Hello Everyone! I’m back again with another Lingerie Sewing Tutorial for GirlCharlee but guess what… I’ve only used half a metre, yes half a metre of Jersey to sew myself both some beautiful Knickers and matching Bralet which is perfect for cute bedwear as i get too warm with PJ’s lol!
First up is the Tutorial for the Knickers or Panties or whatever you wanna call them!
So I’m using the Ever so gorgeous EvieLaLuDIY Esme Panties which is available here in PDF version or a Paper Version.
Now then! First of all make yourselves a brew and read the instructions and make a list of materials/equipment you need if you don’t have them already so no last minute dash to the local haberdashery store or waiting days for online orders! There isn’t anything worse than you wanting to get on with sewing when you can’t! Or you have been on the Ball and have the materials on hand!!
Material List for Panties/Knickers:
Girl Charlee Modern Reflection Paper Cut Floral Cotton Spandex Knit Fabric – Quarter of a Metre/25cm
1.2m of Stretch Lace which should be at least 7″ wide/18cm wide
1m (1.09 yd) Fold Over Elastic (FOE) – 15 mm Wide
Ballpoint Needle – I used size 80/15
Walking Foot
Gutermann Thread
Pins
Mini Clips – You’ll see why later 🙂
Measuring Tape and Ruler
Rotary Cutter and Cutting Mat
I pre-washed the Jersey but not the lace I decided not to as a lot of people said it could distort the lace and make it harder to work with and to wash the bra/knickers after construction, so I’m following that route 🙂 but of course its down to personal preference but I’d thought I would throw caution to the wind!
I bought the PDF version as I’m a bit impatient but i kinda love sticking the pages together with cellotape!!
So when printing off your pattern just remember to have your printer set to print at 100% and not set at to ‘fill page’ or at any other percentage!
Now according to the sizing and measuring myself, I’m in-between the medium/large so I cut out the Large to be on the Safe side as it can be easily adjusted.
But hey! Don’t get hung up on sizes at the end of the day this will be made by you and fits you perfectly!
Now you should have these 3 Pieces;
Now onto cutting into the yummy fabric! Remember when cutting your bum pieces that you need to place the pattern piece face down like I’ve shown here or you won’t get the lace edge at either side when sewn together!
Now to get the most of my Jersey, I only folded at about quarter of the Jersey as it doesn’t make sense to fold it in half and to lose that space!
Now you should have these fine looking pieces ready to sew!
Let the Sewing commence!
I’ve set up my machine to use a Small Zig Zag Stitch and using my Walking Foot too.
Seam Allowance is 1/4″ or 6mm unless stated otherwise 🙂
With Right Sides Together, Pin at the Centre Back Seam and Sew. The Overlock the Back Seam 🙂
Nice and neat seam 🙂
Take the front piece and Overlock or Zig Zag the two leg openings, along each curved edge.
Then turn both leg openings under by 5mm (2/8″) and press into place.
Overlock or Zig Zag the Front of the Crotch piece.
Lay the Crotch piece Right Side up on the Wrong Side of the front piece with the Crotch seams together. Tuck the Crotch piece under the finished edges of the Front piece so the two raw edges are hidden. Pin this into place and baste to ensure the Crotch doesn’t move when Top Stitching.
From the Right Side, use a Twin Needle or a Three Step Zig Zag to sew down both the turned under edges, trapping the Crotch piece in place.
To attach the Front and Back pieces at the back crotch seam, put them Right Sides Together with the Crotch Seams together. Pin and then Overlock or Zig Zag this edge.
To make the cross over detail at the side, find the two dots (one on the Stretch lace and one on the fabric) transferred from the pattern. Line them up with the Back lace piece over the front fabric piece, keeping the top edges level and pin in place. Do the same on both sides. Test fit at this point so you can adjust the overlap of the lace to ensure a perfect fit. Baste along the waist opening where the fabric and lace overlaps to secure it. Repeat this step for the other side.
Now onto the Fold Over Elastic aka FOE!
Cut the FOE approx. 1 ” shorter than the Waist opening.
Pin the Elastic to make a loop and stitch in place using 5mm (2/8″) Seam Allowance.
Pin the elastic evenly around the Waist opening, Wrong Side of the elastic to the Wrong Side of the Knickers with the edge of the fabric sitting along the fold in the middle of the Elastic. I stat by folding it in half and pin then fold that half again, pin to get 4 even quarters. Then I pin the Elastic in place first at the centre back, the sides then the front to get it nice and even.
From the RS of the fabric use a medium three step zig zag to sew this. You will need to stretch the elastic slightly as you sew.
Trim any excess fabric back to the Zig Zag stitches and remove the basting stitches. Fold the Elastic down to the Right Side of the fabric, encasing the raw edge and Top Stitch this with a Three Step Zig Zag.
Remove the basting stitches from the sides.
Hand stitch a bow to the front to finish. as it looks a little but naked otherwise!
And here we are!! One very cute pair of knickers!!!
Now Look at that cute back!!
These are one seriously comfy pair of knickers!! It’s like your not wearing any! You can’t tell that you have them on and a billy bonus is that there is no VPL!! Yay!!
