Spandex Fabric

Spandex Fabric

Spandex, Elastine and Lycra are three common names for this man made stretch fiber. It was originally created by Joseph Shivers, a chemist with DuPont, in 1959.


This wonder fiber changed the fabric industry forever. Spandex fabric is commonly known for swimwear and exercise wear. However, it has been blended with everything from denim, cotton, linen, wool, and even silk.

When blended with cotton, and nylon, it is commonly used for exercise wear and swim suits. Like the examples below.

When blended with woven fabric, it gives comfort to garments, such as fitted jackets, pants, and skirts.

Spandex blended with knits enables t-shirt fabrics to hold their shape.

Spandex is readily available. You can find spandex at your local fabric stores, or you can shop online. Here are a few fabric stores that carry a good variety of this fabric.

Preshrinking is not necessary for nylon spandex, however, cotton, linen and wool blends should be preshrunk.

Cotton and linen can be washed on a gentle cycle with a mild detergent and dry on low.

On high heat the spandex fibers will break down over time, so hanging garments to dry is a better choice.

Do not use bleach on spandex, it also will break down thefibers.

When making swim suits or exercise wear it is recommended to have a four way stretch sewing fabric.

This means the fabric has stretch both up and down and side to side. Your pattern will tell you if it is a good choice for Lycra fabric or not.

Use sharp pins as not to snag the fabric with dull pins.
Thread should be good quality polyester and a 75/11 stretch machine needle.

Standard presser foot with a stretch stitch or triple stitch or zig zag stitch, 2.5mm stitch length.

If you are using a serger, put wooly nylon in both loopers and polyester serging thread in the needles. Wooly nylon is a great way to give finished seams extra stretch

Spandex Woven Blends

Pre shrink cotton and linen blends in a warm water wash and low temperature dryer.

Silk spandex blends should be hand washed and hang to dry.

Wool spandex blends can be pre shrunk by using a steam iron.

Mark with tailor tacks, tailor chalk, and or tracing paper and wheel.

Standard presser foot and a 70/10 machine needle on silk Lycra blends and 80/12 machine needle for linen and wool in addition, cotton. Thread is always polyester. Polyester adds stretch to your seams, helping to eliminate breaking.

Press with a steam iron on medium temperature. Be careful when using a regular sewing machine, not to pull fabric through the feed dogs. You will get puckered seams. Use a small zigzag or stretch stitch.

If you are using a serger , put wooly nylon in the loopers and polyester serger thread in the needles.