Bodysuit Leg Openings

If you are making a bodysuit version of Rowan, today’s post is for you! We are about to go over how to finish up the lower half of your bodysuit. Were talking elastic leg openings and crotch snaps! Ready?

Cut 2 pieces of 1/4″ (6mm) wide elastic at the length provided in the size chart in the instruction booklet.

mark the center point of each elastic piece/

With the wrong side of the fabric facing out, match the center mark of one piece of elastic with one of the side seams at the leg opening, aligning the raw edges, pin in place

Match up each end of the elastic with the opening edges of the crotch as shown above, pin in place.

Continue pinning the rest of the elastic to the edge of the leg opening. The elastic is slightly smaller than the leg opening, so stretch it slightly as you pin (the back ill gather up more than the front).

Set your machine to a zig zac stitch, and increase the width a bit. I set mine at a width of 4.

Sew along the entire length of the elastic, right through the middle, stretching as you go so that the elastic lines up perfeclty with the raw edge of the fabric.

Here is one leg opening with the elastic sewn on.

Cut your bodysuit facing pieces from woven fabric, not knit, to provide stability to the crotch.

Fold in and press 1/4″ (6mm) along the top edge of both facing pieces (the sides without the notch).

Let’s start with the front crotch. Lay your bodysuit down with the fabric facing up.

Place your front facing on top with right sides together. Pin along the sides and bottom.

Using a straight stitch, and 1/4″ (6mm) form the raw edge, sew down one side, pivot and sew along the bottom, then pivot again to sew up the other side.

You can see that the elastic near the crotch is not caught in the stitching of the facing, instead sits inside the seam allowance.

Repeat for the back crotch and back crotch facing.

On both facings, clip the corners of the seam allowance.

Turn the facings the right way around and use a pointing tool to push the corners out neatly. Press.

You can see how this automatically turns the raw edge of the leg openings under, hiding the elastic.

Starting at the corner of one of the facings, use a zig zag stitch and sew along the top edge of the facing, attaching it to the bodysuit, until you reach the other corner…

Lift up your presser foot and pivot. Turn the edge of the leg opening in, and continue zig zag stitching along the edge of the leg opening, encasing the elastic. Stretch as you go so it lays flat as you sew (this will prevent rippling).

When you reach the other facing, pivot again to sew along the top edge of that facing…

Once again pivot at the end of that facing, and sew along the edge of the other leg opening. Just like the other leg opening, encasing the elastic.

Sew you will have sewn the entire bottom edge of the bodysuit, elastic leg opening and crotch ends, in one continuous stitch.

Now time for snaps!

These are just a few options that i had on hand – plastic and metal pressure snaps (applied with snap pliers), and snap tape. Other options include sewn in snaps, hook and eyes, or even buttons and buttonholes!

Here I am going to show you how I applied metal press snaps. First I marked my three snap placements along the top crotch facing. I then used these markings to get the placement along the fabric side of the back crotch.

The front crotch will overlap on top of the back crotch.

Here is how they go on on the front…

… and on the back crotch.

Here is an older Rowan bodysuit I made using plastic snaps, and how the front overlaps the back.