Fabric...

[Skittl1321]

So I'm wanting to make leggings for skating, because I've determined that I am just not built for ready-to-wear skating clothes. 

I've found a place that sells the under armour cold gear fabric, the leggings I'm currently wearing- and hope to buy some.

But they also have the Polartec Power Stretch.  I hear that stuff is amazing.  Is it worth nearly twice the price of the under armour fabric though?


I only need 1.5 yards to make leggings...so buying Power Stretch would make it half the cost of store my current leggings, the same price as getting ones from target, and less than buying Seku or something crazy expensive like that. 

What would you do?  I'm kind of neurotic about spending money, because I worry that I won't be able to make them well enough and should have just bought them to begin with...

[Isk8NYC]

FWIW, my kids' coach wears the store-bought Polartec Power Stretch pants and she loves them.  She was just telling me that they're light, but warm, perfect for spending several hours on the ice coaching.

I've been wearing ski pants over my sweats on long teaching days, so I'm tempted to try a store-bought pair, but I'm sure they'll need alternations.

Why don't you go a sporting goods store and try on a pair of pre-made pants?  Even if they're too big/long, you can get a feel for the fabric and weight.  You might decide it's too heavy.  You can also get some design ideas, like adding a gusset.

I've been thinking about making pants like this for my DDs.  I checked out a few pair of the Chloe Noel pants and the stripes seem to be appliqued on top of plain black pants.  Definitely within my sewing skills, but I haven't looked at fabric prices yet.

[Skittl1321]

The Polar Tec Power Stretch is about $17 a yard for black, the under armour cold gear is about $11.

Hmm... I hadn't thought about seeing if I can find the Power Stretch locally- I don't think I've ever seen it before, maybe I just didn't look hard enough  

[Isk8NYC]

It might be out of season by now, but if you look at the clearance racks, there might be some leftovers.

I think my friend said she bought them from a sporting goods store.  She's very petite and thin, so stock sizes fit her well.
A ski shop might have some in stock.

[sarahspins]

I hadn't thought about seeing if I can find the Power Stretch locally- I don't think I've ever seen it before, maybe I just didn't look hard enough

You probably can, just not as fabric yardage  I've found several tops and bottoms at REI that are the thicker power stretch, not the thinner stuff that UA uses (which AFIAK is just a different weight - it's all polartec).

Personally I would get some sample swatches so you can be sure of what you are getting before you order it - I learned this the hard way ordering directly from Malden Mills (who makes polartec) that even if something is listed as the weight you want, it doesn't necessarily mean that the fabric will be anything like what you're expecting it to be.

Ready to wear pants that are too long can be shortened easily... fleece fabric won't actually fray if you cut it, so you could just hack off the extra length and leave it alone.

[Skittl1321]

The problem with RTW- is for leggings it's not just a matter of shortening.  I buy jeans and cut 5-8 inches off of them, and no problem.  But with leggings, if I get the size to fit my waist, the crotch is super baggy, and the legs don't retain the compression fit, even if I can cut them for length.  So either I have to have terrible muffin top, or a lots of fabric baggy in the crotch, and thus far I've chosen muffin top   This is why I'm hoping to make my own!



Is the Under Armour fabric made by Malden Mills too?  I didn't know that.  It's not a fleece fabric...

I'm becoming more hesitant to buy the Power Stretch, since I don't really know what i'll be getting, and it is a lot more expensive (my muslin leggings weren't fantastic, but good enough that I figured I should move onto the fabric I'm actually going to use, since the stretch will be different).  Plus, it sounds like it's warmer, and my rink isn't really that cold...

I wish there was a fabric store locally.  I hate having to figure out internet buying!

[FigureSpins]

If the price is right, you could buy a very large pair of pants from REI and then rip the seams for fabric for your own pattern/design.  I never think to look there for skating gear, thanks for the tip saraspins.

[Skittl1321]

Ah, REI would be online only for me

Wouldn't adjusting for a crotch curve make that pretty difficult though?  Maybe if you did it with a gusset- so the pattern is narrower, would be easier... I don't know how to do a gusset though, and have yet to find a pattern with one.  (I still haven't found a 2 seam pattern either. Grr..)

