So for my efforts I have 5 new pairs of undies to show! I know this might not sound like much but for me ever since I made my first pair of knickers I have been hanging out to make more!
Yes I could go down to the local supermarket and buy a pack for close to what the elastic and thread for these guys cost me, or even spend a few more dollars and get a really nice
Most importantly - to use a phrase coined by another sewist on a blog/forum I read recently (sorry I can't remember where) - WILL I have to do the "Pluck Of Shame"? (I did come up with my own term for this phenomenon "HBS" or "Hungry Butt Syndrome" ....somehow I like "Pluck Of Shame" better ;)
Unfortunately the answer for most store brought underwear is yes, YES I will have to do the "pluck" if I wear them (sorry if that's TMI).
I've tried cheap, I've tried expensive and so far in many years of buying underwear there have only been a few islands of pluck free sanctuary in a sea of ever upward creeping ass coverage.
Frankly - in my case- there just isn't enough fabric to cover my decidedly pear shaped behind (thanks genetics!...and chocolate), plus even if the fabric coverage is generous usually the shape is all wrong!
I discovered - mostly by accident- after making my own that if I scoop out the rear leg seams (the one that makes the elastic sit under your butt checks) and make them a bit rounder then "voila" undies stay where they are meant to be! No other magic required!
I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only person to have thought of doing this and that if I actually did a little research I would have come across this method (or something similar and probably sooner) on the Internet. Still I'm a little bit chuffed I came up with a solution to my "pluck factor" problem on my own! ;) I actually have seen a similar thing done in lieu of a FBA on the side seam of t-shirts, which is what gave me the idea :)
Of course this does make my undies look a bit more "boule" shaped once the elastic is added (pulling in that extra bit of fabric) and they are off the body:
BUT (or is that butt?) as long as they look OK -and work like they should when on- I'm more than happy!
Here's to D.I.Y underwear!!!
Happy Sewing!
Kate x
9 comments:
What a great fun post.
Pluck of Shame, I have to remember that one.
The pattern you used has been around for over 21 years. I made those panties before I got married.
Thanks! Wish I could lay claim to coming up with that hilarious description but no such luck...
And I KNEW this was an a pattern that had been around a fair while- explains the crazy sizing (my therory is fabrics had much less stretch back then, even if they were a "stretch" knit). Thanks for confirming how old it is :)
I want to start making my own panties and am also pear shaped, so thanks for the pointers. Marilyn
Go for it Marilyn - once you get your pattern template right you wont look back! I gave my mum a pair of undies I made and she said they were the comfiest shes ever worn :)
Check out sewing http://sewing.patternreview.com/ for reviews on pantie patterns - I am sure there are patterns with easier to understand sizing! Though I must say Kwik Sew are AWESOME with pattern instructions and explaining sewing techniques so maybe look at one of their more recent knicker patterns. Best of luck- its totally worth the challenge! :D Kate
I have been promising my butt some home made undies for years, just haven't got there yet. Home made are THE most comfortable to wear. I have made them for my grand daughters when they first came out of nappies until they wanted the barbie and princess panties which never fitted their leg shape. Many moons ago, I also made my own bras. I could get the straps in the right spot so they wouldn't fall down, I would get the backs comfortable and I could get the right cup design for my boobs. AND I could choose the most gorgeous laces and have them with matching nickers and gorgeous g strings................... oooooooo those were the days
Wow I am totally in awe of anyone who can make bras- I feel like that's a whole different planet from knickers/underwear! Maybe one day I will attempt it (I'm thinking if a bra making workshop comes by at a convenient time) but right now it's beyond me... Still my butt has never been happier since I started making my own knickers, so you never know what the future might bring...my "girls" could probably do with a bit of handmade comfort too ;)
And as to laces etc for underwear...living in Perth (Western Australia) I'm pretty limited as to what available to buy materials wise. I'm pretty much covered for black, tan and white BUT if I want to stray into a different colour scheme from these (like a nice girly pink or maybe something a bit more exciting- say red?) I have to hunt high and low all over and pay through the nose by the meterage. Or snap it up on the odd occasion I come across something different at an op shop or (rarely) at a fabric shop (usually hidden somewhere at the back, maybe on clearance). I'm thinking online shopping OR dyeing basic white materials may be my best options- but both bring different cons (shipping costs and the haphazard nature of dyes) with them!
There must be something in the air - today I decided to start trying to copy the fit of the only briefs I've ever found that stay where they're put and don't give vpl (which is why I'm surfing the web trying to pick up tips). Decades ago I switched to thongs due to the pluck of shame (sounds so much better than "Hungry bum syndrome" which is what we called it at school) and vpl. Unfortunately, I've found that thongs aren't always comfy in the Summer as I get older. Every now and then I'll buy some briefs thinking that maybe they'll stay put, until December I was always disappointed. I've also added to the back leg to cup the butt. Now I've just got to figure out whether I can get away with no leg elastic or hit ebay for soft stretch elastic.
Hi Tigergirl thankyou for stopping by :)
As to undies/knickers/"unmentionables...honestly once you make a pair that are reasonably good (note I didn't say "perfect", as I think even if you are halfway there you are still 200% ahead of store brought!) you will be hooked and you will never look back. All those years of plucking badly fitting knickers out of our butt cheeks?
Gone- Poof!
We hold the POWER in our hands to have better fitting undies (sorry it's late so maybe I MIGHT be over empahsizing things..). AS to elastic, the Kwik sew pattern I used has you apply the elastic OVER the fabric you are using, so it's all quite nice and comfy ;) Actually I think that if the back leg band (and everything else) is where it should be then it shouldn't matter what elastic you use. The right spot = way less rubbing = one happy wearer :)
Knicker elastic tends to be a bit fluffier/softer , but I have heard of/seen regular elastic or "plastic elastic" use in underwear with great success. Like everything else if you are willing to give it a shot and experiment you may find you can make do with what you have ;) Best of luck xx
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