Preface: Skating Dress Tutorial

So a few (well, more than a few.... sorry about that) months ago one of my readers had asked a few questions about my skating costumes, which I could have answered easily enough had I not been so busy at the national championships at the time.  A question from one reader turned into a few questions from many readers, and so I have decided to try and wrap it all up into one giant tutorial.

I am going to start this off with a disclaimer: this tutorial is just an example of the way I do things, not necessarily the best way for things to get done.  Since I started sewing skating costumes before I sewed anything else my methods are a mix of following pattern instructions, winging it, and developing more efficient methods and procedures over time.  I have tried experimenting with various different stitches and techniques, and I think I have settled on a "what works best for me" approach, though there are books and internet sources that will contradict me on some points.  So you can take what I say with a grain of salt, but, on the other hand, I have probably made close to 50 skating garments (for myself and others, both women and men), so it isn't like I am making this up as I go along either.

I know most of you don't need to sew skating costumes, but I am hoping you can take some of these techniques and apply them to other athletic gear, or basic leotards or swimsuits.  I won't really be doing this as a sew-along, but I am going to have a few introductory posts before I get to construction, so if you want to follow as I go, you have a few days to get ready.  I plan on making two costumes for this tutorial - one from my TNT and one from a new pattern, and I will also do one with a symmetric skirt and one with an asymmetric skirt.  Hopefully during the course of the tutorial everyone's questions will get answered, but if not I am always happy to respond to comments.

Here is my planned schedule for this tutorial:
Part I: The Info Dump - What you need and where to get it.

Part II: All That Sparkles - I won't be applying any embellishments to my practice dresses, but since there have been a few questions, I though I would do a post for this as well.

Part III: Prepping the Pattern and Cutting the Fabric - I will also talk about my self-drafted skirt patterns and how to make one yourself and why you don't have to worry about the pattern being "perfect."

Part IV: Sewing the Bodysuit - Order of construction, what stitches to use, which areas of fit are important to check mid-construction.

Part V: Inserting the Elastic - Stitch options and techniques, also final fit check of the bodysuit and insertion of structural support (aka sewing in the bra).

Part VI: Sewing and Attaching the Skirt - Why skirt attachment will make or break your outfit, method of attachment, and why I favor topstitching.

Conclusion: Have Fun Skating! - Final thoughts, answers to any questions that might pop up mid-tutorial, and general sense of accomplishment post.

So, them's the plans y'all!  I hope I get around to answering everyone's questions, and I hope that you all find the tutorial useful and enjoyable.