# bike clothing sewing project



## little b (Jan 7, 2004)

I'm so pleased! I just completed a little project. I had a pair of padded tights that I never really wore. They just didn't fit quite right in the leg. They had a nice thin chamois though, which I did like. Well, I decided I wanted knickers instead. I cut the legs off just below the knee, and then reattached the grippers from the bottom to the new legs. they are a wee bit tight (they will likely stretch) but now I have a great new pair of knickers! brilliant, if I do say so myself.

I guess I should have taken action shots of me at the sewing machine. alas, I did not. maybe I can work up a picture of me in my new knickers.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

little b said:


> I'm so pleased! I just completed a little project. I had a pair of padded tights that I never really wore. They just didn't fit quite right in the leg. They had a nice thin chamois though, which I did like. Well, I decided I wanted knickers instead. I cut the legs off just below the knee, and then reattached the grippers from the bottom to the new legs. they are a wee bit tight (they will likely stretch) but now I have a great new pair of knickers! brilliant, if I do say so myself.
> 
> I guess I should have taken action shots of me at the sewing machine. alas, I did not. maybe I can work up a picture of me in my new knickers.


very cool. It's easy isn't it??!! I make all my shorts, most of my own jerseys, I've made booties and even baggies.
formica


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## Impy (Jan 6, 2004)

formica said:


> very cool. It's easy isn't it??!! I make all my shorts, most of my own jerseys, I've made booties and even baggies.
> formica


No way! Can you just buy wicking fabric at Joann's or any fabric store? What about chamois?

Impy (woefully ignorant of sewn things)


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## mahgnillig (Mar 12, 2004)

Wow, can you really make your own bike clothes? I thought lycra would just disintegrate if you tried to cut it or sew it  That'd be pretty cool... my hubby always complains that bike jerseys look like a pack of crayons exploded all over them, so maybe I could make him his own non-crayony jersey.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

mahgnillig said:


> Wow, can you really make your own bike clothes? I thought lycra would just disintegrate if you tried to cut it or sew it  That'd be pretty cool... my hubby always complains that bike jerseys look like a pack of crayons exploded all over them, so maybe I could make him his own non-crayony jersey.


ok girls... here's the link. I have made a whole site on " how to sew " clothes and outdoor gear, with where to get patterns, fabric etc. You have to mail order everything... Joanns is NOT the place. I'm really willing to help with any project if you ever need pointers. Mainly you just have to get used to handling different kinds of fabrics, the actual techniques arent' that difficult.

this is the main Tips for Making your own gear page;
https://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/tips/tips.asp

and this one here is mainly about cycle stuff.
https://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/tips/pgallery.asp
If you move around the site, there's a page that lists where to mail order things ( sources ) and a lot of other tips. You can get things like powerdri, capilene and others mail order.

These jerseys made by a friend of mine
https://w3.gorge.net/gab/bike_jerseys.html

here's some of my some of my custom cycle wardobe




























~formica


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## fairyweatherider (Sep 3, 2004)

*Cool duds!*

Those duds look awesome.

I have a jersey I won for coming first place in a race. I am very proud of winning the race and want to wear my jersey with pride too - except I am x/s and the jersey is a mens medium. It is huge on me. The waistband rides up and the pockets turn inside towards my back and upside down. I wore it out riding once and was asked if my hubby won the race. I was so pissed I haven't worn it in public again. Anyway, do you think I could chop it up and sew it back together as a size x/s? I have a sewing machine but very little talent.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

fairyweatherider said:


> Those duds look awesome.
> 
> I have a jersey I won for coming first place in a race. I am very proud of winning the race and want to wear my jersey with pride too - except I am x/s and the jersey is a mens medium. It is huge on me. The waistband rides up and the pockets turn inside towards my back and upside down. I wore it out riding once and was asked if my hubby won the race. I was so pissed I haven't worn it in public again. Anyway, do you think I could chop it up and sew it back together as a size x/s? I have a sewing machine but very little talent.


yes, send me a PM or contact me via my site, I do this kind of work professionally and would be glad to work with you.

