What a week! Seriously it’s been a whirlwind of excitement. With seeing peoples makes and being featured designer on Kollabora. It’s all just been fantastic and one of those times where I’m supremely happy to have made the leap to share my love of sewing with everyone. Thank you to every single person who has supported Measure Twice Cut Once in any way, I truly appreciate it.
Today kicks off with The Jane Knicker sewalong. If you haven’t got your pattern yet, you can pick it up with a 20% discount until the 10th of June over on Kollabora.
Fabric choices are fairly varied for the knickers which is great as it means you can go as fancy as you want and it’s brilliant for stash busting too. Look for lightweight cottons like voile, cambric or lawn. Quilting cottons and dress cottons are very nice too. Lightweight silks and satins are also lovely and have the added slinky feel to them.
Avoid anything that doesn’t have a good bias stretch to it, is too bulky (like denim or canvas) and if in doubt make a test version before using up your best fabric.
As an indicator of fabric quantity I’m cutting out the size 18 pattern and this is 112cm wide fabric. For sizing, try going by your hip measurement not your waist measurement. The fabric I’m using is close in handling to a voile and has a printed floral on it. Again it’s a stashbusting piece but I know it came from Spotlight a few years back and I stole it from my sisters stash (um, Hi!).
As with all of our woven knicker patterns The Jane Knicker is cut on the bias. With right sides together fold your fabric in half and ensure that the grainline run parallel to the selvedge.
I then folded back just one layer until the selvedge is at 90 degrees to where it was to create a bias fold line. On this I placed the yoke and cut a single layer.
All pattern pieces are now cut.
Taking one lower front panel and one back panel. Match inside leg seam with right sides together and pin. Repeat for remaining leg panels.
Using a straight stitch sew a 1cm seam along pinned edge. In a never before seen occurrence I am sewing with non matching thread to make it easier for you to see and apologies to Nan (my Grandmother) as I can hear you mentally tsk tsking me for non matching thread. It’s just for the photos I promise Nan!
Clean finish raw edge by overlocking/serging or zig zagging.
Repeat the last 2 steps for the other leg panels.
With right sides together match the joined panels. At the inside leg seam push the seam allowance to the back. Pin in place.
Using a straight stitch sew a 1cm seam allowance.
Finish raw edge by overlocking/serging or zig zagging.
Tune in tomorrow for the remaining steps and don’t forget to tag your in progress photos with #everyonedeservesprettyknickers