Hi Everyone,
Over the last few days we have had an issue with some orders not downloading correctly.
If you have had any problems at all, and not been able to access your order can you please let me know so I can send you an alternative link? We don’t want anyone missing out on having pretty knickers!
We’ve also fixed the problem so all new orders should be fine. Sorry for any problems caused and thank you so much to the customers who let me know so we could fix it.
Thanks,
Susan
Many of you have asked about the technical drawings included within the pdf patterns. Where did I get them, how are they done etc etc
They are all my drawings done using Adobe Illustrator.
I have a number of blocks I’ve developed over many years for swimwear, jeans, jackets, dresses or pretty much any style of clothing. I use these over and over to create all the various styles of technical drawings I need to produce. When necessary I just draw new ones to suit my needs.
These are all drawn proportionally so they look like what the actual garment will look like. And they include all the correct stitch lines, types of stitching, dart placements etc. If it is on the final garment it will appear on the drawing.
Very occasionally I will be asked to do fashion drawings, which I will do using either hand drawing or a combination of hand and computer illustration. These drawings are not technical, they can have distorted proportions and instead of being an aid to construction are seen as a way to capture the feeling of a collection or individual garment.
While they are beautiful and often very fun to do, the standard within the industry is a flat technical drawing that is easy to interpret and shows the details of the garments.
Using Illustrator I draw using either my mouse or a pen and tablet combination. I like using the tablet with the pen as it feels more like natural drawing and helps me to get curves to run smoothly.
When drawing instructions I use the actual pattern pieces shrunk down so it looks just like what you are looking at when you are sewing. Sometimes I need to distort the drawing to make it look more like the fabric, especially when showing seams that have been joined. As this is when the garment goes from flat panels to taking on a dimension so the drawings need to relate that to you.
I hope that helps explain the drawings, if you have any more questions please do not hesitate to ask. Oh and I am available to hire should you need any drawings done?
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.
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.
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). Because the elastic is turned under and topstitched down, this pattern is perfect for regular 6mm elastic as you can’t see the fancy lingerie elastic anyway!
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.
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.
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
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?
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. If you are going to top stitch the elastic down be sure to choose a soft elastic as you don’t want to create a firm centre back as this can be uncomfortable on this style.
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.
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!
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.
Stash busting once again.
I keep all of my fabrics in large plastic tubs. Some are neatly organised and some are filled with who knows what? An amalgamation of fabrics that maybe don’t suit, odd shaped pieces, scraps, leftovers etc. A fortnight ago I opened up a tub and started cutting. I had a stack of patterns and I was determined to get that tub empty.
These whale softie pattern is from Craftiness is not Optional and consists of 2 panels and one line of stitching. So crazy simple. A few fabrics were cut out using the pattern and then sewn up later in the week. Including hand sewing each one may have taken 15 minutes?
They were so easy and such a great useful stash buster I am sure they will not be the last softies appearing as part of the great stash busting efforts of 2014. You may recognise the floral as appearing in yesterdays pleated playsuit. I swear this is the fabric that never stops. I’ve made a tonne of stuff out of it and yet still miles left. Expect to see more of it to come.
I discovered Japanese patterns on a trip to Japan many years ago, but the last few years have brought an explosion of interest in Japanese pattern books.
Like so much of Japanese design there is an understated elegance about the styles and some of them are downright quirky and I adore that!
My collection of books was not large until our last trip to Japan.
I’d been saving for months and did my research on all the best places to go. Everyone raved about the Kinokuniya’s in Shinjuku and after a long day exploring other parts of Tokyo we headed across by train.
The store itself was very easy to find but had not one single sign in English and as it was over 9 stories high. I knew I wouldn’t have time to go floor by floor to find them.
I asked at the front desk and the first assistant was unsure how to respond in English so spoke to another assistant who translated that they were upstairs and what floor they were on. Giving me a quizzical look he explained “but they are in Japanese?” I said that was OK I didn’t need the language to read the patterns. He seemed baffled but happy I knew where to go.
When I got to the right section WOW it was huge! And broken down into craft, knitting, sewing by machine, sewing by hand and oh so much more. This is going to take awhile I said to The Englishman who happily wandered off to explore the rest of the store.
So much good stuff! I chose a handful that I just couldn’t leave without and took photos of the covers of the ones that I liked, but as I had more stores to go to I didn’t want to blow all my budget! (Photos of the covers is a brilliant way to remember as the way a westerner will typically say a title will be different to the Japanese pronunciation whereas a photos is universal). Price wise a book in Japan is almost half what you will pay for it here in Australia. It will of course depend on the exchange rate of when you are there so it’s good to do some research before you go and use an app like xe.com to help with the exchange rate.
Later in the week we were in Kyoto where one of my all time favourite fabric stores is. I spent time looking at the fabrics downstairs and then at the patterns upstairs. This time I made a list as this was just the recon visit and I’d be back on our last day in Kyoto to get everything I needed (saves lugging it around as we were changing accommodation while we were there).
On the last day I went back and got everything I had decided on from my list. The Englishman had discovered some lovely indigo fabrics with amazing prints that made their way into the “buy” pile as well. Combined with the patterns, books and fabrics I was starting to worry about the weight of our bags flying back. Luckily there is a huge post office just outside the Kyoto train station (a handy thing I had remembered from a previous visit to Kyoto). A big box and quick discussion with the lovely post office staff and my entire 5kg box of sewing treats would be on my doorstep in Sydney in under a fortnight for the grand cost of $25! Bargain. Post out of Japan I have found to be very reliable and is far cheaper than excess baggage (books and fabric weigh alot), some stores even offer a DHL/Fed Ex or Post service so you purchase and they take care of all the shipping for you.
And yes I did go back to the bookstore in Tokyo to pick up some more pattern books before we headed home!
I’ve been thinking about skirts a bit lately.
1. elastic waist skirt 2. Green Pattern 3. Pattern knee length skirt 4. Gorman skirt
I’ve never been good with a skirt, as I kid I spent more time climbing fences and riding my bike that I just wore shorts all the time, a box pleated skirt for high school while a flattering uniform did little to endear me to them.
A few years back I fell in love with a denim skirt that I adored and spent most of the summer and part of the winter wearing. But apart from that, my forays into skirts seem to well, not work.
I’m short and have the legs of a cyclist so mini skirts are pretty much out and while knee length dresses look great when its a knee length skirt, I look well frumpy. All too short and wide and just odd proportions.
And yet I keep seeing them on girls in the street and photographs on the net and well, they just look so cool.
Can anyone suggest a pattern that might turn my relationship with skirts around?
Just a friendly reminder if you wanted to get an extra discount on some Vintage Patterns the discount code runs out soon.
Just be sure to add HAPPYsewing to the checkout to enjoy an extra 10% off but it only lasts till Wednesday the 20th of November, you can browse the whole range in the shop.