~formica


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## kpicha (Dec 20, 2003)

Ahhh, now I know who you are!! I've been wracking my brain thinking I "knew you" from someplace else  The clothes gave you away  Welcome aboard! (better late than never I guess)


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## Gnarlene (Jan 13, 2004)

*Patterns for baggies?*



formica said:


> very cool. It's easy isn't it??!! I make all my shorts, most of my own jerseys, I've made booties and even baggies.
> formica


Hi Formica,
I have been rather unsuccessful in obtaining baggies that actually fit me properly (long, long rant).

Anyway, I'm looking for a pattern for baggy shorts that I can wear over my spandex...mostly I need to learn how to make the no-seam (gussetted) crotch.

I looked at the links you posted above, but they seemed to be more focused on jerseys and other "upper body" wear.

Am I just not surfing enough (which is possible, since I really should be working right now)? Or do you have some other pointers for the baggie-short challenged among us?

Thanks,
Gnarlene


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Gnarlene said:


> Hi Formica,
> I have been rather unsuccessful in obtaining baggies that actually fit me properly (long, long rant).
> 
> Anyway, I'm looking for a pattern for baggy shorts that I can wear over my spandex...mostly I need to learn how to make the no-seam (gussetted) crotch.
> ...


first, Kpicha.. yes it's me, the woman of 1000 names.... 

second... there are several patterns out there for jersey, and they are super fast to make if you have a serger.

third... baggies.... (warning, you got me going here, in a positive way....)You really have to have good sewing improvisational skills for these as no patterns exists. The ones I made are actually more like a board short. I used a Kwik Sew # 2840 and tweaked it a whole bunch. First, I used a heavy nylon fabric, it's like a uncoated cordura. I changed the waistband fly, added outer thigh cargo pockets. I had to make them up out of junk fabric twice to get enough room in the thigh for riding.The I transferred all that back to the pattern. Now that I have the pattern worked out, NEXT time I will make the waistband higher in the back and lower in the front, but also make the whole shorts more hip hugger-ish and make some sort of gussety like insert panel out of stretch like you see on a lot of baggies. I attached a crappy photo I just took of them. Sorry they are so wrinkeled I just pulled them out of a drawer. ..

Green pepper has a new pattern out for zip off hiking pants with a gramicci like gusset. I haven't checked it out, but this one might make a good starting point also as the gusset is already patterned.It may be more of a diamond style gusset tho. The baggies I've looked at have a pretty good sized stretch panel in the crotch. I can tell you how to do the pattern alteration for a gusset if you wanted. 
Another option is to trace off some shorts that you like and go from there. There is a book called "making patterns from finished clothes" by Rusty benssusan that tells you how to do it. The mail order places have lots of cool fabrics, it's fun just to get a couple of catalogs and go through them.

eep! sorry.. I do go on, I love to do this stuff. I rarely follow a pattern straight up anymore.
let me know if I can help!! 
~formica


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## Finch Platte (Nov 14, 2003)

*Hot.*



little b said:


> I'm so pleased! I just completed a little project. I had a pair of padded tights that I never really wore. They just didn't fit quite right in the leg. They had a nice thin chamois though, which I did like. Well, I decided I wanted knickers instead. I cut the legs off just below the knee, and then reattached the grippers from the bottom to the new legs. they are a wee bit tight (they will likely stretch) but now I have a great new pair of knickers! brilliant, if I do say so myself.
> 
> I guess I should have taken action shots of me at the sewing machine. alas, I did not. maybe I can work up a picture of me in my new knickers.


Did you make _me_ anything? I didn't think so. 

But these knickers are cool, too. From www.Harlotwear.com

fp


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Finch Platte said:


> Did you make _me_ anything? I didn't think so.
> 
> But these knickers are cool, too. From www.Harlotwear.com
> 
> fp


those are really, really cute. Anyoen own anything from the company?

~f.


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## girlywhirly (Apr 4, 2004)

*Oh Goddess of the Needle....*

What are your suggestions for sewing lycra shorts without a serger? I've made a few pairs of shorts with my regular sewing machine; they're okay, but the material has given out after a couple seasons. Also, what do you recommend for the chamois?

