The Sewing Place

Daughter's new dance costume

Esimo

Daughter's new dance costume
« on: February 28, 2018, 23:14:37 PM »
Hi all just a bit of help required my daughter wants a lyrical costume to look a bit like the attached photo. She wants the midriff  to be of black mesh and I was wondering the best way to create this.
Any advice would be great!
Thanks E

Yellowfeather

Re: Daughter's new dance costume
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2018, 05:30:53 AM »
Mid you are buying the costume, I would suggest getting your daughter to out it on and draw in chalk where you want the mesh insert, then leaving seam allowances, cut it out, and use the cut pieces for a pattern to cut out the mesh panels.  If you are making from scratch, do the same to your usual unitard pattern.  Just remember to add back in the seam allowance.

Marniesews

Re: Daughter's new dance costume
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2018, 11:50:44 AM »
I'd use a different method. I'd mark it up and probably undo the side seams at least a few inches above and below the cut-out section sufficient to be able to lay mesh flat on it inside and baste with diagonal stitches. Then on the right side I'd sew along the marked line with honeycomb stitch (you could use 3-step zigzag if you haven't got it but, if you do, honeycomb stitch is beautifully flat and firm). Then trim off the main fabric as close as you can get to the stitching with small sharp scissors and resew the side seams again.

Some photos attached showing a leotard I made with a mesh yoke using this overlap method.
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

Lollipop

Re: Daughter's new dance costume
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2018, 13:00:39 PM »
I would do the method that Marnie describes. That's how I do illusion inserts too!
Was Sewnanny

Esimo

Re: Daughter's new dance costume
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2018, 13:46:30 PM »
Thanks for the advice, yes I'm going to make it for scratch as she's now decided that she wants the sleeve to be mesh as well !!
You know daughter's always changing their minds lol
Thanks E

Alangus

Re: Daughter's new dance costume
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2018, 09:04:04 AM »
Hi

This might be too late but if you are sewing it from scratch, after you have traced off the pattern and adjusted it then draw the shape you want to the mesh and trace that off and add seam allowances to it. I would overlap and sew it flat - as mentioned with a zz or other suitable sitich. Ive seen some leotards with two neat rows of zz. Sometimes I use a double layer of mesh if I think it is too flimsy.

Hope it goes well.