Have you tried making your own lingerie yet? It’s delightfully quick and simple to make sexy panties when you use stretch lace. When I developed the book Sweet Nothings, designer Elise Olsen’s Sugarberry Panties inspired me to make my own dainty things. The wide stretch lace trim that forms the body of the panty needs no finishing, which makes it super easy to create these darling little unmentionables.
Although wide stretch lace trim is sometimes difficult to find, stretch lace yardage is more readily available. Fortunately, you can use stretch lace fabric to make easy panties, too. I’ve made samples of three simple ways to finish the edges of stretch lace fabric. Whichever method you use, first make a continuous loop of the elastic to fit your opening (leg or waist), and mark both the loop and the opening into equal portions (half, quarter, eighth, and so on).
The first technique is a stitch-and-turn method to apply decorative elastic. Pin the elastic to the opening, right sides facing, matching the marks. Use a straight stitch to stitch along the decorative elastic edge, stretching the elastic to fit.
Fold the elastic to the wrong side so the decorative edge shows and stitch down with a short narrow zigzag, again stretching the elastic as you go.
The second method involves flat decorative trim. You apply it to stretch fabric as suggested above, but place the wrong side of the trim to the right side of the opening. Stitch in place and trim away the excess from the stretch fabric.
The last method uses traditional stretch lingerie binding, which can be folded to encase the raw edges. This is also a stitch-and-turn method. Begin by placing the raw edge of the stretch lace fabric at the center of the binding; you’ll see an obvious spot where the binding can be folded. Mark and pin as with the other methods, and use a line of straight stitching to secure the two layers, stretching as you go. Fold the binding over the raw edge and stitch in place with a line of zigzag stitches, again stretching as you go.
Here are a couple of hints for applying stretch trim to stretch fabric. Use lots of pins to secure the layers; take a few stitches to secure the layers before you begin stretching the elastic trim; and stretch with both hands, one behind the needle and one in front.
Thanks for checking out our free project, the Trixie romper, from Sweet Nothings, and be sure to enter the book giveaway! Simply tell us what your favorite material for undergarments is (Maybe it’s soft silks? Or comfy cottons?) by 9:30am EST on Wednesday, May 4th and you could win a copy of this book full of tips, techniques, and awesome lingerie projects. We’re grateful to BurdaStyle for letting the needlearts folks from Lark Crafts come to play!
~Valerie
Valerie Shrader is an Editor at Lark Crafts and the author of Sweet Nothings. You can check out more of her projects, tips and ideas here!
Nov 5, 2011, 04.05 PMby suedque
The stretch lace necessary to make these lovely panties can be found here: www.marynotmartha.etsy.com
Great prices and some very unusual designs I’ve not seen elsewhere…
May 5, 2011, 04.43 PMby dcfog
All I can say is YUUUUUMMMMMMMMMY!
May 4, 2011, 08.27 PMby Statuess
I love a silky, fine bamboo fibre. :)
May 4, 2011, 03.35 PMby UFOmaven
I all for soft cotton, but satin is easy to work with and reasonably priced, not to mention it feels good.
May 4, 2011, 09.57 AMby mel007
Cotton is comfy but love lace and silk also
May 4, 2011, 06.32 AMby maddiec
Cotton usually, but I’d love to try lace!
May 4, 2011, 05.51 AMby jessdunstan
I’m definitely a cotton girl. But I love decorating them with lace, buttons, and ribbons.
May 4, 2011, 04.47 AMby outdooranimal
I’d make mine in silk.
May 4, 2011, 04.29 AMby RoniBarr
I’m a cotton girl, by and by. Cotton undies under jeans, thin cotton panties with a cute print under skirts, cotton to the gym – 100% cotton! :)
I’ve started sewing a few months ago and while I’ve been sewing up shirts and pants like there’s no tomorrow, I haven’t started any lingerie yet, although I’d love to give it a try. Winning this book would be a totally awsome step in that direction!
Thanks.
May 4, 2011, 04.11 AMby tklexi
Cotton for comfy days, silk for sexy days. But since first discovering bamboo jersey and bamboo fabrics I’ve been dying to try them out for lingerie. They’re so soft and silky, and dye so vibrantly. I think it’ll gave the best of both worlds- comfortable and super sexy. And it’s environmentally sustainable, breathable, antistatic, deodorising and antibacterial. What more could you want for lingerie?
May 4, 2011, 03.34 AMby robojayne
I love comfy cotton combined with sexy and feminine lace. Have never made lingerie but would be keen to give it a go. Especially if I had the help of the sweet nothings book!
May 4, 2011, 03.32 AMby calendar
gotta vote for silk charmeuse, so luxurious! thanks for the giveaway (and free pattern too!)
May 4, 2011, 03.17 AMby jen2blu4u
This is awesome, Thank you!!! Never tried making my own undergarments but I’ll give it a go. ….& I LOVE lace!
May 4, 2011, 03.14 AMby marklora13
May 4, 2011, 03.14 AMby kimhibler
Never made my own underwear before- I love the idea! This book would be so fun to learn from.
May 4, 2011, 02.40 AMby Evelene Sterling
I love soft cottons for comfort and silk for luxury and indulgence.
May 4, 2011, 02.33 AMby Chelsea Boudreau
I absolutely love true silk for my underthings, but 100% cotton is much better during the summer tee hee. Either way, learning to make my own undergarments would be fantabulous!
May 4, 2011, 02.15 AMby etchedinthread
I would love to try making something in silk for lingerie and sleepwear. I’ve never had underthings in silk!
May 4, 2011, 01.46 AMby kirstenkyn
I’m interested in trying this. Definitely going on my list of soon to do projects!
May 4, 2011, 12.49 AMby kimpe
Nothing beats softness. There are so many different fabrics that if you let them slide across your skin can feel so sweet and take you to a place of happiness! Can’t choose just one depends on my mood and what I’m making!!
May 4, 2011, 12.26 AMby stitchybritt
Organic cottons all the way! (for comfort). Also, if you want something playful, I like gingham.
May 4, 2011, 12.18 AMby dorothyhall
I love either stretch lace or extra soft knit cotton. I’d love to try my hand at making my own lingerie.
May 4, 2011, 12.14 AMby dol
Soft cotton for everyday, tulle net, stretch satin with bows or lace to be pretty!
May 3, 2011, 10.20 PMby javelinarach
Simply adorable!
May 3, 2011, 10.18 PMby chrisandricci
I didn’t think it was possible to ever learn to make lingerie! That romper is sooo cute! Can’t wait to make myself one!
May 3, 2011, 10.09 PMby fr8rain
cotton bamboo – it’s so amazingly soft and silky
May 3, 2011, 09.58 PMby floatingpie
Cotton!
May 3, 2011, 09.49 PMby spngejen
Call me old fashioned, but I love comfy simple cotton. :)
May 3, 2011, 09.26 PMby hstorm799
Probably a charmeuse. So soft!
May 3, 2011, 08.36 PMby dicremona
I love working with bias-cut silk for slinky lingerie, but I would like to try silk knit, too, if I could find some (I keep asking in stores…). I haven’t yet tried working with stretch lace, but I do have some of that fabric, and your tips should prove very useful!