Thanks in advance,
girlywhirly


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

girlywhirly said:


> What are your suggestions for sewing lycra shorts without a serger? I've made a few pairs of shorts with my regular sewing machine; they're okay, but the material has given out after a couple seasons. Also, what do you recommend for the chamois?
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> girlywhirly


<blush>
First, use something more substantial that swim lycra. You can mail order stuff that's heavier. Outdoors Wilderness Fabrics stocks a 6.5 oz, and sometimes they have a 9.5 which is really heavy, same thing used in NFL knickers - great for mountain biking as you can't kill it. Use good thread, and never put them in the dryer.

Without a serger: Kwik Sew and Stretch and Sew patterns give directions for both kinds of machines, regular and serger. If your machine has this one __//__//__//__ that's the best to use, it's a mock overlock. Otherwise, a narrow zig zag will have to do.

Chamois. There are premanufacturered ones you can order, but I think they are like big foam diapers. Yuck. I use the chamois pattern that comes with stretch and sew #313. I do it a little different than the directions. I use a layer of 200 fleece and a layer of ultrasuede. I cut off the center seam allowance and make butted seams - less bulk that way. The pattern directions have you make a regular seam and then sew it down, too much bulk that way. Then I layer it, ultrasuede next to the body. Putting it in is the tricky part. Even with the markings it's still a pain. I put the shorts on, pin at the marks, and using pins around the perimeter of the pad, slowly work the plaement so there aren't bubbles in the lycra. What I'd really like to find is a super nice pad like the Pearl Izumis that you could just buy and drop in a pair of shorts but I haven't found that yet. 

Lots of good ideas for those days when you can't ride and are feeling crafty.

Formica


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## jmtbkr (Jan 15, 2004)

*been at this for a few years...*

 two important things one must do when sewing lycra.

1 - use a fine, BALLPOINT needle. a regular needle is sharp and will cut the fibers. You want to 'push' them out of the way. a ballpoint needle is rounded on the end and will do this.

2 - apply enough pull or resistance when feeding the fabric into any machine, so when it is finished, you can stretch the seam and the threads will not 'pop'. Also it is wise to loosen the needle thread up too, for the same precaution.


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## Christine (Feb 11, 2004)

*wow*

Love your custom collection, Formica! I can't even darn a sock 

My favorite pair of tights (Shebeest) has a couple of small holes due to a crash, but not along a seam. Is a patch necessary....or even the solution? 63% nylon; 23% polyester; 14% lycra.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Christine said:


> Love your custom collection, Formica! I can't even darn a sock
> 
> My favorite pair of tights (Shebeest) has a couple of small holes due to a crash, but not along a seam. Is a patch necessary....or even the solution? 63% nylon; 23% polyester; 14% lycra.


I'd cut quarter sized pieces of black lycra out, zig zag them over the holes, voila, almost like new... (they are black, right?  )

~formica


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## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

*Wow!!*

very impressive. 

rt <-- can knit and darn but a sewing machine & pattern are a recipe for disaster.


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## Christine (Feb 11, 2004)

*yup*

They're black indeed, necessary color for anything lycra worn below the waist  Thanks!


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## ~smiley~ (Nov 4, 2004)

This is a very useful thread! It's making me consider trying my hand at making a jersey. However, the racing jersey pattern looks like it would be too fitted. Any ideas on finding a pattern for a more mountain-bike styled, looser fit (larger breast friendly) jersey? I am constantly frustrated by the major brands' interpretations of the terms L and XL. I don't know who they're using as models, but it's no one that looks like me.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

~smiley~ said:


> This is a very useful thread! It's making me consider trying my hand at making a jersey. However, the racing jersey pattern looks like it would be too fitted. Any ideas on finding a pattern for a more mountain-bike styled, looser fit (larger breast friendly) jersey? I am constantly frustrated by the major brands' interpretations of the terms L and XL. I don't know who they're using as models, but it's no one that looks like me.


