knickers – Page 3 – Measure Twice Cut Once

Posted on 01/05/201419/01/2016 by Susan Goodwin — 16 Comments

Elastic Suppliers for Knicker making

UPDATE: Knicker elastic and bra kits are now available in our webstore! Pop on over to take a look.

I’ve been scouring the web for elastic suppliers for the upcoming Everyone deserves Pretty Knickers week.

Now unless I’ve noted it, I have not personally tried all these suppliers. If anyone has had any interaction with any of them it would be great if you added in the comments so everyone can know who is reliable and offers good service. If anyone knows of anymore please share them, I’ll update the lists as we go along.

Ok here we go

In Sydney and Australia

I have found underwear elastic in white, black and nude at Spotlight stores. They occasionally have other colours but make sure you are buying an elastic, not a trim. They have a trim nearly identical to lingerie elastic except it has almost no stretch? very odd.

EM Greenfields (aka Greenfields or Greenies) in Sydney has a variety of elastics, it is open to the public but you will need to purchase an entire roll as they don’t cut trims. Also only open weekdays.

My super coloured lingerie elastic as seen here was found out at Cabramatta for the bargain price of 20c to 50c a metre! Don’t be afraid to buy the bright stuff as only a tiny sliver shows on the outside of the garment. Plus it’s knickers, have some fun!

Around the web

Minerva Crafts – wide selection of elastic, on the site is a soft backed narrow elastic, no fancy scallops along the top but would still be nice. Plenty of the regular 6mm elastic and stretch laces

eBay – I found a whole bunch of places on eBay selling elastic. Some are small stores which use eBay as their webstore, others look direct from China. Some have some really great looking stuff so it would be a good place to take a look at.

Etsy

Peak Bloom – suppliers of mostly fold over elastic, some stretch lace. I follow these guys on instagram but am yet to order from them, mostly because I can’t make up my mind on which of their amazing patterns to get!

Elastic by the Yard – plenty of fold over elastics here as well as some skinny elastic in fun colours.

Fabric Depo – decent range of lingerie elastic (the scalloped top style), also have a physical store for those in California

Swoon Party Shop – vintage lingerie elastic and metallic ric rac (hey I know it’s not knicker specific but it’s metallic ric rac!)

YYCraft – plenty of fold over elastic and some lingerie elastic

Mrs DePew – vintage lingerie patterns and supplies

DIY supplies and kits – fold over elastic and even some double edge frill elastic!

If anyone knows of anymore places either online or across the world, let me know, I can add them in so everyone can source what they need.

Posted on 30/04/201418/01/2016 by Susan Goodwin — 4 Comments

What you need to make some Knickers

I am so happy with the response to our “Everyone deserves Pretty Knickers” challenge. It’s so exciting to think that everyone will soon have pretty knickers that they made themselves.

To help you get ready for the big week, here is a run down of all the Measure Twice Cut Once patterns and what you need for each one. This way you can raid your stash for your supplies or head on out to buy what you need, am sure you can all stand the drudgery of more fabric shopping, lol.

The Charlotte Knickers

The Georgiana Knickers

Fabric: Cotton wovens such as voile, cambric, lawn, quilting cottons. Also silks and satins.
Gusset: Cotton Jersey
Unsuitable for fabrics with bulk or stiffness such as denim or cord.
Trim: Thread, 6mm width elastic (does not need to be lingerie elastic). This is photographed with a rolled hem, it can be made like that or it can be turned under and top stitched like The Charlotte Knickers. So even without an overlocker/serger you can create this style.

The Jane Knickers

Fabric: Cotton wovens such as voile, cambric, lawn, quilting cottons. Also silks and satins.
Unsuitable for fabrics with bulk or stiffness such as denim or cord.
Trim: Thread, 6mm width elastic (does not need to be lingerie elastic). The top edge does not need to be lingerie elastic, but it looks really cute if you can use it. This is a great one to practice or learn using how to stretch the lingerie elastic while top stitching and still keep the decorative edge peaking up above the top of the fold.

The Mary Knickers

Fabric: Knits such as jerseys, cotton lycra/spandex, super lightweight double knits. Highly recommended to have a high cotton content and lycra/spandex content is nice but not essential.
Gusset: Cotton Jersey
Unsuitable for fabrics woven fabrics.
Trims: 6mm width elastic (does not need to be lingerie elastic), thread

The Lizzie Knickers

Fabric: Cotton wovens such as voile, cambric, lawn, quilting cottons, silks and satins.
Gusset: Cotton Jersey
Unsuitable for fabrics with high degree of stretch, bulk or stiffness such as swim lycra, denim or cord.
Trims: Thread, 6mm width elastic (does not need to be lingerie elastic). Due to the elastic side “strings” on this style a nice soft elastic or a proper lingerie elastic certainly makes it a lot more comfortable. See if you can source some if this is your preferred style?

