Brushed nylon spandex is ideal for activewear—like these capri leggings—and swimwear. I haven’t made any swimwear out of it, but I have made some tops out of its cousin, (athletic) nylon spandex which has a smoother texture and cooler hand.
About the Fabric
2 yards of heavy weight Brushed Nylon Spandex in Heathered Pink from Boho Fabrics
- Weight: 15 oz.
- Horizontal Stretch: 60%
- Vertical Stretch: 75%
- Contents: 46% Nylon, 42% Polyester, 12% Spandex
- Excellent recovery
- Has a subtle sheen to it when worn
- Well-behaved when sewing
- More see-through than expected
About the Leggings
- capri length
- side panels + patch pockets
- low rise
- regular waist
- size M.5 at the waist graded to L at the knee and down
- unhemmed (I do this to reduce bulk around my calves for skiing gear)
Other Thoughts
These are quite comfortable to wear and, being heavyweight and “brushed”, have an acceptable warmth to them. They’re not “brushed” in the fleece-y sense of the word, but compared to other nylon spandex (think swimwear), they definitely have that warmer brushed texture.
I sewed these with hiking, skiing, and lounging in mind, but they dress up well, too.
Project Settings
Presser Foot |
Stitch# |
Width |
Length |
Needle |
Top Thread Tension |
Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
standard zig-zag (A) / applique (F) |
5 |
1.0 |
4 |
blue tip |
4 |
seams |
overedge (C) |
6 |
5.5 |
3.5 |
blue tip |
4 |
edge finish |
applique (F) |
5 |
1.0 |
4 |
purple tip |
4 |
waistband attach |
standard zig-zag (A) |
2 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
twin stretch |
4 |
topstitch |
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