Sew Your Own Activewear: Make a Unique Sportswear Wardrobe from Four Basic Sewing Blocks

By Melissa Fehr

A sewing expert and marathon runner offers sewing patterns and blocks, as well as step-by-step instructions to help you create your own amazing activewear.

Make your own unique activewear sewing wardrobe that’s perfect for your workout. Choose from thirteen different styles including yoga pants, crops top and running leggings designed by activewear sewing expert, and marathon runner, Melissa Fehr.

Whether you’re a runner, a cyclist or a gym bunny, or you’re simply looking for the perfect pair of slouchy leggings for elegant lounging, this collection of sewing patterns is for you.

Learn all about how to choose the correct fabric for activewear sewing and discover expert tips on working with performance fabrics like Lycra and spandex. Before you know it, you’ll have a truly unique workout wardrobe to wear while you work up a sweat!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jan 29, 2018
• ISBN: 9781446376362

Melissa Fehr

Melissa Fehr is a pattern designer, marathon runner, sewing magazine contributor and blogger with over 10 years' experience in the activewear sewing pattern market. She worked on the last three series of the BBC's Great British Sewing Bee and she's a regular contributor to US sewing magazines Threads and Seamwork. Melissa relocated from the US to UK where she now lives in a houseboat on the Thames. She recently completed the London marathon in 3.5 hours!

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INTRODUCTION

The fashion world has seen an explosion in the popularity of activewear in the past few years and the sewing community has quickly followed suit. When I launched the first of my activewear sewing patterns in 2013 there were a few pattern options for basic designs, but fully functional activewear that would stand up to the rigours of my daily marathon training just didn’t exist. Over the years, I’ve released thirteen different sewing patterns specifically designed for fitness and movement: some focused on running or cycling, but others suited for horseback riding or yoga, all of which have different movement and functional requirements.

I started my running and sewing journeys almost simultaneously when I moved to London from Pennsylvania in the early 2000s and the progression of each pursuit has mirrored the other. Just as I started running for only a few minutes on the gym treadmill gradually progressing to running 10k races, then half marathons, marathons and even an ultra marathon, my sewing too has progressed. I think most of us start with a simple skirt or pillowcase, but my love of stretch fabric shone through early on – one of my first ever projects was a t-shirt refashion! Over the years I’ve since sewn everything, from jeans to bras to coats to my wedding dress (refashioned from my grandmother’s vintage gown), and it was a lack of choice in existing activewear designs that led me to start sewing these too.

So far I’ve run seven full marathons all in my own-sewn gear, but you don’t have to be a marathon runner to make great-looking and functional activewear. This book takes a block-based approach, starting with four basic top and bottom patterns that can be transformed and adapted into thirteen different activewear designs. Additionally you’ll learn: the skills to sew and finish your designs using your home sewing machine (even without an overlocker/serger), to select fabric that won’t let you down, and even how to adapt the designs further to suit the exact activities you’re into.

Sewing my own activewear has freed me from bland and boring designs and allowed me to express myself without hindering my ability to move and perform in a race situation. It’s brought me joy and creativity and given me the confidence to try new sports and push myself further than I ever thought possible. If you can sew a t-shirt, you can sew your own activewear and I’m here to show you how.

ACTIVEWEAR SEWING SKILLS

If you've sewn with jersey and other stretch fabrics before, then you may be tempted to skip this section – don't! Selecting the right stitches, edge finishing and fabric for your activewear makes is just as important as the pattern itself. What works for your average t-shirt won't necessarily work when you're sweating it out in the gym. Take the time now to experiment with different techniques on scrap fabrics or swatches of high-end activewear fabrics and it will pay off with better quality garments later on.

SEWING TECHNIQUES

Most clothing is designed to look good when the wearer is standing or sitting and, apart from the odd walking vent, other movements aren’t really taken into consideration. But the movements required by even the most sedate yoga session can put a huge strain on your clothing, with the seams usually bearing the brunt of the stress. Some of this is mitigated by the stretch and recovery of your fabric (see Fabric Selection), but you will need to construct your activewear using stitches that will stretch in every direction without breaking or causing irritation.

SEAMS

USING A SEWING MACHINE

If you only have a sewing machine, the narrow zigzag stitch will be your new standby (A).

Set the stitch length short and use this zigzag for all your basic seam construction, trimming the seam allowances close to the stitching after sewing. A walking foot is a fantastic investment if you do any volume of sewing with stretch fabrics – it ensures both layers of fabric move at the same rate and prevents the rippling you can sometimes see when using a regular presser foot. If you don’t have a walking foot, be sure to loosen your presser foot tension (if possible) and do not stretch the fabric as you sew!

If you find that the regular zigzag is not strong enough, some other good choices for seams are: the stretch straight stitch (sometimes referred to as a lightning bolt stitch) (B) or the lingerie maker’s favourite – the triple zigzag (aka the Marcel stitch) (C).