T-shirt pattern? Kwik sew has a lot of caual clothes patterns they may even have a football-ish kind of top somewhere...www.kwiksew.com The Jalie pattern isn't so fitted - I bet if you left the elastic off the bottom, and used someMTB jersey-ish colors, make it out of some Malden Mills powerdri or something similar, it mightcome out really nice. I'm a big fan of getting cheap fabric and slapping verison one together to see if it's something I even want to spend time on

this is the Jalie pattern,










OK, so I"m surfing instead of working...

KS 2651









KS 2936
KS










KS 2054, this one might be more narrow through the hips, (?)


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## Mangoes (Mar 16, 2004)

*Great thread, girls*

When I saw this thread, I had just unpicked the sleeve from one of my homemade jerseys as I am planning on making it a sleeveless for hot weather as I am a bit over my two tone arms already and it isn't even Christmas.

If you haven't tried making your own, definitely give it a go. The effort is worth it for me as over here, basic jerseys start at $50 and go upwards from there. Event jerseys for big organised rides are around $95. Seems the more advertising you get on them the more you have to pay 

In Australia it is very hard to find patterns and fabric to make tech clothing as our market is very small, however I managed to find some fabric one day at a major haby chain called Sports Plus. It was the same as the commercial brand jerseys so as it was a discontinued line I grabbed a few metres of just about every colour they had.

I bought the Jalie 2216 pattern over the net and it arrived in a couple of days.

Since then I have made a number of different jerseys for both myself and husband.

For the cooler months I wanted a long sleeve one, so just laid out a long sleeve T that I really liked and used it as a pattern to draw the sleeve length/shape onto paper and then put into the top instead of the peice that came with the pattern.

I normally don't put elastic in the bottoms or even the sleeves as I like my stuff loose as well, however for the long sleeve one, I did cut a peice a couple of inches wide and used it to make a band for the wrist. Much better than long sleeves flapping.

I have also had a go at making their nix, which worked out well, although it is really hard to get the chamois to sit nicely, but perserverence pays off here. My biggest problem with making nix is that the gripper elastic is almost impossible to get in Australia so I needed to use something else which didn't work as well.

Another pattern I have tried is Kwik Sew 1727. It is for a Men's Tank Top, Tights & Bicycle Shorts.

I made the tank top for myself as we had planned a group ride last summer a couple of months out and when the ride came around the weather was forecast to be 35 degrees C (about 95F) so I wanted something cool to wear. It turned out OK but the pattern needs moding for women with small breasts as the arm holes are really huge. Luckily my hydropack straps are wide and you couldn't see my underwear but definitely a thing to consider if the ride ends at a coffee shop.

Here are a couple of my garments (including the one that I have just unpicked but am yet to finish off).

My sewing isn't as professional as Formica's (my zippers look awful close up) however where we ride there are a lot of rocks and other rough stuff so one crash and your clothes get trashed pretty quickly so cheaper rather than fancier is the order of the day round here.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

ooohh! Pretty!! Those are great!!! What are the fabrics, are they wicking knits? I like to use a solid wicking knit with lycra panels. I don't knowt if this will help you find things, but I've made a list of every outdoors fabric mail order place in the world (really) here
http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/tips/sources.asp 
I know that Australia is kind of tough from some of my other sewing buddies. I'm in the US, and I order certain things from Canada and even Finland sometimes, just becuase it's so hard to find some stuff.

hint for your zippers, do you have 1/4 wonder tape down there? It's a double sided sticky tape that you can use insead of pins putting zippers in. It washes out, just stick it inbetween the zipper tape and the fabric. It's really handy for zippers in knits The tip on the Jalie pattern for the tape at the end of the zipper when you sew it on it a nifty trick too.
http://tinyurl.com/5x333

as for what things look like, remember the galloping horse rule ( also known as the 3 foot [1 meter] rule... if you can't see if from 3 feet away, you are doing great.

thanks for showing those!!

~formica


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## Mangoes (Mar 16, 2004)

*Thanks for the compliments*

I am not much of a sewer, more out of necessity than choice, although I once I get started I do enjoy the finished product.

The fabrics in the photo are a bit of a combo. The solid colour is the Sports Plus (which looks very similar to Microtex) fabric but the patterned is just some knit polyester that I bought at an Asian fabric mart for $2 per metre. I have yet to find coolmax lycra but the poly looked very similar to a Fox jersey that was store bought so I went with it anyway.