[isakswings]

Ah, REI would be online only for me

Wouldn't adjusting for a crotch curve make that pretty difficult though?  Maybe if you did it with a gusset- so the pattern is narrower, would be easier... I don't know how to do a gusset though, and have yet to find a pattern with one.  (I still haven't found a 2 seam pattern either. Grr..)

If you are not sure of the power stretch fabric, I would stick with the UA fabric. You know what it is like, so I bet you will be happy with it. leggings are not hard to make and you can applique and add other cute stuff to them if you wanted to! One of the mom's got a cute rhinestone iron on and put that on her daughter's pants. Cute and unique. Don't know if you are interested in bling for you, but if you are there are a couple of ideas.

[Skate@Delaware]

leggings are really easy to make, you can use a serger or a zig-zag or stretch stitch.  If you don't have a pattern, buy a cheap pair of $5 leggings from wally world and use them as a "pattern" cut them apart (cheaper than a pattern). Tip: put a safety pin in the back piece so you don't get them confused with the front  :bash when you sew them up.

Where did you find the ua fabric?  I go to rockywoods.com for the stretch fleece-it's great and 60-inches wide. they also sell other fleece as well.

[Skittl1321]

Rockywoods has it   (And power stretch for a few $ less than Malden mills)


I've found getting the crotch right on the leggings very difficult.  I get weird pulling in it.

They'd be fine to wear with a tunic top or something, but not skating where that doesn't get covered up.

Which stretch fleece do you buy from them?  If it's less expensive, I might try it too...

[sarahspins]

Is the Under Armour fabric made by Malden Mills too?  I didn't know that.  It's not a fleece fabric...

They make almost everything

[Skate@Delaware]

Rockywoods has it   (And power stretch for a few $ less than Malden mills)


I've found getting the crotch right on the leggings very difficult.  I get weird pulling in it.

They'd be fine to wear with a tunic top or something, but not skating where that doesn't get covered up.

Which stretch fleece do you buy from them?  If it's less expensive, I might try it too...

i bought this one:
http://www.rockywoods.com/Fabrics-Kits/Polartec-Power-Stretch/Polartec-Power-Stretch-Polyester-Fleece-Fabric-88-polyester-12-Spandex-Black
and i found that you really have to cut it much smaller than you think....i used a Kwik-Sew leggings pattern and ended up wasting about 4" on the first pair I made (on the sides) cause it really stretches...sooooo next time, I pin-fitted it. It sews great but fuzzes a lot on the serger lol! Because it's so wide and stretches a lot you really don't need a lot!

....off to order ua fabric lol!.....

[Skittl1321]

That is one of the ones I'm looking at... but its a lot more than the other one...

How much was shipping? I'm trying to decide if I should buy more fabric, or if shipping is reasonable enough to just get enough for a test pair, and then order again.

[Skate@Delaware]

at the very bottom of the page is the link to "shipping" click on that and it gives you their shipping info...all different ways to ship. It varies depending on type and distance.

[Skittl1321]

Thanks! I got the shipping quotes figure out now

One more question for you- is the power stretch fleece double sided fleece, or fleece on one side and smooth on the other?

[Skate@Delaware]

Thanks! I got the shipping quotes figure out now

One more question for you- is the power stretch fleece double sided fleece, or fleece on one side and smooth on the other?

it's fleece on one side and smooth on the other. for a small fee, than can send you a sample-I usually order samples of the fabrics I'm interested in, just to get a feel of the fabric and to get an idea of the "hand" of it, real color, etc. I can't remember if they give you a discount coupon towards purchase when you do that, i order from many places. You'll have to ask them (they are very nice on the phone).

[Skittl1321]

Thanks!  That fabric also comes double sided (from the mill), so someone on pattern review was wondering.

I tend to skip swatches (except when free) unless the project is more than $30.  I'm CHEAP!

[Skate@Delaware]

Thanks!  That fabric also comes double sided (from the mill), so someone on pattern review was wondering.

I tend to skip swatches (except when free) the project is more than $30.  I'm CHEAP!

