Flash Suit Progress 2

My first step on this part of the project was to lay out the right side duck tape pieces on the floor to see how the pieces fit together. This step could of been omitted if I would of labeled where all of the corners met. But by doing this it gave me a visual as to how the puzzle fit together.

My next step was to sew all the darts I had made. The darts were slits I cut into the domed areas of the duck taped pieces to make them lay flat, such as the knee cap, back of calf, and shoulder.

I then began sewing the right side together, starting with the two pieces that arch over the hip seam, and then did the same thing mirrored on the left side. From there I worked my way down each leg, alternating right to left.

The hardest part was sewing the sharp curves that, in the picture, look like they fit together, but when the outsides are pressed together, the curves fit opposite of each other. Like laying this edge ( with this edge ) and forcing the opposite direction curves to be sewn together at the edge. The best example I could find is this image:

Where you would take the polka dot sides and press them together, having the white on the back facing outwards, and having to pin the curved edges, that are now going in opposite directions, together and sew them so the two sides fit together like puzzle pieces when it is opened and only polka dots are on top and only white is on the bottom.

This can be seen the best in the image of the right leg, the S that curves from mid calf to over the top of the knee. I had to pin the pieces together with no more than 1/4 inch of space between each pin. Sewing this particular spot took extra time because the fabric kept wanting to fold over its self under the sewing machine foot and make a small pleat that showed up as a permanent wrinkle on the right side, or outside, of the fabric. Because of this it took many attempts of pinning and sewing to get rid of these mini pleats.

After both the legs were sewn, I sewed the pieces that look like a bikini bottom together, and then pinned the legs to the leg holes, matching the hip seams on either side. I pinned one leg at a time, starting at the hip seams, and alternated pins on either side until they met in the middle at the the inside of the thigh. I did the same thing to the other side.

I was so excited to have the bottom done that I had Adam try the 'pants' on so that I could take a few pictures. The next step will be sewing the 'jacket' and sewing the top and bottom together at the waist.