This granddaughter of mine has expensive hobbies! She dances, ballet, tap etc, but her greatest passion is gymnastics. She's recently been asked to join a more advanced group and will be doing competitions. All well and good, but between the dance costumes and practise leotards, it's becoming very expensive.
So, Nana has decided to give the leotards a go, particularly as the latest one was £25 - with her name picked out in gemstones at the back. It's not a difficult design, and I bought a great lump of metallic lycra a while ago intending to try some ballet leos.
I'm sure it's going to be a lot more difficult than I expect, especially coming to terms with negative ease, but it's the gems which are worrying me. I haven't used them for years, and have dug some old ones out to practise by putting gemstones on my Christmas Stockings.
Now here's where I'm a bit stuck. I have a hotfix tool, but when the glue melts, it can make a 'glue ring' around the gem. Also, the tip gets full of old glue which I'm afraid will transfer to the lycra - particularly on light colours, so, if anyone has any advice I would be very grateful.
Also, is there a simple way to mark the design on the lycra as a guide for the gemstone placement. On woven fabric, I would mark the design on the back, sew over it, and then stick the gems on, but I don't think that will work with lycra.
Finally, suppliers. The gems I'm using were left over from the bunting I made for DD's wedding eight years ago, and I have no idea where I bought them from. If anyone has the name of a good cheap supplier I would be very grateful. I don't think I need Swarovski (sp?) just yet, just a sparkly gemstone.
Thanks for letting me rabbit on. It would be nice to be able to put a Nana-made leotard into the new Gymnastic/Ballet bags that Father Christmas is bringing.
Jessie