how do you make a homemade leotard

Sew a Cute Leotard That’ll Turn Anyone Into a Dance Star

• 1. Draft the Leotard Front Fold your bathing suit in half along the side seams, with the front side out. ...
• 2. Add the Seam Allowance Using a seam gauge, add ½” seam allowance to the crotch seam, sides and shoulders. ...
• 3. Draft the Leotard Back ...
• 4. Draft the Sleeves ...
• 5. Cut the Fabric ...
• 6. Sew the Neckline ...
• 7. Add the Sleeves ...
• 8. Stitch the Sides ...

Full Answer

What do you need to make a leotard?

How to Make a Leotard - Your SuppliesDance or swimwear lycra with at least 75% stretch. ... Stretch needles (Read sewing machine needle guide)⅜ inch (10mm) swimwear elastic. ... Your sewing machine and basic sewing supplies. ... A leotard pattern.

What fabric do you use for leotard?

SpandexSpandex is a very stretchy knit fabric (sometimes sold under the trade name Lycra) that works perfectly for swimsuits and leotards. It's important to determine the direction of the stretch before cutting.

How do you make a leotard out of at shirt?

How to Make a Leotard from a T-ShirtLay out a well-fitting leotard as a template. ... Cut your leotard from the T-shirt. ... Iron and starch. ... Sew the crotch of the leotard. ... Sew the rest of the leotard. ... Enclose all edges in fold-over elastic.

How do you make a leotard bra?

0:566:06How to Sew a Bra into a Backless Leotard (EASY TUTORIAL VIDEO)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI put one end of the thread through the needle eye and then match both ends up like. So. Then i tieMoreI put one end of the thread through the needle eye and then match both ends up like. So. Then i tie a double knot to make sure it doesn't slip through the fabric.

How many yards of fabric do I need for a leotard?

Choose 2 yd (1.8 m) of fabric that has some give to it. A stretch fabric such as lycra, spandex, or stretch cotton will work well for making a leotard. It is important for the fabric to have some give, but it should also be strong and durable.

How do you add lining to a leotard?

Turn the garment inside out and place it on top of the fabric, with the section of the garment you wish to line against the fabric. Center the section to line on the lining fabric. 2. Carefully turn over both items (at the same time) so that the fabric lining is on top.

How do you make a homemade bodysuit?

0:423:16DIY Bodysuit (No Sew!) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd you need some panties as well to mark your outline. Now I'm putting my underwear on top of myMoreAnd you need some panties as well to mark your outline. Now I'm putting my underwear on top of my top. And then marking these sides that way I can cut the shape of a bodysuit.

How do you make a bodysuit thong?

0:5113:43How to Make a DIY Snakeskin Animal Print Bodysuit Thong with Snaps at ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYour shirt in half and your pins should line up and then once you do that you're going to just foldMoreYour shirt in half and your pins should line up and then once you do that you're going to just fold your shirt again where your PIN is. And then you're gonna take an underwear the same underwear.

How do you turn a dress into a bodysuit?

0:423:39How to Upcycle a Dress into a Bodysuit in 5 minutes!! | BlueprintDIYYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHowever. This is not the easiest way to do it. So I would recommend that you take some safety pins.MoreHowever. This is not the easiest way to do it. So I would recommend that you take some safety pins. And place them along the line of your underwear. If you're wearing granny panties like. Me.

Do you wear bras under leotard?

Stick to nude bras, and match your bra style with that of your leotard. For example, if you've got a racerback leotard, go for a racerback bra to help keep the straps hidden.

How do you hide bra straps?

Ways to Hide Bra StrapsAdjust the Bra. Most bras come with adjustable bra straps so you can tighten or loosen them for a custom fit. ... Sew in Cups. This strap-hiding hack is perfect for anyone who is comfortable with sewing or has a seamstress. ... Purchase Invisible Straps.

Can you sew a bra into a swimsuit?

0:422:06How to Add a Bra to a Swimsuit - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo you can either sew it in or if the bathing suit top is fitted enough you can just kind of pop itMoreSo you can either sew it in or if the bathing suit top is fitted enough you can just kind of pop it in there and it'll stay in.

Are leotards spandex?

Today's leotards are typically made of stretchable nylon spandex. Did you know that spandex is a modern day synthetic (man-made) fiber? Known for exceptional elasticity, it's popular for many other reasons: it's lightweight, supple, comfy, flatters the figure, and it even dyes easily.

How much fabric is needed for a bodysuit?

(A note on calculating yardage: measure yourself from crotch to underbust, then double this number. That is the length of fabric that you will need. Allow a little extra if you're print matching or if your fabric has a nap/one-way design.

Is lycra fabric stretchy?

Lycra is a synthetic fiber that comprises stretchability. It can stretch up to 6 times its actual length without affecting its actual shape. It is highly resistant to heat.

What are dance costumes made out of?

Stretchable fabrics such as jersey, silk, chiffon, Georgette, and Lycra are commonly used because they don't restrict movement. Natural materials such as Cotton or silk are typically used when the costume is to be dyed because they absorb dye well.

What You Need

Good to Know: If you want a longer sleeve than the one shown in this tutorial, you can trace a long-sleeve T-shirt during the drafting process. Or you can make a sleeveless leotard (or even a bathing suit) by finishing the sleeve openings the same way as the neckline.

1. Draft the Leotard Front

Fold your bathing suit in half along the side seams, with the front side out. Align the suit’s fold with the straight edge of your paper. Trace around the suit.