Now onto the George and Ginger Bralet! With this Pattern I’ll show how to add some lace to the Straps to add a bit of girly/cuteness!
Of course a girl can’t have too much Lace, right?
Materials Required:
Girl Charlee Modern Reflection Paper Cut Floral Cotton Spandex Knit Fabric – Quarter of a Metre/25cm
Some left over lace from the Panties/Knickers approx. 1.2″ wide by
Ballpoint Needle – I used size 80/15
3/4″ Elastic – For more support if you require it 😉
Walking Foot
Gutermann Thread
Pins
Measuring Tape and Ruler
Rotary Cutter and Cutting Mat
This Bralet is a Free PDF version available at George and Ginger’s Facebook Group 🙂 Gotta love a freebie! On the plus side It’s only 6 Pages to print and stick too! Yay!
So when printing off your pattern just remember to have your printer set to print at 100% and not set at to ‘fill page’ or at any other percentage!
Now to cut out your pieces!
So you should have the following pieces 4 x Cup Pieces (2 of them cut with the pattern piece facing down to get a mirrored image), 2 x straps, 2 x Front Band and 1 x Back:
Seam Allowance is 1/4″ or 6mm unless stated otherwise 🙂
I set my Machine to a small Zig Zag Stitch and of course using my Trusty Walking Foot 🙂
Cut out the Darts in your size on the Front pattern piece and mark with Tailors Chalk along the Cut Lines also remember to flip the pattern piece over the mirrored pieces. Also cut little snips into the edge of the fabric where the dart lines start. These will be used to line up the dart lines for sewing. Remember to do this for all 4 pieces.
Fold the fabric Right Sides Together so that your snips line up at the edge of the fabric
and at the “point” of the Dart, forming a triangle along the fold. Pin along the Dart. I find it helps placing at pin at the end of the Dart to help me remember where it ends lol! Yeah… my chalk rubbed off a little so it was a good job I placed the pin!
Sew the Dart by starting at the little snip backstitching at the edge of the fabric, then sewing towards the point of the Dart.
At the end of the Dart point, sew past it, right off of the fabric.
Do not backstitch and leave a good amount of thread to tie a knot by hand at the end a few times then cut off the excess threads 🙂
Then repeat for the other Darts on the remaining 3 Front pieces.
Now onto making the Bralet. We will be working with both the Main Fabric and Inner so there will be 2 sets all together.
Place the Front pieces Right Sides Together. Sew the Center seam.
Press seam open.
Place the back on top of the front, Right Sides Together.
Pin the side seams together. Sew down the side seams.
Press the seams open.
Now onto the Straps!
I got 2 x lengths of Lace to the same length of the Straps by 1.2″ wide.
Fold one Strap in half widthwise, Right Sides Together.
Now if you are inserting the lace then place it in between like i’ve shown here:
Pin and sew down the long side along the raw edges.
Turn the Strap Right Side out and press the seam. The repeat for the other Strap.
Cut the Elastic the length for your size indicated in the chart in the instructions. Using a safety pin, thread the Elastic through the strap until it comes out on the other end. Baste the ends of the straps to secure the Elastic in place.
With the Main fabric Right Sides out and the Back facing you, place one Strap 5.5” (for for sizes 10-14 – for other sizes its stated in the instructions) from the Side Seam raw edge of the Strap in line with the raw edge
of the top of the back bodice. I’ve place pins to mark where they need to go 🙂 Repeat for other side.
Baste the Straps in place.
Turn the Bralet around so the Front is facing you. Bring the Straps to the front. Center the end of the Strap along the flat edge of the front piece, raw edge of the Strap in line with the raw edge of the top of the front.
Repeat on the other side. Baste the Straps in place
Slide the Lining Bralet over the outer fabric Bralet, Right Sides Together. Pin all the way around the top of the Bralet and sew.
Nearly there! Just need to the add the Band!
Fold the Band in half widthwise, Right Sides Together. Pin the short side and sew. I’ve just pressed it here a little to help keep it straight 🙂
Fold the band up, Wrong Sides Together, matching up the raw edges.
Mark the Band into four equal quarters with pins, making sure one pin is on the seam of the Band.
Divide the bottom of the Bralet in the same way,
making sure one pin is on the Center Front and one on the Center Back.
Slide the Bra inside the Band, lining up the four pins, making sure the seam on the
Band is on the Back of the Bralet. Pin in between the original four pins, stretching the Band slightly all the way around.
Sew all the way around the Band. Finish the Seam and Press!
Here you go one pretty Bralet!!
Now here they are both together! Aren’t they cutest pair you have ever seen?!
A very big thank you to Mark at Girlcharlee on providing the Jersey, Hannah of EvielaluDIY for the Lace, FOE and of Course the ever so cute little bow! Also Thank you to Hannah of EvielaluDIY and Kristi of George and Ginger Patterns giving me they okay to provide a tutorial for their Patterns 🙂
Now, I hope these Tutorials has shown you that it’s not as daunting as you think to make your own lingerie.
If you need any help just give me a shout here, Instagram, My Facebook Page or Twitter 🙂
Sal xx
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