Bianca: FreeSewing's Bianca Bodysuit
Designer Notes
Bianca is a configurable romper, bodysuit or swimsuit design with different sleeve styles.
Bianca is based on Toni and like Toni has basic support for bust, belly and bum adjustments.
Remember to think about the closure so you can actually wear the bodysuit. You could add velcro tape or snap buttons in the crotch seam (add some fabric for the overlap), or you could make the neck hole large enough to fit through that side. Or you could add a zipper somewhere. Your choice.
You may also want to add a crotch gusset or lining to specific regions.
Compared to Onyx, Bianca doesn’t have any legs and supports multiple sleeve styles. Compared to Otis, Bianca is aimed at older children, teens and adults and uses more measurements.
You can (and should) adjust the options and ease values according to your preferences.
The following table lists common values according to the fabric you’re using and the intended fit.
| Chest ease | Waist ease | Seat ease | Suggested fabric type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| > 20% | > 40% | > 25% | Heavy cotton jersey | Oversized, drapey and clearly away from the body. |
| 10% to 20% | 20% to 40% | 15% to 25% | Cotton jersey | Relaxed fit, hangs away from the body. Common in menswear t-shirts. |
| 5% to 10% | 10% to 20% | 10% to 15% | Light cotton jersey | Loosely fitted, follows the body outline without clinging. |
| 0% to 5% | 0% to 10% | 5% to 10% | Cotton jersey with spandex | Fitted, close to the body but not tight. |
| -10% to 0% | -10% to 0% | 0% to 5% | Cotton jersey with spandex, interlock | Very fitted, snug against the body. |
| -20% to -10% | -20% to -10% | -5% to 0% | Activewear knit, rib knit | Body-hugging with light compression. Common in ribbed tops and (compression) sportswear. |
You typically want to use a smaller range of ease for the chest ease, since that setting also affects the shape of the top near the shoulders and arms. Going too high will make the top oversized in a bad way, and going too low will make the fit too tight. Use about 15% for a relaxed look and about 5% for a fitted shirt.
You can use a larger range of ease values for the waist ease. Using around 30% will create a more drapey look that can, for example, hide a small belly. If you use values of 0% or lower, the fabric will be snug to your body, which can be useful for compression wear or to make an undershirt that doesn’t add bulk or wrinkles.
For the seat ease, choose something in the same general range of the waist ease. For large waist ease values, you can go a bit lower if you don’t want the hem to flare out. However, at the same time you don’t want it to be so tight that it rides up towards your waist.
To make the design more interesting and personalized, you could add color blocking or other modifications.
What You Need
To make Bianca, you will need the following:
- Basic sewing supplies
- About 1 meter of suitable fabric (see Fabric options)
- A suitable elastic band (swimwear elastics are recommended for swimsuits)
As with all knitwear and stretch fabrics, a serger/overlock will make your life easier. If you do not have one of those, don’t despair. You don’t really need it. All serged seams on Bianca can also be sewn with a short, narrow zigzag stitch (~2 mm wide) on a standard sewing machine.
Fabric Options
Bianca is designed as a close-fitting bodysuit or swimsuit and is best suited to stretchy bi-elastic knit such as jersey with spandex, athletic knit or swimwear fabric.
If your main fabric is elastic enough, can use strips of it to finish the waistband, armholes/cuffs and neck opening. Alternatively, you can also use rib fabric or store-bought strips of knit binding.
If you are making a default Bianca to see how it fits, we recommend starting with an inexpensive fabric, such as old bedsheets, that matches the drape and stretch of the fabric you intend to make a finalised version with.
If you’re new to sewing, interlock jersey is nice to work with, as it doesn’t roll up. Prefer jersey with spandex for better recovery.
Fabric weights can also help you make your choice. A weight of 130-200 grams per square meter (or 4-6 ounces per square yard) is likely to be about right.
Cutting Instructions
- Main fabric
- Cut 1 Front on the fold
- Cut 1 Back on the fold
- Cut 2 Sleeve(s) mirrored (if enabled)
- Ribbing
- Optional: A few strips of main or ribbing fabric to finish the leg, arm and neck openings.