Friday, May 11, 2007

Making a panty - Cutting lace

As I made my bras last week, I forgot to take the pattern of one panty with me and cut this out just now. As I mentioned in a post at the beginning of this week, I'm considering writing a tutorial about making a bra, but that must wait a little longer. So I start with a panty (strange word, as we call a panty what in English is called stockings I believe, what in English is called panty, we call slip, very confusing).

Before explaining how I make a panty (or perhaps later on a bra), let me say that I learned these techniques from 3 different teachers in courses or workshops and from information from books and the internet. So I'm not a professional sewing teacher, and not saying that my description is the only right way to do it. There can be better ways perhaps, this is only how I do it.

For panties you need the following:
  • lycra
  • lace (optional)
  • small piece of cotton (for crotch lining)
  • edge elastic
  • narrow lingerie elastic (only when you use scalloped edge of lace on the side of your leg)

Cutting lace is always taking some time, because I want my bra's and panties to by symmetrical. Usually I cut all pieces for 1 bra and 2 panties at the same time to make sure I'm not falling short of fabric. All my pattern pieces have 1 cm seam allowance and seamlines clearly marked, certainly for the parts that must be cut from lace.

Step 1:
Lay the paper pattern piece on the lace. In this case the edge of the lace will be on the leg side, so it gets no seam allowance. I use the lowest part of the scallop as guideline.

In the picture, the corner with the red arrow will be the point where the lace will join the back part. I like it to be a low point of the scallop, so match the seamline exactly there.

Step 2
Remove the paper, and use the first part of your lace as guide for cutting the second part. Make sure you lay wrong sides together.







This is a detail of the 2 layers. The embroidery of the lace matches. The extra print on the fabric has no symmetry.











An example of the 2 layer, exactly matched.

















Example of all pieces for the panty, except crotch lining.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Sigrid,

    Your panties and bras are stunningly beautiful, as much as any fine lingerie. Thanks for sharing them and I wish I could find lace as beautiful as that you've used.

    Kitren

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