Leotard Neckline/Armholes Contrast Trim

I've done contrast binding on swimwear using the same method you describe. When topstitching with the twin needle, I threaded one eye with the fashion color thread and the other eye with the trim color thread. Then, I topstitched straddling the join. Whichever color was darker tended to disappear and the results looked cleaner. There are varying widths of twin needles -- I liked a narrow gauge the best for this. I've also topstitched using a very narrow zigzag and a single needle all the way in the fashion fabric. This way the contrast trim had no topstitching at all. This worked best when the fashion fabric was darker and the trim lighter. Does this make sense? I don't know the commercial bodysuit brands you mentioned, but I assume they were using overlock machines, which can do stretch topstitching in single lines...

Regarding covering elastic with lycra binding with no stitching showing, this can be done. I did it for the straps of the swim suit. You fold the strip of trim fabric lengthwise, right sides together. You lay the elastic exactly on the stitching line. You go ahead and do your zigzag seam to make the long tube, stitching straight through the elastic the whole time. When you're done, you slowly turn the tube right side out. (Uh, grade your seam allowances first.) The lycra stretches enough to accomodate the layers during the turning out but shrinks back to cover the elastic smoothly when you're done. You end up with covered elastic with just one seam down the middle of the back side. (Because of the positioning of the seam, all the seam allowances will be on one side of the line, meaning one side will be a little thicker than the other. That's why the grading is kind of important, to mitigate these effects.)

Does this help?

Pora

Thank you, Pora, yes this does help. I'm going to do some practicing using both methods you mention. You know, I don't think I ever stitched on the fashion fabric when topstitching, only on the contrast fabric. Perhaps that's what I was doing wrong? The contrast trim always seemed to hang forward and looked bulky. I didn't have puckering or anything (despite the fact I don't pin the binding before topstitching), it just looked sloppy. Thank you everyone for all your suggestions!

Regarding "hanging forward" trim, a few thoughts:

1)Are you stretching the elastic slightly as you sew? This might help it lie more nicely along the curves of armholes and neckholes. 2) When folding the binding over the elastic, are you pulling it too tight in the crosswise direction? It's a temptation to pull it tight, but leaving it with a tiny bit of room can also effect its flatness.

I seem to remember that on the most curvy areas my elastic/trim did not lie as flat as I wanted. I would snip the elastic at the inside of the curve, overlap and zigzag, effectively making micro darts to reduce bulk around the bend. But that's not really practical for your application...

How wide is the distance between your double needles? I strongly recommend the narrowest gauge available. It almost doesn't look like two lines when you're done. If you can carefully let one needle stitch directly in the ditch the results are even better.

Pora

Hi Again,

I was just wondering if you had any better luck with this issue. I noticed a new thread on serging elastic to bodysuits and wasn't sure if you decided to drop the contrast trim altogether!

Pora

Hi, Pora. I just tried the contrast trim again and got better results. I think I was pulling the trim too tightly which made it fall inwards. Also, I don't think I was stitching close enough to the fashion fabric. This time I stitched with just one needle instead of the twin, and I stitched very close to the fashion fabric. Also, I tried not to wrap the contrast too tightly around the elastic. The results are pretty good. Now I'm working on contrast trim on the armholes. I wonder if I necessarily need elastic in the armholes? I've seen commercial suits with just the trim around the armholes and no elastic (I've pulled apart commercial suits to see how they did it :)). The other thread I started is another problem I'm having with serging elastic to the lycra (leg openings, etc.). As you can see, I'm still mastering the different techniques! Thanks for your help with the contrast!

Thanks for the update! I don't know anything about leotards, so have no input on whether or not to use elastic when you finish the armholes. For swimwear it's important because water drags on the suit. I look forward to hearing more!

Pora