2. Add the Seam Allowance

Using a seam gauge, add ½” seam allowance to the crotch seam, sides and shoulders. Add a ¼” seam allowance at the neckline and leg openings.

3. Draft the Leotard Back

Trace the pattern for the leotard front on another edge of the paper to use as a reference.

4. Draft the Sleeves

With the T-shirt still inside out, fold it into the sleeve and lay the folded edge along the straight edge of your paper. Trace the curve and bottom edge of your sleeve.

5. Cut the Fabric

Use the pattern pieces to cut your fabric. Cut one front, one back and two sleeves on the fold. Mark the top center of each sleeve once it’s cut out.

6. Sew the Neckline

Align the front and back shoulders, right sides together. Pin and sew the shoulders with a ½” seam allowance. Trim the seam allowance to ¼” and press open or to the back.

What is a basic leotard pattern?

A basic leotard pattern is not one that you actually cut out of fabric and sew into a leotard. It’s solely a paper pattern, and it goes all the way up to your neck in front and back, and it has sleeves.

Why a basic leotard pattern?

If you’re going to go to the trouble to make your own leotard, you want it to fit well, right? Having a custom fit that is comfy and secure for your body specifically is one of the big perks of making your own dancewear.

Take measurements

So the first thing we do is take our body measurements, and there are ten: Neck, Bust, Waist, Hips, Front Width, Shoulder Width, Back Length, Side Seam, Upper Arm, and Girth.

Enter the measurements into your spreadsheet

Inside the DIY Athletic Leotard Course I give you a spreadsheet to put all your measurements into. You can decide whether to measure in inches or centimeters.

Make a leotard outline

Once we’ve got all our measurements, we start using them to draft our pattern! At this point we will ignore all the measurements on the left side of the spreadsheet, and only pay attention to the ones in the column on the right labeled “To Use For Pattern.”

Draft the top half

Now that we’ve got our outline, we use the Neck measurement to make the neckline, both front and back. By the way—we’re drafting the front and back of this leotard pattern at the same time! Which saves time and ensures that they match up perfectly.

Start the sleeve to check measurements

Beside eye-balling it and seeing if we think our pattern looks proportional so far, I’ve found that a great way to test our measurement accuracy is to start the sleeve.

Step 1

Select a matching T-shirt and pair of underwear to use for your leotard. The T-shirt should be tight-fitting but comfortable and the sleeves should not be too wide or baggy. The underwear should be hi-cut or brief-style.

Step 2

Remove the elastic waistband from the underwear with a pair of sharp scissors. You may also choose to trim away the bottom hem from the T-shirt.

Step 3

Turn the T-shirt inside out and place the underwear inside it, aligning the top edge of the underwear with the bottom edge of the T-shirt. Pin the sides together all the way around.

Step 4

Adjust the T-shirt, if necessary so that the circumference around the bottom of the shirt is the same as that around the underwear. If you need to make adjustments, simply overlap small portions of the T-shirt bottom to reduce the size and pin it to the underwear.

Step 5

Sew through both thicknesses of fabric on a sewing machine using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Remove the pins as you sew and keep an eye out to be sure the edges of both items are always aligned.

Step 6

Turn the leotard completely inside out and press the seams flat with an iron. Once you are finished, your leotard will be ready to wear.

How to Make a Leotard from a T-Shirt

1. a well-fitting leotard. You can use a regular leotard or a biketard for this, but for now, keep it sleeveless. Sleeves are just a little more complicated, and we’ll talk about creating and sewing them another time.

Written by Julie Finn

I'm a writer, crafter, Zombie Preparedness Planner, and homeschooling momma of two kids who will hopefully someday transition into using their genius for good, not the evil machinations and mess-making in which they currently indulge.

How to Sew Your Own Leotard

I’ve talked before about why you should make your own leotards. My last blog post was about how to start, by making a customized basic leotard pattern that you can use over and over to design new leotards. Today I’m going to tell you more about how to actually sew a custom-fit, comfy leotard together!

Separate the top, bottom, and lining pattern pieces

The first thing I like to do is separate all my pattern pieces into piles according to which fabric I will use. For the leotard I make in the DIY Athletic Leotard Course, the top is pink, the bottom is black, and then there’s the lining.

Cut out the fabric

After we’ve got our piles, we take one at a time and cut out the pieces with the right fabric. It’s important to be consistent—decide which side of the fabric is the right side/outside and stick to it, and decide which side is the top and which is the bottom and stick to it.

Lay out the pattern pieces, right sides together

Once all the pieces in all the fabrics are cut out, lay them out right sides together, the way they will be sewn together. Especially if there’s not an obvious right and wrong side of the fabric, doing this now helps again with not making human mistakes later.

Thread the machines

Next, thread your machines—my coverstitch machine pretty much always has thread that matches my lining, since the stitching is only seen on the inside. We thread the serger with thread that matches the outside fabrics.

Sew the shoulders and neckline

Now we finally start sewing! We sew across the shoulders, on the outside fabric pieces and the lining. Then we put the two right sides together.

Sew the sleeves and side seams

Next we pin on and sew the 4 sleeves—the 2 outside and the 2 lining sleeves. I use a pin to match up the center of the sleeve cap to the shoulder seam, and then I stretch and manipulate the fabric to make the sleeve match the armhole, and sew. Of course you can use more pins if you’re more comfortable with that.