Zam bodysuit assembly

[MaulMaus]

Well... on the seam issue... you could wear an "undershirt" I suppose. Would be warmer though. How much seam allowance do you have? Can you do something with it to make it more comfortable? (Or just wait till you do the next one?) Can you iron it to flatten it? Is it too tight? Not enough ease? I dunno....

 

[SeattleZam]

Hey gang,

To answer some questions in the thread, the pattern I used is by Green Pepper, and it's called the Willamette Racing Suit. It's a spandex, full body bicycle racing suit for 4-way spandex stretch, and I made one in spandex first to figure out how they did it, then modified the pattern (cut the shirt free and made the Zam fake saddle seams), and cut into the stretchhouse fabric.

For the seams, I'm learning that as you wear it and break it in, it gets more comfy, and I'm going to "tape" the seams down with bias, ultrasuede, or the wetsuit seam tape. That will flatten them. They are snug because the suit is snug. Although P90 will change that. Holy cow, guys, you warned me. But the food is fantastic.

THe saddle doesn't work as a pattern because it's proportional to the girl wearing it. It's a few inches shy of the top of your kneecap, and two thirds of the front of your leg. Have a buddy figure it out on the backside. (That was highly entertaining.)

Also highly recommend the 24 hour fabric marking pen, which will vanish from the stretchhouse fabric.

Okay, I'm on to the vest and belt patterns now.

Deunan Shiruba

 

[boushhfan]

Hello Shiruba,

That costume looks great, and not having to put the saddle in separately will save a lot of work. Thanks so much for sharing your insight and processes.

Kind regards
Wendy

 

[SeattleZam]

You're welcome, Wendy.

Deunan

 

[Fett Boba]

Has anybody made the undersuit out of spandex besides neoprene, and if so what color number is it on the chart from the stretch house. I called the man and he said the that neoprene didn't match any of the spandex colors extactly. Need help. I live in NC and it gets hot sometimes trooping so i think the spandex will be a lot better for my wife to wear.

 

[kathgruben]

Wow, your undersuit looks fabulous! I am wanting to make a Zam for myself, so you have shown me the way, thank you. I will want to pick your brain in the future.

 

[MaulMaus]

Fett Boba, Welcome to TDH and the Zam Forums...

I don't remember offhand what color it was. But you can do a search on this forum - limiting it Zam - searching on the Stretch House fabric. I know there was a thread on just that subject. I know one of their neoprene colors is REALLY REALLY close in color. I would compare that color to the spandex colors - find one what works for you. The color of the bodysuit in the Dressing the Galaxy Book is also VERY close to the original if you want to base your costume off of that. Good luck!

 

[Fett Boba]

Thanks MaulMaus

Ernie

 

[SeattleZam]

It's stretchhouse NEP 3100, color #4. I just looked it up.

Be careful picking the thickness of the vest and the skirt leathers as well, because you can easily weigh yourself or overinsulate yourself with those as well. My leather skirt is only 4-5 ounce leather (instead of the 6-7 ounce most people here used), and my vest is a split cowhide, it's rather thin.

It's still going to be a hot outfit, so you might also design some interior pockets, flat ones, into the vest sides and back to fit ice packs.

And thanks for the compliments everyone on the bodysuit. The stretchhouse fabric is washable, by the way.

Deunan

 

[jdjamez]

MaulMaus, I see that you have to endure the AZ heat as well, what material have you used in your assembly? I've never worn neoprene so I'm curious as to whether this will be too much in the desert.

 

[MaulMaus]

Well... I have a run of the custom ZIA neoprene/spandex fabric - all still rolled up. I also have some spandex which I plan to "layer" somehow to something more breathable than neoprene, just because it so dang hot here! (Either that or move to Alaska!)

To be honest - I don't think I'd wear the costume outside here in the summer. 100+F is just too hot with the sun beating down on you... I can't stand it in normal clothes. I think I would only troop inside or outside once it cools off to something tolerable.

In addition I can say is "Hydrate" is the key... I've seen people not do that and get pretty sick! (I thought I'd have to call 911 more than once while trooping!... but some people are stubborn!).

 

[ultraviolet]

Well... I have a run of the custom ZIA neoprene/spandex fabric - all still rolled up. I also have some spandex which I plan to "layer" somehow to something more breathable than neoprene, just because it so dang hot here! (Either that or move to Alaska!)

To be honest - I don't think I'd wear the costume outside here in the summer. 100+F is just too hot with the sun beating down on you... I can't stand it in normal clothes. I think I would only troop inside or outside once it cools off to something tolerable.

In addition I can say is "Hydrate" is the key... I've seen people not do that and get pretty sick! (I thought I'd have to call 911 more than once while trooping!... but some people are stubborn!).

I perfectly agree That 's why, at the end, I have chosen 4 layers of spandex, sacrificing the " movie accurate," but I'm still very tempted about a winter suit after having seen this great topic

 

[ZamBamThankYouMaam]

It is looking great! I bought Green Pepper patterns, too, but I can't really remember the pattern # or name, just that it was for ski pants and a top. Looks very similar to what you have. A techie question, if you don't mind...do you have/used both a serger and a regular sewing machine on this or just one or the other? I've been debating (heck, lusting for, really :love) a serger for sometime now, and this might give me the excuse to finally break down and take the plunge. What make/model are they, if you don't mind saying what kind. :zam

 

[SeattleZam]

Hey there!

I used a cheap sewing machine, the low-end Brother CS 100, with a double needle for the pintucking. No serging. I'm gluing a bias tape over my seams to make them flat and less prickly on the inside.

Happy to answer questions! Zammers unite!

Deunan

(Shin guards done, vest in progress, belt in progress, skirt starting)

 

[Blue]

Looks great! Nice work. I wish I would have thought about fake saddle seams. It took me a few hours to figure out how to put it together and get the welt seams going the right direction.

 

[Dr Trashcan]

Looks great!! Thanks for the info on the saddle seams...I am planning on starting a Zam soon, and this info sure saves me a lot of trouble.

I have a sewing machine question though...can you fit a double needle to just about any machine? I have a low-end Kenmore...

 

[Blue]

I have a sewing machine question though...can you fit a double needle to just about any machine? I have a low-end Kenmore...

I have a low-end Singer and I can use a double needle. Check your user manual. It should have instructions on how to set up the machine to use a double needle.