How to Sew a Stretch Lace Overlay Cami and Lace Ruffle Leggings

Lace overlay is much easier than one might expect.  For this cami, I needed knit fabric.  I purchased the pink single brushed polyester from Allielane in Abbyville.  It is currently only sale for $5!! The stretch lace is a remnant I purchased from Joann Fabric.

I was lucky enough to test this Heartbreaker Cami pattern by Patterns for Pirates.  It come in there lengths, crop, shirt and tunic version.  The cami in this post is the tunic version.  The Heartbreaker Cami also can be worn backwards for a v neckline and the option of an x cross back.

To make the lace overlay above, I just cut out an extra front and an extra back piece of the lace fabric.  I made them the exact same size of the pink brushed polyester fabric.  Then I clipped them together with Magic clips ( a must have with knit fabric) and basted them together.  I followed the rest of the instructions as per the pattern.  Simple!

The brushed polyester did not lay as flat as I would have liked.  It would have been better if I would have used a double needle or a coverstitch.  I made a Star Wars Heartbreaker Cami in cotton/lycra and seemed to lay a lot flatter.

For the Lace Ruffle leggings I used the Made for Mermaids Bonnie Legs Pattern .  I used the capri length.  Before sewing any of the leggings pieces together, I cut two 2″x 25″ of lace.  I ran a gathering stitch down the middle.  Please remember to leave tails in the beginning and the end.  To get beginning tails, I usually take a scrap piece of fabric and run a few gathering stitches.  Then I  cut off a long tail.  When ending your gathering stitch, don’t use the the thread cutter on your machine, pull the fabric gently let then cut off the a long tail.  Now I have always read to pull the bobbin threads to gather your fabric, but mine always breaks.  I pull my sewing thread, Gutterman thread is my favorite.  Pull threads on one side of both ends to match bottoms of leg pieces.

I baste stitch the lace ruffles to the bottom of the front of each legs (remember they aren’t sewn together yet.)  Make sure you stretch the fabric just a little as you attach the lace.  Then sew the leggings as per the pattern.  And you are done!!

Now you have an adorable Lace Cami and Lace Ruffle Leggings that look like you paid a fortune for them :).

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