More about knickers

Handmade underwear update

It has been about a year since I published this video about how to make your own hand stitched knickers. 
  
In making this video I could expand my knickers collection and now after a year I thought it was time to produce some more. Why? Because the few knickers from the high street, that I did not throw away in case I could not keep up with laundry tasks, are just too uncomfortable in comparison. And I also have a bit of Organic Cotton/Bamboo Jersey left over.

As I am currently experimenting whether working with the machine can come close to the hand-stitched-experience but also to see if I can produce slightly more economic garments with similar effect, I thought I give this project a try on the machine. 
I am writing this post also because some DIY friends possibly did not dare to try to make their own underwear because of the hand stitched madness or not enough time. So now there are no more excuses not to wear the most comfortable underwear ever!

If you watched the video you know how to make a pattern for this project. First you pin the side seams, as in the film, but try to use fewer pins, 3 would do and make sure you pin perpendicular to the sewing direction, you don't want to break the needle. I use a Gutterman sew all thread for the top feed, that is 100% polyester, for the bobbin I use Seraflock, that is a very stretchy thread normally used for swimwear. My machine is a very very old Singer with only the basic stitches. Set the machine to a wide zigzag stitch and put in a needle for stretch material. Let the foot come down so all material is under it, because that avoids problems with the material and thread forming a big knot. Also keep hold of the threads before you start as this helps to prevent these issues as well.
And after a couple of stitches reverse and sew backwards almost to the very edge. Almost because again you don't want to start the argument. Repeat once you arrived at the end of the seam. 

For the leg opening it is a bit different. Use only a few pins like before, and the same setting, but this time don't reverse. The reason for this is that you want no tension between material and thread. (Across the grain you have more stretch.) You know when you put on a garment and it goes ratsch and the thread snapped? So leave about 2 inches of thread in the beginning and then when you went all the way around instead of reversing, overlap the beginning and ending for about 2 inches, before you trim leave some thread. Now bring the hem between your index finger and thumb and stroke around the hem, at least once, you will feel movement between thread and material. Do this until the leg opening feels comfortable when you stretch it, so the thread won't snap when you pull it. Now you can trim.

The elastic band works the same way, only a few pins, 8 should do. Do not reverse but overlap and stroke the finished seam until you cannot feel any tension, trim.

Although it doesn't look nowhere near as good as made by hand - I just love the herringbone stitch, the result is very comfortable and you are prepared and ready to go on holiday in no time ......

For him

Hallo Valentine!

This morning when I finally started working I had to discover it was already past lunch time. Great.

And although it was already sooooo late, I had another idea that I absolutely had to follow in that very moment, so I lost another hour or so on top. And yesterday I probably should not have made my mala instead of working on this order as I had planned... But those shiny beads were just calling.....

I think I mentioned it before, I love it when someone asks me "could you make ...." These are my favourite projects as I love to find a solution. Saying that, before I start I have the greatest doubts and ask myself, why why why do I say yes to the weirdest projects when my time is already so limited. And by the way, why did I ever start sewing by hand. I just love my job!

So it feels all this avoiding and distracting gathered that much energy that I could realise this project in one go.

Yesterday I did squeeze some time in to make the pattern and do some thinking and today I made the prototype.

What is the project?

Very comfy underpants for a special Valentine.......

The test showed that they are comfy and nice to wear, whether the Valentine is happy.....I do hope so!

How to sew knickers (pattern)

An easy DIY sewing-project to make Hand stitched Knickers and the pattern to reproduce them again

This is to complete the movie that you might have watched.

and NEW: choose Lycra for some swim pants and make your Bikini Top aswell...

. . . tools
. very good material like Bamboo/Cotton Jersey with some elastane
. knickers elastic band

. Buttonhole thread in colour(s) of your choice
. Sharps needle No4

. thin pins

. tailor's chalk

. pattern paper or similar
. pencil & paper scissors
. a plastic ruler
. iron 

. and your favorite pairs of knickers

... preparation
You do not need to ruin your favorite pairs of knickers! I did it to make an accurate pattern and it is easier to demonstrate how to do so. But it is also possible to trace around your favorite knickers without cutting into them, just more fiddly.
Cut open or not, trace around your knickers and transfer the shape to paper. Cut the template out using your paper scissors, fold it in half and see whether it is symmetrical. If not, average it and transfer the half again onto paper, this leaves you with your pattern. (As the fabric will be folded in half you only need the half pattern)

Half your fabric along the grain line, and trace the outline of your pattern using tailor's chalk. Cut it out on the inner side of your chalk line.


. . . construction
Right sides facing each other pin both side seams, 1 cm away from the edge. 

Thread your needle. Make one single knot close to the edge and make a double knot about 7 mm further up. Start sewing with making a loop (up through the fabric, around the edge and up through the fabric again right next to the previous hole) and continue in a straight line a straight stitch, try to stay about 1 cm from the edge and keep the stitches even. 

When you reached the end run your fingers along the stitches finding the right tension between fabric and thread. Finish with a loop and knot off, first make a double knot close to the fabric using your nails to gently push it there and a single knot a bit further away, trim.
Repeat on the other side.

Turn the knickers to the right side, separate the seams and fold them to each side and pin. Repeat on the other side.

Thread your needle, make the single and double knot and loop your thread through both seams around both edges, basically make a loop on each side and come up again to start the first bottom part of the cross stitch. The top part of the cross stitch is exactly the same but moved to the right. You always come up again where the last stitch ended. Down and through the fabric for the bottom part, come up again to finish the bottom part where the last top stitch ended and move to the top part and through the fabric again, up and so on. Finished one side, make the 2 loops and the knots, trim and repeat on the other side. 

Keep the top and bottom part of your cross stitch in a line, so the stitch looks regular. If you have to restart with a new thread make your knots and continue. 
For more details see also my cross stitch blog post.

Turn the knickers to the wrong side and fold 1 cm for the leg seam over and pin. Do this for both legs and repeat the cross stitch. Iron the seams, thread the needle, make the knots and start with the cross stitch. Finished with both legs there is only the elastic band to attach.

Use as much elastic band as comfortable and add about 2 cm for overlap. Start pinning at the back, half the elastic band and pin again, and so on till you have pinned all the way around.

Thread your needle, make the knots and start sewing a cross stitch next to the overlap (so you go over the overlap in the end). Stretch the elastic band while sewing the cross stitch all the way around, carefully to keep it aligned.

Finished!

The Knickers Project

How to make a pattern & Hand stitched Knickers

This project has waited a long time now to be realized. I always wanted to make my own knickers facing the problem that I could never find the favorite pairs of knickers again. 
I don't know why but I always thought knickers are too demanding to make yourself but the reality is much more pleasant: 

Easily done, easily repeated over and over again and soooo comfortable!

But see for yourself!