Hi, I’m Alena. I love unique, original things – but I’m not ready to pay the overpriced brand tags for something you can make at home. So let’s cut the fluff and actually make a pair of knickers. You and me. One-to-one.
And you probably expect to see me here sewing some project, but nope – this is just simply me and my dog Queenie. I think it’s important you see this image so you know with whom you’re sewing today.
Why You Need to Stop Overthinking?
People often stall. They sit there endlessly debating which fabric is the best, which elastic is the best, which tool is the most “right”… and they wait until they feel “ready.” The truth is, you learn sewing by sewing.
It’s like learning to drive a car with a stick. I remember trying so hard to make my husband explain how to press the clutch so the car wouldn’t stall. He tried, believe me. But every time I copied his way, I failed. The car kept stopping. Only when I said, “You know what, I’m going to do it my way,” and actually did it a couple of times, and it finally clicked (After couple of hysterics of course…. 😂)
You can sit and strategise forever, but nothing changes until you put the car on the road. It’s the same here. You can read articles for hours convincing yourself you need to know everything before you start, but if you don’t actually sew, you’ll never really learn how to do it. Mistakes are part of it. Until you make them, you don’t know how to deal with them.
So yes, we could spend hours here while I tell you all the best techniques. But you know what? Let’s cut this shit out. Here’s the pattern. Download it. Follow along. And I promise you, within 30 minutes you’ll have a pair of panties. Maybe not the kind you want to display in a museum, but believe me – they’ll be wearable!!!
I’ve been in the sewing and DIY world for as long as I can remember. I’ve made the mistakes. I ran out of them. So whatever tips I give you here are the ones that saved me. Let’s make something fabulous together.
Why This Pattern Is Different
You might be thinking, “Why this pattern when there are ten thousand free or paid ones online?”
The answer is very simple. If you’re new and have never done this before, you don’t want to spend gazillions of money on fancy supplies or an overlocker. With this pattern, you can make beautiful panties using only a simple regular sewing machine. That’s it.
(If you’re still wondering whether making your own lingerie is even worth the effort, I’ve written Is Sewing Your Own Lingerie at Home Worth it? — have a peek at it when you’re done here but for now let’s back to our sewing 👇.)
You just need a small piece of fabric – stretchy or even non-stretchy. Some people made these out of faux leather can you believe that?!). Others used non-stretch lace. It’s really up to you and what you already have at home. You’ll also need a little bit of elastic – fold-over elastic is my favourite, use it if you’re just starting it’s much less terrifying.
If you have rings and sliders, great. If you don’t, not a big deal. You’ll simply calibrate the elastic to your own body size. And here’s the best part: this pattern is one size for every type of body. The adjustable straps on the sides let you fit it perfectly to your body and your body only!
Getting the Pattern Ready
Once you download the pattern, make sure you print it on A4 paper. Any other format like Letter won’t work. There’s a little 5 x 5 cm square printed on it – measure that to check your scaling.
There’s no assembly involved. Just cut it out from the paper, and you’re done.
I’m going to assume you’ve printed it, cut it out, and now you’re staring at your fabric with slightly shaky hands. That’s normal. My grandma always used to say: “Eyes are afraid, but hands are doing.” So don’t focus on your nerves. Focus on your hands. Let’s go 💪.
Cutting Your Pieces
Place the pattern on your fabric. The front piece has a “cut on fold” line, fold your fabric and place it on that fold. Cut out one front piece, one back piece, and one gusset from a lining fabric.
And listen – don’t spend money on lining for your first try. Grab an old T-shirt you don’t wear anymore and cut your gusset out of that. If later you decide that underwear-making is your thing, I’ll tell you about my favourite lining fabrics.
Sewing the Crotch Seam
Lay your front piece with the right side up (that’s the pretty side – often glossier if it’s polyester/spandex or lycra). Then place your back piece on top with the right side down, so the right sides face each other. On top of that, place the gusset (lining) with its right side down.
Align the crotch seams. If you have pins, great. If you don’t, don’t stress. Just grab a needle and thread and make a few little stitches to keep the layers from shifting.
Then go to your sewing machine and sew that crotch seam. If you have an overlocker, you can also overlock the top edge of the gusset, but that’s optional. After sewing, flip the gusset towards the front piece. On the pattern you’ll find small notches – those are where the gusset needs to be fixed on the front. Place it there and secure it with pins or a couple of hand stitches.
Adding the Elastic
Now comes the elastic. I recommend fold-over elastic because it’s the easiest if you’re just starting, and way less intimidating. You’re going to sew it around the leg openings on both sides.
A quick note about settings: keep your machine tension between three and four. Use an elastic stitch if you have it (it’s wider and will hold your fabric inside the elastic more securely). Set the stitch width to around six and the length to two or three. Always use 75/11 needles (ballpoint works fine too) and polyester thread.
If your fabric gets holes or the back of the stitches looks messy, it’s almost always because of the wrong needle or thread. Switching to 75/11 needles and polyester thread fixes that.
Fold-over elastic has a little line in the middle – that’s where your fabric sits. But here’s the thing: if you place the fabric exactly in the middle, sometimes it slips out and you get little holes between the fabric and elastic. So push the fabric just a tiny bit further inside the fold. That way when you fold it closed, the fabric is fully enclosed and won’t slip out.
Once you sew the elastic, trim off any messy ends so your edges look clean and smooth.
Creating the Adjustable Sides
Now we’ll make the channels for your side straps.
Take the same elastic and start sewing it folded over – but without fabric inside – for about three or four centimetres. Then slide your front piece inside the elastic and keep sewing. When you reach the end of the fabric, don’t stop – keep sewing another three or four centimetres with just elastic.
Do the same for the back piece.
This extra elastic space on each side is where you’ll insert your rings, sliders or straps so you can adjust the panties to your exact size.
Finishing the Straps
If you have rings and sliders, follow my step-by-step video on how to make straps. Once they’re ready, thread them through the free elastic space you left, fold the end to the opposite side, and stitch it down to lock the ring in place.
If you don’t have any hardware, just pin a piece of elastic to each side, try the panties on, adjust the fit, and then sew the elastic down. Simple.
The Final Touch (Optional)
This part is just for fun. You can sew a little bow in the middle. It’s totally optional, but it adds a spicy little touch. And yes, of course, I have a video for that too – because I couldn’t leave you without one 😂.
You Did It!
That’s it. In less than thirty minutes, you’ve got a pair of panties. If you were sewing while reading this, look at what you’ve created with your own hands 👏.
And if you haven’t started yet, cut the crap out. The pattern is right here – you don’t even need to scroll up. Grab any piece of fabric you’ve got at home and sew these panties right now 💪!
And because having someone to be accountable to always helps, send me a picture of your first pair on my Instagram. I want to see it with my own eyes and celebrate this moment with you. Do it right now. I’m waiting 👀.
