Sewing underwear is not everyone's cup of tea. However, when you are incurably stingy, and there are lots of knit scraps lying about, underwear sewing is strangely addictive.
My poor sewing neglected son has not been a recipient of this sort of sewing in the past, as whilst it is quite easy to chop up a pair of feminine underthings and make a pattern, the additional piecing in the masculine version requires more seam matching than I have been willing to attempt.
Katherineh to the rescue. The skilled and generous author of Blooms Fabric Obsession has launched a pattern blog. How exciting! Her first pattern at Strawberry Milk Run is starting from the bottom up, is free, and includes an excellent photo tutorial for the sewing instructions, and a fitting tutorial. I am very impressed.
The pattern is nicely drafted and true to size. I made size 6 trunks, but cut out the waist height for size 8, as the recipient has a girth between size 5 and 6 on Katherine's pattern, but is size 8 in height according to the Australian children's clothing standard measurements.
I made a little printing error first (see previous post) due solely to my own failure to interact intelligently with my printer, and made a half scale pair. This second pair, above, were originally photographed next to a rather worn out pair of size 4-6 trunks, to show the sizing of the size 6 trunks I had construted in comparison to RTW, but after I lightened the photo to show the details, the RTW pair seemed as if you wouldn't want to look at them without a warning. They are the favoured style of undies, so the similarity of Katherine's pattern was well received. The waist is a litte higher than the RTW pair, so next time I will cut out the standard size 6.
I timed myself with the second pair. Having already set up the machines for the half scale version, it took me 20 minutes to print out, cut out and stick together the pattern, and completely finish the garment. Quicker than a trip to Target, and much more gratifying.
Here is the originial photo if you can cope with worn out boys underdaks.
7 comments:
Look at that beautiful coverstitching! Wish mine was that neat.
I haven't yet go into sewing undies, as I only wear them in black and nude and yet make knit tops in mad prints and colours! I expect 1 pair is not enough... and you will need to make more. What;s the stripey bit at the front for?
Well done! These look way better than the ready to wear versions! Your topstitching is so neat; do you have a coverstitch machine or did you use a twin needle? I find topstitching knits to be terribly difficult and I doubt if I could do anything half so even, and with no missing stitches. Kudos!
Thank you.
Ruthie, the stripey bit is a piece of bias cut cotton shirting, which I have used to cover the elastic join - the elastic is rather bulky and the cut edge can be a bit scratchy according to my son.
Carolyn, I am very fortunate, and have a coverstitch machine. I am extremely bad at topstitching knits and am still working out how to coverstitch. Sometimes I feel as if I am getting the hang of it.
Very impressive! I'll have to have a look at the Strawberry Milk Run!
Very impressive stitching. I made a few more pairs today. My stitching doesn't even come close to this. It's quite a simple and satisfying pattern, isn't it!
They look ready made- so professional!
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