Well, it's certainly not everyday I show my undies (pants, underwear, panties (hate that name!), lingerie, unmentionables, smalls...) on the internet. But here we are.
Just before we left Sydney, I had a fraction of time left with my sewing machine and wanted to make something small and quick. I'd been meaning to give making my own undies a go for a little while now so off I went.
I used the Ohh Lulu Grace Hipster pattern, mostly because I was rather intrigued at the use of non-stretch woven fabric in the pattern. I have to admit, I don't think I've ever seen a pair of ladies underwear (that weren't boxers) made with non-stretch woven fabric before. Would they actually be comfy?
I made the lavender and white pair as my test muslin. The lavender came from the remnants of my 60s Vogue Wrap dress and the white is some stretchy t-shirt cotton I've had sitting around for a while. This pattern uses a mix of stretch and non-stretch fabrics, so it's perfect for using up those little scraps of fabric that aren't big enough for much else.
I have to be honest here guys, I'm not sure the woven cotton works that well where it's placed in the centre of the pattern. Perhaps I used a heavier fabric than I should have, the pattern does state that any non-stretch woven fabric is suitable, but perhaps something like a cotton lawn would have been better? The problem is that when you hem the, erm, crotch area, it gets a little bulky and well, a little rough.
For my second pair, I used a much softer navy jersey for the centre (scraps left over from my first Vogue 40s Travel dress) and a cream stretch lace for the side inserts. I also cut the crotch area a bit smaller and instead of hemming it as the pattern suggests, I zigzagged stitched on some of the stretch lace I had used for the waist band. I also decided not to overlock the seams to reduce the bulk.
Gosh, who knew making undies could be so complicated?
Personally, I think I'll stick with knits for making underwear for the time being. It's probably that I'm just not used to wearing non-stretchy fabrics down there because as it turns out, I like to move around a lot and need, well, freedom! Though in saying that, I have found another pattern for undies made completely from non-stretch woven fabric. So, maybe I should give them another go...?
Have you guys made undies from non-stretch fabric before? Did they work for you?
xx
Jen
