Beading on lycra

[firefly5]

Hi there, for my next (possibly too ambitious) costume project, I am planning on making a costume with a beaded and sequinned lycra skirt.
If any experienced costume makers have any tips that would help before I begin I would be most grateful.
I have a fear that it could go horribly wrong, and I will end up with a puckered, lumpy mess!

Cheers,
Ruth

[Arella]

Just make sure you have a very sharp needle if your hand beading it. I've never had a problem hand beading lycra. Any stretch fabric requires a very sharp needle.
If your
adding sequins and beads to the skirt with a sewing machine you can get specialty feet for your machine that will guide it them on beautifully and easily.

Hope this helps you alittle.
You won't end up with a mess!

[firefly5]

Just had a thought -would it work better if I used an embroidery hoop?
I'm not sure if this would be any good with stretch fabrics but I guess it's worth a try!
anyone tried this?

[Genisis]

I misread the title of this. I could have sworn you write "Bleeding on Lycra." I caught myself going, "Wow I bet the dry cleaners love you!" *chuckles* Ooookay need coffee... Good luck with your costume project!

~*Genisis*~

[firefly5]

Originally Posted by Genisis

I misread the title of this. I could have sworn you write "Bleeding on Lycra." I caught myself going, "Wow I bet the dry cleaners love you!" *chuckles* Ooookay need coffee... Good luck with your costume project!

~*Genisis*~

Lol
No doubt I will end up bleeding on it now!
And then sleep for a hundred years -feels like I could do with that today!

[kamilia]

Originally Posted by Arella

Just make sure you have a very sharp needle if your hand beading it. I've never had a problem hand beading lycra. Any stretch fabric requires a very sharp needle.
If your
adding sequins and beads to the skirt with a sewing machine you can get specialty feet for your machine that will guide it them on beautifully and easily.

Hope this helps you alittle.
You won't end up with a mess!

Crap! Thank goodness I found this post. Have I been doing it wrong the whole time?

I heard that knits need a duller needle to part the fibers, while wovens need sharp needles to pierce the fibers. So sharp sharp needles work really well for you? Do tell...

[firefly5]

I didn't know that!
To be honest, I was planning on using a beading needle anyway, as I will be using a lot of seed beads in the design, so no choice there as to whether it is sharp or not.

[Arella]

No...knits and stretch fabrics need much shaper needles!
just check your needles for your sewing machine... the stretch needles
are very sharp and smaller points...
its much easier to pierce the fabric!

I learned thru trial and error... and a few hundred spent in sewing and design classes...
I was thinking there are so many things that effect sewing stretch fabric.. knits, jersey... on a sewing machine... and ofcourse you need a good machine...

I ruined many a beautiful knit fabric back in the day before I knew any better and before I had my Pfaff machine!



But I think Firefly is hand beading am I right??
I like the hoop idea btw

[tigerb]

Originally Posted by Arella

No...knits and stretch fabrics need much shaper needles!
just check your needles for your sewing machine... the stretch needles
are very sharp and smaller points...
its much easier to pierce the fabric!

I learned thru trial and error... and a few hundred spent in sewing and design classes...
I was thinking there are so many things that effect sewing stretch fabric.. knits, jersey... on a sewing machine... and ofcourse you need a good machine...

I ruined many a beautiful knit fabric back in the day before I knew any better and before I had my Pfaff machine!



But I think Firefly is hand beading am I right??
I like the hoop idea btw

I'm really not following your logic. From the Threads magazine website:


Ballpoint and stretch needles

Uses: Ballpoint needle for heavier, looser sweater knits; stretch needle for highly elastic fabrics, like
Spandex, or Lycra.

Configuration: Both have rounded points that penetrate between fabric threads rather than pierce them. (Stretch-needle point is slightly less rounded than ballpoint.)


So stretch needles are not sharp!

[Arella]

The stretch needles I use... and they are labeled "stretch needles" are very sharp... and every since I've been using them my sewing on these fabrics is so much better... and I sew ALOT! I don't just make costumes I have a small couture line of clothing I sell also.

Loose knits are a completely different thing... and there are needles just for those to... they are jersey ballpoints.

I've taken lots of classes for sewing over the years and I have had classes
with instructors that have a
different preference... but this is what has worked for me for years.
And I have many beautiful clothes and costumes I've made as well as many satisfied customers.
Still, most important thing... a kick a** machine!

[kamilia]

I see the logic now: for costumes, we want a really heavy lycra that won't stretch out of shape (unless it's over our curves...). I guess those are much more tightly knitted than other knits.

[firefly5]

Yes, I am planning to hand bead, but will probably make the skirt using my sewing machine (I'm afraid a rather antiquated bernina!) so all advice is useful!
Thanks

[vilia]

Originally Posted by Arella

Still, most important thing... a kick a** machine!

Arella, I'm going to be in the market for a new machine, hopefully in the not too distant future, and am gleaning all the information I can. If I'm very, very lucky (and that's a big if), I might get something that also does embroidery, but I often find myself sewing stretch fabrics and knits. What, in your experience, is the best kick a** machine for sewing lycra and what special feet are you talking about regarding beading?

I'm with Tigerb on the needles needing to be "ball point" not sharp as the sharper needles can break the woven fabric, whereas the ball point stretch needles are designed so they go between the weave.

I wonder if the beaded area would need some backing fabric to strengthen the area and maybe lessen any chance of puckering?

[Arella]

Originally Posted by vilia

Arella, I'm going to be in the market for a new machine, hopefully in the not too distant future, and am gleaning all the information I can. If I'm very, very lucky (and that's a big if), I might get something that also does embroidery, but I often find myself sewing stretch fabrics and knits. What, in your experience, is the best kick a** machine for sewing lycra and what special feet are you talking about regarding beading?

Well, I have a pretty high end Pfaff sewing machine... its amazing, it will sew anything...
I can go from leather to lycra to lame' with no problem! Chiffon is never
a problem either... it has a built in walking foot on the back... you have no
idea how much this helps.... you can buy so many feet for it... I have a ruffler foot thats awesome.
You can get a beading foot, it guides beads on a string so the machine can attach them to edging, like on alot of formal wear, wedding dresses, stuff like that. You can get a foot that will guide wider trims too,,, like sequins!
The elastic foot makes life easier to.
I also have a high end Baby Lock serger... I can't sing its praises enough.. it has a lot of specialty feet to use to... including the beading foot.. it sews any fabric easily as well... and there are no tensions to mess with! It practically threads itself.
My mother (she's an award winning quilter and wearable art seamstress) loves Baby Lock sergers also... she has a high end Brother Embroidery machine she swears by.


Take some fabric that you use alot with you when you go to the dealers... they'll let you try out any machine your interested in.

Well, theres a few brands for you to try out anyways....
Good Luck!

[vilia]

Thank you for the info, Arella. I presently have a Pfaff with built in walking foot, but it's older. I was talking to the saleslady at a sewing center yesterday. She sells Berninas and Babylocks, so obviously she was trying to sell them, but I have heard wonderful things about Berninas. I also have an industrial Brother serger (3 thread) but it tends to stretch fabrics as it sews and I'm unable to change tension since movers knocked off the knob for that.

When I get closer to purchase time, I'll definitely take along some fabric, as you suggest.

I don't want to hijack this thread, so I'm p.m.ing you.

[dameshe]

this is blowing my mind. i'm relatively new to sewing...i had no idea you could do BEADING on a sewing machine!!!!

what is the best (reasonably priced) machine that will do this???