sewing lingerie

I am just so happy that i have to post this. Awhile back i wanted to learn to sew lingerie, and jumped in with some satiny material cut on the bias and totally gave up in frustration.

Well, i recently decided to "start over" and try some nice, easy, CHEAP (we're talking $1/yd at Walmart) white woven cotton material and make some old-fashioned style bloomers. I figure if the prototype comes out nice, i'll buy some better fabric. They came out ADORABLE! Now, if i weren't a 47-yr old woman, i'd be wearing them with skirts (instead of sleeping in them). I bought some real cheap lace on ebay (10 cents a yard) to put at the very bottom, and some trim that had satin ribbon already through it (again at Walmart) that serves as beading (?) trim to drawstring. These things just came out so CUTE!

I don't have a serger, but since the cheap fabric was so ravel-y i zig-zagged after the straight stitch, trimmed close, then stitched it down flat - again an experiment but it seemed to go just fine with the "underwear" look i had going on.

I just can't WAIT to get some nice comfy soft cotton (a little better quality) and make another pair! :-) Even thinking of experimenting with making some shorter ones to wear under (modern) dresses...

Reply to
ml
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Good job!!! Sometimes working up the courage to start over on something is the hardest part. Glad to hear you conquered that and did so successfully! :)

Here's a few sites you might find interesting:

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They sell all sorts of lingerie fabrics, elastic, etc. They are also very helpful and will answer any questions you might have.

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They sell all sorts of.... trims! :) Good quality stuff. They sell in bulk. Keep in mind that you will have a whole lot of whatever you order. But sometimes that is a very good thing. :) And their prices are really great.

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I've gotten really nice plush elastic (the kind frequently used in lingerie so the elastic doesn't irritate your skin) from them for a very reasonable price. Be sure to look at the assortments. You can find really terrific deals in the assortments.

I know, I know, I'm such an enabler. :) I'm just proud of you that you dove right back in and won this time! Just wanted to help you find good stuff to make more bloomers. ;)

Sharon

Reply to
mamahays

Thank you! I'll definitely check out these sites. (probably even before work this morning). :-)

Reply to
ml

Congratulations!

I call that a "mock fell" seam -- and I've seen the term used elsewhere. It' a very useful seam . . .

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I've been flat-felling almost all my light-fabric seams ever since I learned the easy way to do it:

Press a quarter inch on one side of the seam to the *right* side. (Resisting the urge to turn it to the wrong side is the hardest part of this seam.) It's quite safe to eyeball this turn instead of measuring it; any error in width will be compensated for automatically.

Pin right sides together with the raw edges touching. Sew just as you would sew a plain seam. The seam allowance on the folded side will be a quarter inch too wide, balanced by a seam allowance a quarter inch too narrow on the other side. The original stitching line will be half-way between the two rows of top stitching.

(All my seam allowances are half an inch; the five-eighths most commercial patterns allow might make too wide a seam for light fabric.)

{Optional step: Switch to your edge-stitching foot if you have one, adjusted to stitch a sixteenth of an inch from the edge. (Any closer to the edge, and your mistakes show.)}

Turn the right side up, and smooth out the beginning of the seam on the sewing-machine bed, feeling for the allowances underneath, both turned to the same side with the narrower allowance hidden. Stroke the fold with your thumbnail. Stitch close to the fold, using both hands to stretch the fabric on all directions. (Think of yourself as an embroidery hoop.) Pause frequently to smooth out more seam.

Press the seam, preferably through a damp rag. (A narrow strip torn off an old pillowcase is perfect for this purpose.) Turn wrong-side up and stitch near the other fold.

If you brush the cut edge with bottle starch (a slice of cellulose sponge makes a good brush) and let it air dry before pressing the quarter-inch fold, it will be less likely to come undone during later operations. On sleeve caps, I run one of the easing threads down the middle of the quarter inch to keep it in place during subsequent operations. On wool and silk, I baste by hand instead of pressing.

Joy Beeson

Reply to
joy beeson

thanks, i'm still beaming! :-)

Reply to
ml

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