Sometimes I order swatches, especially if I'm making something (rather large project or $$$ for someone else) and need to make sure...I've been burned before and stuck with something not quite what I wanted (20 yards of "yellow charmeuse satin" that was really crappy polished poly-cotton-and what do you do with that? it later became the "Yellow brick road" for Wizard of oz but i never got the whole cost back on that one).

[Skittl1321]

Yeah, I'd get a swatch for 20 yards!

I'm trying to decide if I can manage to make pants out of just 1 yard- or if I need to get a yard and a half.
I meausured my muslin leggings and they are 37 inches, including the hem allowances!   But they are a little too long!  So I think I could squeeze a pair into just a yard.  They just won't go over the boot I don't think.

I'll use the UA fabric for OTB, since it's cheaper.

[isakswings]

i used a Kwik-Sew leggings pattern and ended up wasting about 4" on the first pair I made (on the sides) cause it really stretches...sooooo next time, I pin-fitted it.

How do you pin fit something? I bought a Kwik sew legging pattern and made some practice leggings for my daughter. I bought the adult pattern since she can fit into the adult XS dress patterns now. The leggings are ok... they are baggy on her, especially in the bum and crotch area. The legs could be tighter also, but would be ok if I could get the bum and legs to fit better. I've thought about power stretch fabric, but I don't want to try it until I play with the pattern a bit more. I have thought about buying the kids legging pattern and seeing if it fits her better then the adult extra small. She wears a size 12 girl pant and some size 14 girl shirts and can fit into some smaller womens clothing. She is 5 ft tall and 89-90 pounds soaking wet.

[Skittl1321]

I don't like to pin fit tissue patterns if the item has negative ease, but if you have leggings made up, I've been told you can put them on in side out and pull fabric to the seam allowances pin, and then resew.   I put this project aside until the ua gets here. The power stretch sounded too warm, but I did get a swatch. The ua was cheap enough that I get 3 tries, and if I end up with 1 pair of pants, I'm doing better than store bough (which don't fit anyway)

[Clarice]

How do you pin fit something? I bought a Kwik sew legging pattern and made some practice leggings for my daughter. I bought the adult pattern since she can fit into the adult XS dress patterns now. The leggings are ok... they are baggy on her, especially in the bum and crotch area. The legs could be tighter also, but would be ok if I could get the bum and legs to fit better. I've thought about power stretch fabric, but I don't want to try it until I play with the pattern a bit more. I have thought about buying the kids legging pattern and seeing if it fits her better then the adult extra small. She wears a size 12 girl pant and some size 14 girl shirts and can fit into some smaller womens clothing. She is 5 ft tall and 89-90 pounds soaking wet.

Your problem is that an adult pattern is cut for an adult woman's shape.  Your daughter may be tall enough for the smallest adult pattern, but obviously her hips haven't filled out yet.  I'd try the girls pattern and lengthen the legs if necessary.

[Skate@Delaware]

How do you pin fit something? I bought a Kwik sew legging pattern and made some practice leggings for my daughter. I bought the adult pattern since she can fit into the adult XS dress patterns now. The leggings are ok... they are baggy on her, especially in the bum and crotch area. The legs could be tighter also, but would be ok if I could get the bum and legs to fit better. I've thought about power stretch fabric, but I don't want to try it until I play with the pattern a bit more. I have thought about buying the kids legging pattern and seeing if it fits her better then the adult extra small. She wears a size 12 girl pant and some size 14 girl shirts and can fit into some smaller womens clothing. She is 5 ft tall and 89-90 pounds soaking wet.

you want to take out the fullness in the seat area, that should help. Since you need to trace the pattern onto something else so you don't ruin your master pattern, most people use the stuff that looks like interfacing (i can't recall what it's called, but it's real cheap stuff and works better than paper). You can trace out the whole pattern onto that (both sides as well, this stuff is inexpensive) and pin it onto her. Keep in mind there will be no stretch and it may gap 1-2"...that is ok, depending on the amount of stretch of the fabric (check the stretch of the fabric to make sure that it matches the gap). I probably am not explaining this correctly-it's easier when showing someone.

[aussieskater]

How do you pin fit something?

I use safety pins.