USING AN OVERLOCKER

Many home sewists these days also own an overlocker machine (known as a serger in some parts of the world) which is a match made in heaven for activewear sewing. With an overlocker you can achieve a finish that is virtually indistinguishable from ready-to-wear (RTW) activewear and can be as strong and long-lasting as any high-end gear. The strongest overlocker stitch for sewing seams is the 4-thread overlock, which has two lines of needle stitching in addition to the two looper threads encasing the seam allowance (D).

This means that if you break the first line of stitching, you have another as a backup before holes actually appear. Another popular overlocker seaming choice is to use the 3-thread overlock (one needle and two loopers) to get a mock flatlock look where the threads are seen on the outside of the garment. To achieve this, remove the left needle and loosen the right needle tension as far as it will go. Keep the upper looper tension somewhere in the middle and tighten the lower looper as far as possible. Stitch with the wrong sides of the fabric together, and once stitched, gently stretch across the seam until the stitching lies flat. The right side will show the lower looper threads (E), with the needle threads seen as a ladder on the wrong side (F).

Since this stitch only uses one needle thread, you don’t get the extra security of the additional needle as in the 4-thread overlock, but it gives a great decorative effect for highlighting interesting seamlines, and the side closest to the body is relatively flat with few threads to irritate sensitive skin.

THE FABRIC ON TOP WHEN SEWING A MOCK FLATLOCK SEAM WILL BE THE COLOUR THAT SHOWS THROUGH THE STITCHING. IF YOU’RE WORKING WITH TWO COLOURS, YOU NEED TO KEEP THE SAME COLOUR ON TOP FOR EVERY SEAM TO LOOK THE SAME.

TOPSTITCHING

Once you’ve sewn your seams, you can choose to topstitch them flat if you wish. This usually involves folding the seam allowances to one side and stitching close to the original seamline using either a zigzag, triple zigzag (G), twin needle, lightning bolt stitch, or other decorative stitch on your sewing machine.

Topstitching will make the seam allowances flatter and stay in place, but they can also cause waviness and add lots of time onto the process, in addition to adding extra thread against the skin (a common cause of chafing). Topstitching seams is really a matter of personal preference, both from a design and functional point of view. I’ve found that many beginner activewear sewists assume that any seam allowances left without topstitching will inevitably cause itchiness or chafing, but it’s important to test these out for yourself in your chosen activity as you may be attempting to solve a problem that doesn’t exist!

SEWING TEST SEAMS

Whether you’re sewing seams using your sewing machine or overlocker, topstitching or not, it is absolutely crucial to test your stitches on scraps of your chosen fabric before starting on your garment. Aside from testing the usual tension and skipped stitch issues, you also need to check the strength of the stitches against the fabric’s stretch and recovery. Take your fabric and stretch it hard along the length of your test seam; if the threads break then shorten your stitch length.

Then stretch your fabric across the width of your seam; if threads break here, use a narrower zigzag or overlocker stitch.

If you’re using an overlocker and see a ladder of threads along the seam even after you’ve stopped stretching the fabric, then you should tighten the left needle tension. The takeaway lesson to remember is that if the stitches break, you need to increase the density of the stitching in that direction.

NEEDLES

What if you have skipped stitches in your test scraps? Skipped stitches occur where the needle goes into the fabric, but a stitch isn’t formed, resulting in a stitch which looks longer than all the rest (H).

Skipped stitches are almost always a sign that the needle needs changing; either to a fresh one of the same type, or to one better suited to your fabric choice. Activewear fabrics come in a wide range: to select the best needle for your fabric, start with a universal needle type (suited to the weight of your fabric) and if you get skipped stitches, try switching to a ballpoint needle for jerseys or a stretch needle for most elastane fabrics. This advice applies to overlockers as well as sewing machines – I sew so much elastane on my overlocker that I changed my universal needles for stretch needles and saw an improvement in my stitch quality almost immediately.

HEMS

TWIN NEEDLE OR ZIGZAG

If you’re familiar with sewing casual knit clothing, then you’re probably aware of your options for finishing basic hems, where the hem allowance is simply folded to the wrong side and topstitched in place. Using a sewing machine, you can achieve this either by using a zigzag stitch (narrow or triple zigzag), or by using a twin needle (I).

Most sewing machines can support

Reviews for Sew Your Own Activewear

[Анастасія Олегівна Туревич · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ця книга просто незбагненно класна для новачків і профі. Буде моєю настільною найближчі роки ?

[Susan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow! So much good information to help with pattern drafting.

[dokfintong · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I don't do much sewing these days but I asked for this book because it is so hard to find sportswear that I like that is not exactly like every one else is wearing. If you do like to sew and are interested in activewear, this book might be what you need.Everything is well explained and easily understood. The explanations of different fabrics options are good and the measuring and cutting instructions are clear. A lot of time is spent discussing different kinds of seams and finishing and how to manage if you don't have a room full of specialty sewing appliances like surgers and overlockers. A zigzag machine is pretty much required though.Experience working with knits and stretch fabric will be helpful here, although not required. Also helpful will be some understanding of how block designs are different from patterns. You can get that with a little online work.I received a review copy of "Sew Your Own Activewear: Make a Unique Sportswear Wardrobe from Four Basic Sewing Blocks" by Melissa Fehr (F+W Media) through NetGalley.com.