Leotard!

UPDATE: Why is this post so popular?! This isn't even a flattering picture of me! UGH

Ignore my messy hair (I had to jump back in time since the camera was on a short timer) but there's the finished product! For this leotard, I used the spandex Lycra from Distinctive Fabrics and the Jalie pattern for the leotard. Overall, it looks really good! I made some alterations and have suggestions for future alterations.

Alterations I made:
I made the butt coverage a bit more and also lowered how high the cut was on the thigh. I wish I made more butt coverage and more hip coverage so I could wear underwear with my leotard. Also, I did not put elastic on the leg openings (I did on the neck opening and I highly recommend you do the same) because the fabric there already fit rather nicely; plus, I don't want the elastic to cut into my skin. The fabric also is rather unforgiving, so you don't want to make too many mistakes or sew it too much because it'll stretch a bit and start curling.

Future alterations:
More hip and butt coverage and to increase the size of the sleeves. The sleeves are a tad too tight for my liking, but not too bad. They actually just might stretch a bit with wear.

Spandex Lycra:
I only recommend you use this fabric if you're a seasoned sewer. If you have to use the seam ripper often when you sew, don't use this. It's hard to pick out the thread and when you do, you will sometimes pluck the fabric. Also, even if you don't pluck the fabric, it'll still leave holes. This fabric is also super stretchy and if you aren't used to sewing stretch fabrics, this will be very hard and you might end up with uneven seams and wavy edges.

This fabric does make a great leotard. I took it on its maiden voyage today in class and it held up well. It's stretchy, easy to put on, but it can also get a little warm. I would not recommend this for the unitard unless you want it to double as a warmer.


Next I will make a leotard out of the cotton Lycra. We'll see how it goes!

Long time, Little blogging

I know, I haven't posted for a long time. I've just been so busy! I did try and complete my "before" videos to mark my progress, but I was so tired and hot, that it looks exceptionally worse than usual. Also, at some points, you can see right up my shorts. Yeeeeah... I don't want publicity that way.

So, anyway, despite all the camera issues and the fact that I was croaking in that room, here's a video of me BEFORE on chaîné turns and piqué turns. I later totally mess up a routine I made up to combine the two. 

 

It looks worse than I imagined :( I have a loooooooong way to go.

The day I took this was an interesting day. The snow had just fallen in the Chicagoland area. We got well over two feet. I received no word from the studio about class being canceled, so I attended anyway. When I got there, the regular studio doors were locked. There was no one inside, so I knew that it had been canceled. I still wanted to practice a bit; I walked over to another studio doors, tried the handle, and... Voila! It opened.

I slipped inside, changed into my uniform, and started practicing at one of the barres there. It wasn't long before I heard people walking around in the hallway outside. The door to the studio opened, and a man stuck his head in the room. I froze because I knew I wasn't supposed to be there. He completely missed me, even with the mirrors completely revealing me.

This happened several more times, this time with me at the barre. It was while I was trying to film my before video that he finally noticed me. I actually have it on camera: me trying to explain that the door was open. He really didn't seem to care though. He ended up being a janitor at the place trying to fix the heating in the room. He was really nice about it, and let me stay there. He even offered to help me with the music, but since the CD player at that studio is so complicated, I told him I was okay with silence.

Better to ask for forgiveness than permission, I guess!

Anyway, he allowed me to practice in that studio for about an hour. I was so happy! That was really nice of him, but it was just too hot in there to take additional footage for my before video. I figure what I have right now is a pretty good indicator since it uses the whole body.

Also, I haven't even started watching the videos I have planned for this month. I've just been way too busy. I'll get started soon and post some pictures up right away!

New ballet pattern on its way!

I'm super sick today. I have a sore throat and can't move without getting extremely exhausted. In order to amuse myself, I explored the internet. In my wanderings, I came across a website called Jalie that specializes in sewing patterns for sportswear. This is all types of sports wear, from cycling to ballroom dancing. They also have some everyday patterns on there such as lingerie (another pattern I'm interested in since you rarely see patterns for them) and leggings. They have some pretty unusual patterns, which I absolutely love. Go visit Jalie's site here.

Jalie 2105 - Unitard, Leotard, and Skirt

What's really helpful is that these patterns come in adult and children sizes. That means adult dancers like me can get a leotard pattern that doesn't need much modification. SCORE!

Though there were many patterns I liked, they are also expensive. Granted, they are the same price as Simplicity and McCalls, but for those you just wait until they are on sale. These will probably never be on sale since they are a lesser known company. Only a couple indie sewing stores actually carry these products. Also, since this pattern company is located in Canada, you get higher fees and shipping rates. The shipping to my area is as high as eight bucks. Luckily, I found a better website located in the US that distributed this particular pattern for a much cheaper rate. In the end, I will only spend about fifteen dollars. Much better. You can find that great deal at Nearsea Naturals. 

I'm definitely planning on sewing the leotard and skirt. I've been meaning to buy some leotards for my adult class but have never gotten around to it. By sewing these myself, I will not only be able to customize the clothing for my needs, but will save me some cash. So, reviews and pictures to come once I begin the project!


Update: Leotard is finished! See the results here.