The Lydia Knickers

Tomorrow we will be covering suppliers of elastic and we have plenty more posts coming up on how you can create knickers to suit your style. Start gathering up your supplies and don’t forget to pop your name down on the announcement post, and grab a sidebar button so we can keep an eye out for your beautiful makes.

Posted on 28/04/201419/01/2016 by Susan Goodwin — 1 Comment

Sewing Adventures – The Jane Knickers

I decided to add something a little cuter to my sleepwear so whipped up these three versions of The Jane Knickers.

The green checked looked ok but was a little flat so I added a decorative topstitch to the yoke in a magenta thread to match the magenta lingerie elastic I was using for the waistband. You’ll see on all three versions I have created pleats in the front panels where it joins to the yoke. On the pattern it says to gather these pieces but I wanted to show that you can vary them up by pleating as well.

The pale check is super sweet vintage fabric that I actually made a top in (that is waiting to be blogged). I used the remainder to cut out The Jane Knickers. I find it a little pale so I like to add a touch of colour on the waist elastic. This elastic is a folded elastic that has a decorative bobble edge. It’s one of those trims that I keep hanging on to and yet never get around to actually using. So I bit the bullet and used it here. The folded elastic works fine instead of the lingerie elastic. Just be careful to check the stretch. You’ll notice these ones look a little bigger than the others? they are the same size I just had to ensure not to stretch it too tight as I was topstitching it in as it doesn’t have the same stretch properties as the other elastic I was using.

I dropped by Spotlight on the Easter long weekend with the idea of buying a zip, I came home without the zip (didn’t have the colour and size I needed) but with more fabric! This one is a Japanese Lawn which I adore and it was on special. They are so soft and yet not see through and make up beautifully. I cut a dress out of this fabric and then used up the leftovers for these knickers. On the front yoke I have added in a centre front seam and topstitched down the seam allowance. I couldn’t quite fit the yoke in the scraps so I managed to maneuver it in by adding a seam. Then added the bright green elastic because it is such a fun colour.

The mix and match of elastics helps tie the colours and fabrics together and you’d never know they were made out of leftovers!

Posted on 07/04/201419/01/2016 by Susan Goodwin — Leave a comment

Knickers pattern Giveaway

Hi Everyone, the wonderful Leila over at Three Dresses is hosting a Measure Twice Cut Once giveaway.

Pop on over and leave a comment to be in the running to win your choice of one of our Knicker Patterns.

Good Luck!

Posted on 03/04/201419/01/2016 by Susan Goodwin — 2 Comments

How to create a gusset with a concealed back seam

The Georgiana Knickers, The Charlotte Knickers and The Lydia Knickers all have a cotton gusset that has a concealed back seam.

To make it a bit easier to understand here is a step by step construction method for you.

Before we start a few guides

Right side – the face, front or outside of the fabric

Wrong side – the interior, inside, back of the fabric

Step 1 – Front, back and gusset all right side up.

Step 2 – Gusset right side up.

Step 3 – Gusset right side up with front edge finished. I’ve overlocked it, you could overlock/serge the edge or zig zag.

Step 4 – Front panel, right side up.

Front panel with back panel placed on top. The right sides have been matched together so the photo shows the wrong side of the back panel facing up.

From the photo above, we have now added the gusset with the right side matched to the wrong side of the back panel. Photograph shows the wrong side facing up of the gusset.

Step 5 – pin at crotch seam.

Step 6 – 1cm seam allowance, straight stitch seam.

Step 7 – finish raw edge of seam, again I have overlocked but you could overlock/serge the edge or zig zag.

Step 8 – place seam flat and press. Photo now shows the wrong side of both front and back panels but the right side up of the gusset.

From here you can follow along with the rest of the instructions to complete your knickers.

I hope this makes it clearer and if you have any questions, please let me know.

Enjoy making your knickers!

Posted on 26/03/201419/01/2016 by Susan Goodwin — 14 Comments

The Patterns are here!

It’s here! After months of planning, designing, pattern making, testing and checking our first collection has arrived.

Some collections feel like they take a lifetime to come together, this collection is actually two lives. That of myself and my sister. While I have been busy working in the fashion industry as a designer, she has been the patternmaking force behind some of Australia’s most influential fashion labels.

Now we have combined to bring professional patterns and knowledge of design to you. Our first collection is a range of knickers, from full pants to party pants we’ve got you covered. Each style works perfectly on it’s on, but we are also including a designer “how to” for every piece. Showing you how to add and embellish to bring your own style into what you are creating.

Over the coming days and weeks we will bring you more insight into how the collection was created, details on the variations and information on where you can get supplies. For now though, go take a look and let us know what you think.