How to Sew Panties: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

How to Sew Panties: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

If you’re looking to create custom, comfortable, and stylish underwear, sewing your own panties is a fantastic project. Not only can you personalize them to your taste, but you’ll also save money and reduce waste. This guide will walk you through how to sew panties using two patterns from Madalynne’s book, Sew Lingerie.

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Why Sew Your Own Panties?

1. Personalization: You get to choose your favorite fabrics, colors, and patterns.
2. Fit: Custom fit panties can be much more comfortable than store-bought ones.
3. Sustainability: Reduce textile waste by using fabric scraps and old garments. It’s the ultimate stash busting project!
4. Cost-Effective: Save money by making your own underwear. A yard of fabric can make approximately 2-5 (or more!) panties!

Materials You’ll Need

Before you start, gather the following materials:

• Fabric: Choose a soft, stretchy fabric (Cotton jersey or lycra)
• Elastic: Soft lingerie elastic for waist and leg openings (picot and fold over)
• Pattern: You can purchase a pattern or draft your own (Barker and Milly panty from Sew Lingerie)
• Sewing Machine: A zigzag stitch or a serger is ideal
• Thread: Match the color of your fabric, use polyester thread only (Mara 120 is my fav for lingerie)
• Scissors: Sharp fabric scissors and duck-billed scissors
• Pins or Clips: To hold fabric in place

Shop DIY Kits for Sewing Lingerie

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Why use the Barker and Millie Panty Patterns To Learn How To Sew Panties

If you’ve never sewn lingerie – The Millie and Barker are beginner sewing projects that you can learn how to cut lingerie fabrics, sew delicate fabrics, and handle elastics without getting overwhelmed. It will also set you up to for sewing lingerie that is more complicated. Both are excellent DIY panty projects and are a great exercise to practice sewing elastics and getting the right tension. This is something I see almost all newbie’s struggle with. Honestly, it takes time and practice. Cut out 5-7 panties over the weekend and every night, sew a Barker. It will take approximately 45 minutes and will help you get that intuitive muscle memory for applying tension to elastic.

How To Sew Panties: Step-by-Step Guide

Below are two videos to with step-by-step instructions on how to sew panties – The Barker and The Millie.

The Barker Panty is a basic, mid-rise brief that has side panels. The waistline and leg openings are finished with panty elastic.

The Millie Panty is a basic, mid-rise thong that has lace side panels and keyhole opening. The waistline and leg openings are finished with fold over elastic.

Both Millie and Barker are 1 of 11 sewing projects in the book. You must purchase the book in order to obtain the patterns.

Tips for Sewing Perfect Panties

• Use a Stretch Needle: This type of needle is designed to sew through stretchy fabrics without skipping stitches.
• Test Your Stitches: Practice on a scrap piece of fabric to ensure your stitches are the right length and tension.
• Be Patient: Take your time, especially if you’re a beginner. Precision is key to achieving a professional finish.

Conclusion

Sewing your own panties is a rewarding and practical sewing project. With the right materials and a bit of practice, you’ll be able to create comfortable, stylish, and personalized underwear. Follow this guide to start your journey into lingerie sewing, and enjoy the satisfaction of wearing something you’ve made yourself.