ready-to-wear close fit stretch garments. While the site isn’t necessarily aimed at home sewists, I do realise there’s probably more of you reading the site these days! Let’s try to keep to sewing questions rather than duplicating pattern topics covered elsewhere on the site, although I understand sometimes overlap is necessary!
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Debie,
Thanks for the link to Sew Sassy. I have made several orders from them in the past because they carry a wide selection of the little parts needed for swimsuits. They offer rubber 9mm elastic in white here:
http://www.sewsassy.com/LycraProducts/Accessories.html#anchorRubberElastic769
I have also ordered from this Ebay store and have purchased both the 8mm in white and black:
http://cgi.ebay.com/25-yds-White-5-16-8mm-Rubber-Ribbed-Swimsuit-Elastic-/310330835745?pt=Sewing_Trims&hash=item484128c321
Both these suppliers have given me great service and I will order from them again.
In response to finding elastics I have found a very good website what I think has a lot of choices that I plan to use myself.
http://www.sewsassy.com/Pages/Elastic.html#
hope this helps.
i am sewing a swimsuit bra type top for a 40DD size women and am wondering where to sew in the elastic and what width? I am planning on using some boning and underwire too. the fabric I am using is a thick latex.
thank you.
Scott: Spandex House (www.spandexhouse.com) has 65% poly /35% rubber elastic by the yard – don’t know if that helps.
Hi Stuart, I’ve been searching for rubber elastics, but I’ve not found any… so I was wondering what kind of elastic can I use to make a swim swuit, can I use the regular one? (the one that is’nt made out of rubber or latex)
thank you, i would apreciate an answer as soon as possible =) xoxo
Hi everyone, Does anyone have a source for rubber elastic? I have done google searches and followed a lot of rabbit trails. I found some black 9mm on ebay a while back, but when i recently reordered, what i got was 8mm, advertised as 9mm. Oh, well….. Who sells rubber elastic in small quantities?
Thanks, Stuart for this extraordinary site. I really like this present format.
Hi Maggie, there is a picture of the binder on the seams and stitching page here: http://www.patternschool.com/?page_id=16
Setara, this question is already answered in detail here: http://www.patternschool.com/?page_id=14
Hi Stuart,
I always have trouble with applying elastics to my legline, mostly because I don’t really know the proper method. How much tension should I be applying, and where. Should it be even tension all the way around, or should there be more tension in specific areas, like around the bum, and the hollow area around the front leg? Is there a percentage of the total measurement I should use for my elastic measurements?
Thanks,
Setara
Hi Stuart, do you have an image you can post or send me of the binder attachment that you used on the Spaghetti Strap video. I would like to see if I can have one made.
Thank you.
Hi Wendy …. I don’t tend to place elastic the way you do although I know many people do pin the quarters (especially the dancewear people). I’m thinking that perhaps your elastic might be a little too tight if you notice the difference when you move your hands. Note that I mean too tight relative to the fabric ,… if it fit’s well when worn (but only looks unevenly stitched), it’s more likely the leg hole is too large on the pattern relative to the correct amount of elastic.
The other alternative maybe that you are pulling too hard to stretch the elastic during sewing and the presser foot doesn’t have a good enough grip on the job … it’s really hard to guess, but I’d look at these things first.
Hi Stuart, I have been inserting elastic into the leg of a leotard. I am using a stretch zigzag stitch and I have quartered both the leg opening and the elastic and stretched the elastic to fit. The problem is that the elastic looks stretched when I have finished and you can see the stitch change between one quarter and the repositioning of the hands to stretch the elastic and material for the next quarter. What am I doing wrong? Wendy
Thanks for confirming that. I’ve bought some cheap fabric for testing and I’ll give it another try.
Hi Leonard … yours is really easy to answer … nowhere near enough tension in the elastic and as a result when you overlock the elastic down to the fabric you stretch the fabric … result is essentially positive ease in the elastic and hence rollover. Fixing it may be as simple as applying more tension to the elastic as you overlock it, using a stiffer elastic or lightening up on the presser foot pressure if you have poor feed or increasing the pressure if you have good feed … I’d start by testing a swatch with higher elastic tension!
Neckline issues
The neckline isn’t tight across the bust at the high chest line. Seems to roll out as well. Any ideas? I don’t think I stretched the elastic when I sewed it in.
Leg opening issues
The leg opening turns out quite a bit. Is the issue here that I didn’t stretch the elastic when I sewed it in? Or is it just that the cut of the leg line doesn’t follow the anatomy of the wearer?
Thanks.