How to Sew With Lycra

Lycra has found its way into many types of fabrics, both woven and knits. Its stretchiness makes many garments more comfortable to wear. Don't be intimidated by Lycra. Once you know how to sew with it, you can enjoy making and wearing clothing with it.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric with Lycra
• Scissors
• Rotary cutter and mat
• Extra sharp straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Polyester thread
• Serger (optional)

Instructions

1. Pre-wash the Lycra fabric according to the washing instructions on the label. You can usually toss it in the wash with a load of similarly-colored clothes and dry it on low heat. Remove it from the dryer as soon as the drying cycle ends to prevent wrinkles.

2. Determine which way the fabric has the most stretch. You need to cut your pattern so the stretch goes around your body. That may mean cutting the fabric on the crosswise grain rather than the lengthwise grain.

3. Cut the fabric with an extra-sharp pair of scissors or a rotary cutter. Pin the fabric together with extra sharp pins to avoid snagging the fabric.

4. Use polyester thread to give the fabric some extra stretch on the seams. Change your regular sewing machine needle to a ballpoint needle.

5. Set your sewing machine to a narrow zigzag stitch or stretch stitch to sew your seams. Check your seams on some scrap fabric before you begin to sew the garment.

6. Alter the pattern as necessary to allow for the stretch of the Lycra. For example, invisible zippers are easier to sew in Lycra garments. Avoid buttonholes if at all possible. If you must have buttonholes in the garment, sew a cord in them to help stabilize the fabric.

7. Serge seams wherever possible. This is a quick and easy seam finish that reduces bulk and takes care of the tendency of Lycra edges to curl.