how to sew lycra fabric | ehow

Lecca is the trade name of DuPont for stretch synthetic fiber spandex.There are two kinds of Leica fabric --way or four-For swimwear, sportswear, close-fitting and clothing.Fabric manufacturers add Leica fiber to the fabric to provide elasticity and help the garment to maintain its shape.The shiny leotards are made from a mix of Leka and nylon, but since Leka and cotton are mixed together, sportswear are usually matte.Sewing needs to be prepared due to unstable Leca fabric.With some tips, though, you can sew seams that are both flexible and sturdy.
Change the regular needle of sewing machine to 70/10 ballpoint pen needle.The needles are blunt and push the Leica fibers to one side instead of tearing them apart.Use the polyester thread because it provides more elasticity than the cotton thread at the seams.
Adjust the sewing machine settings.Set the sewing machine to 12 to 15 needles per inch and turn the tension knob of the machine to a lower number.
Practice sewing on scrap Leica fabric.Use a straight or small zigzag needle to stretch the fabric by holding the fabric to the front and back of the needle.Test the different stitch length and tension settings on the waste fabric to ensure that the fabric does not shrink when sewing.Adjust them if necessary.Editors of \"Vogue Sewing\" wrote, \"test stitching on portrait and landscape textures before you start the garment.
Nail your project together for sewing.Vertical the direct selling to the fabric edge and put into the fabric only in the seam allowance.
Slowly sew the seam with uniform pressure on the foot pedal of the sewing machine.
Remove each pin before it reaches the pressure foot.This will help prevent errors.The pinhole on Leka is permanently visible.
Sew a straight line or a parallel line of the zigzag stitch in the seam margin of 1/8 from the original stitch.
Trim the seams 1/8 from the second set of stitches.