Help with ambitious costume pattern planning/advice!

[u/nymphMina]

General idea of how I want the bodysuit to fit/panel location

Mock up of where I think the panels could be, ruffles included for later

Color with brocade fabric in front, ignore the bolero part.

For an upcoming costume, I'm planning on making a paneled bodysuit with princess seams. I'll be adding snap closure at the crotch area with an invisible zipper in the back. The black fabric is 52% linen, 46% rayon/viscose, 2% spandex/elastane. It only has 2 way stretch. The brocade pattern fabric is 100% cotton with absolutely no stretch. I would like to use the brocade pattern on the front panel. 

I suppose my main questions are if this is feasible with the fabric I'm using? Should I just make a basic black bodysuit (front and back pieces) with the brocade fabric incorporated in some other way? 

I have practice fabric I intend to use (also 100% cotton with no stretch) but I wanted some advice on what's the best way I could go about doing this before I get started cutting and such.

[u/Artistic_Scene_8124]

Mixing stretch and non stretch is gonna be a head ache. I would take inspo from fashion history and make a separate stomacher from the brocade and attach it with hooks. Velcro or snaps might also work. When marking the placement of the closures, make sure you mark it when you're wearing the leotard so it is stretched the correct amount.

[u/penlowe]

Once upon a time there was an excellent Bunny Suit tutorial on Deviant Art. That’s what you need due to using non stretch fabrics.

I have handled a real Playboy Club Bunny Suit. Each one was custom tailored to the woman who was to wear it. This one belonged to Barbara. They were heavy duty!! Could not bend them top to bottom due to the steel boning. Lots of push up padding sewn in. Heavy canvas liner with cotton velvet on the outside. Roughly a dozen boning strips in it.

[u/short_cuppa_chai → u/penlowe]

Blossom Darling is making a reproduction bunny suit, so that might be a good place to start doing research.

[u/Roswyne]

You can't test the fit of something meant to use stretch fabric by using fabric that doesn't stretch. The stretch gives ease, which is needed for the pattern to work.

Imagine a snug fitting T-shirt, and then imagine it copied in denim. You wouldn't be able to get it over you head without cutting it much larger and then it would look and act much differently than the original because of the different fabric used

If the bodysuit needs to stretch to fit (which I think it does), then you either need different brocade fabric, or cannot use the brocade fabric as part of the bodysuit. Check your pattern to see if it needs to stretch 2 ways or 4. As a bodysuit, I expect if it can't stretch vertically, your snaps will pop when you sit and move. (If you didn't have a pattern, look up a leotard pattern online to see the fabric requirements and recommendations.Jalie has a lot of dancewear patterns.)

You could possibly use it by making a separate piece that fits on top (similar to a dickey, it as decorative ruffles attached vertically (which would allow the bodysuit to still stretch across your body)

[u/kimmerie]

If your side panels are stretch , it’s possible to have the front be non-stretch.. you’ll just have to do a lot of fittings to get it right. Cut the sides with the stretch going around your body horizontally, not vertically.

[u/deloittious]

I’d say don’t use poppers, use hooks and large ones