The nix are just cotton/lycra as I was making some arm/leg warmers at the time and had some fabric left over. I am planning to make some out of double stretch lycra but am yet to get to that little job.

Thanks for the list of suppliers. I have been considering getting some fabric from overseas via mail order as my search is becoming fruitless here, although I am still to try one avenue. There is a suburb in Sydney which is about 1 hours drive away that is predominently a Vietnamese community. They have literaly dozens of fabric stores as they tend to support a lot of the illegal sweatshops in their area that make garments for the retail trade.

Thanks also for the tips on the zippers. I did do the sticky tape trick but found my biggest problem was that as I stitched the zip in the fabric pulled and stretched and the zippers ended up wonky. I will ask around about the Wonder Tape. I am fortunate that in my area there are a number of quilting stores and they often carry a lot of the harder to get imported items.

PS. I had a look around your site and found it very interesting. Both my husband and I are volunteer patrollers here in Australia in a resort called Thredbo. Most of our patrol are on downhill gear, although we have 1 or two that tele and a couple that snowboard.


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## DrLeah (Jan 19, 2004)

*Great "Thread"!!*

Hey girls - it's been a couple weeks since I had a chance to check out this forum but now I'm so glad I did! Everyone who's shown their own jerseys has done such an amazing job, they are all so beautiful. *big hands clapping*
Formica - I checked out your site and found a store that is like 5 blocks away from where I work!! Oh No!! Now of course I have to go check it out....like I need more projects in my life....but how COOL would custom jerseys for our 24hr team be......

Thanks Ladies!


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## surfkayakers (Sep 3, 2003)

Kudos ladies! These are sooooooooooooo great and motivational!

Has anyone sewn up vests or helmet covers? I'm inspired!

Looking for your thoughts sewing tips, etc. <smile> What a very cool project for the winter!

Formica, do you use a machine that has merrow capability or regular stitching for the seams?

Thanks!


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

surfkayakers said:


> Kudos ladies! These are sooooooooooooo great and motivational!
> 
> Has anyone sewn up vests or helmet covers? I'm inspired!
> 
> ...


vests (lots) , yes, helmet covers, yes but I had to trace off a pattern off an existing one what a pain.

Merrow? Do you mean a serger? Yes, I have a serger in addition to several other machines. I have way too many sewing machines. It'd be cool if I had as many bikes as I do SM's...

When we were out today, I counted up everything I was wearing that I had made. Everything but my sports bra, socks, gloves, and one of the two jerserys I had layered. This means, I made my booties, shorts, tights, softshell pants, long sleeve jersey and soft shell jacket. Yowza!

getting done up this week maybe ( after I make something for my hubby) , is a soft shell vest for me out of leftover dryskin fabric, using this pattern:


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

deleted, double post ( is there a way to actually delete messages?)


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## surfkayakers (Sep 3, 2003)

ok Formica, just how do you have the time to make all these incredible garments AND still bike??? Just the sewing or just the biking skills alone are impressive!

Thanks for the suggestion of patterns...and yes, way back in time I was a garment designer and we used to call it merrow, but I believe serger is now the term used...guess I'll have to break down and buy one... what brand do you recommend?


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

surfkayakers said:


> ok Formica, just how do you have the time to make all these incredible garments AND still bike??? Just the sewing or just the biking skills alone are impressive!


the short answer is I don't do a lot of housework  . The long answer is sewing and biking are my two passions ( I sew professionally and somehow have kept the passion for the fun stuff for me) so of course I make time. I''m self employed, so I work work around my rides. 

as for recommending a serger. lots of choices, just don't buy anything from a big box store ( walmart costco etc ) they don't offer classes, they don't teach you how to use it, no warranty service etc. Try before you buy if you can. I've got a 17 year old baby lock that won't quit, jamone , husckylock,...
formica


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## Gonz (Feb 8, 2004)

*Happy new year Little B !*

Little B !!! happy new year !!! -Gonz from Seattle !


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