How to Add Snaps to The Bottom of a Leotard

http://bdancewear.com/DIYGuide Supplies: 1. Leotard 2. Small scraps of Lycra, (Preferably to Match Leotard) 3. Pronged Snaps (the kind that are applied with special pliers) 4. Snap Pliers, Eyelet/Snap Punch or Snap Attaching Tool 5. Thread to match leotard 6. Straight pins, if desired 7. Scissors Directions: 1. Choosing Your Materials Obviously, your first choice is going to be the leotard. The process of attaching snaps works on any leotard. Next, you will need to choose the material that you will add to the crotch. Although I like the feel and stretch of Lycra, it can be almost any material you want. Some people prefer the stretch quality of Lycra and some prefer a material that does not stretch at all. The material does not necessarily have to match the leotard but if there is any chance that it could be seen, the material should match. One of the most important things to remember is that this material will be added to the crotch so you want to use a material that is not too thick and is not scratchy. Otherwise, it could be very uncomfortable for the dancer. The type of snaps is also important. There are many types of snaps. There are snaps that you sew on, pronged snaps and magnetic snaps. For this project, I suggest using the pronged snaps. If applied properly (with the prongs going through the material and into the backing), they are the most probably the most reliable. They are not difficult to apply to the material at all. I definitely would not use the magnetic snaps. While the magnetic snaps might be just fine, I am not sure I trust that they would stay closed during the constant movement when the dancer is dancing. Of course, if you use the pronged snaps, you will need a tool to attach them. There are at least three different kinds of tools - there are the snap pliers, the eyelet/snap punch, and the snap attaching tool. If this is definitely a one-time use, the snap attaching tool will probably be sufficient. Otherwise, I would suggest the snap pliers or the eyelet/snap punch. If you are planning on making more costumes, you might want to consider the versatility of the eyelet/snap punch which will allow you to attach snaps and also to attach eyelets. Whichever tool you choose, you need to make sure that it will work with the snaps that you have chosen. You can also purchase snaps on fabric tape. While the application of snaps on tape is easy, it is not very versatile. The spacing between the snaps is a standard spacing and may not work with the width of the dancer’s crotch since that is not a standard width by any means. When apply snaps to the crotch of a leotard, the appearance of the snaps will not be that important a consideration since they will not really be visible. It does not really matter if they are covered snaps or ring snaps. Ring snaps are easy to recognize because they appear as just the outline of a circle on the fabric. They could be plastic or metal. If you choose the ring snaps, you would need to choose between the white, silver or black ring snaps. If you choose the covered snaps, you will also have a variety of color choices. Covered snaps are a solid circle in appearance much like a shank button that has no visible holes. The metal covered snaps come in the standard silver, white and black. But there are also plastic covered snaps which come in a myriad of colors and, of course, the pearl covered snaps. As far as functionality, any of them should work. However, if you have any question in your mind as to the best snap to use, you may want to discuss it with a clerk at the fabric store. Most likely you would want to choose the plain, metal ring snaps since aesthetics will not be important in this case and they will definitely be strong. 2. Extending the Crotch For the purposes of illustration, I have two leotards here. I have already covered one in lace and that is the one I am using for the demonstration. I have already cut the crotch out and it is ready to go. The second leotard is just to show you where to cut the leotard to accommodate the snaps. The first step is to cut out the seam at the crotch of the leotard. It is does not matter that you will most likely going to cut away some of the fabric of the leotard because you will be adding a piece of material in the crotch that is going to give the crotch a little extra length. Just cut the seam out of the crotch of the leotard by cutting right up next to the.. To read the rest, click here: http://blog.bdancewear.com/how-to-add-snaps-to-the-bottom-of-a-leotard/