This is something I’ve been wanting to post for a while! This is how I sew my FOE into a continuous loop. I’ve posted a video on my YouTube channel, but I know it can be hard to see exactly what I am doing… so, I hope this is helpful!
First, I cut the end of my elastic so that it overlaps my start-point by about 1/2″ (keeping the same amount of tension on the elastic as you have done over the rest of your opening). I fold the raw end under by about 1/4″.
Stitch right to the edge of the fold and lower your needle into the elastic. Raise the foot and pivot your garment so that the you can now zig-zag stitch over your folded edge, creating a nicely finished join. Backtack at the end of your stitching.
After that, just trim back any excess elastic on the wrong side and away you go! This area tends to get bulky so you may need to help it through your machine a little – I know my machine sometimes gets a little caught up on the bump that the join creates.
I hope this is helpful! Pretty much all of my patterns use Fold Over Elastic for edging. I like to use it because it comes in a million different colours, so it’s easy to match with almost any fabric, but it can be tricky to finish.
I sewed without a serger for years. Now that I have one (two actually) I feel like I couldn’t live without it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create beautifully finished garments without one. I’m going to go over a few different stitches that most sewing machines will have that will allow you to sew seams in knit fabrics that stretch!
I sew on a Pfaff Select 150. It is a an entry level Pfaff, fairly basic with no computerizations, but like many machines, it comes with a variety of machines for sewing knits. The ones I use most often are a basic Zig-Zag Stitch (pretty much every domestic sewing machine will have this option), a Stretch Stitch, and an Overlock Stitch. My previous machines, a 1970’s Singer and a vintage blue Elna with discs that changed the stitches, all had these types of stitches.
The zig-zag stitch is the most important of all of the stitches, especially for sewing lingerie. My Pfaff allows for great customization in the width and length of the stitch which is something I find very useful for lingerie sewing. For sewing seams on 4-way stretch fabrics, I opt for a narrow zig zag. Using the narrow zig zag stitch allows you to sew your seam just as you would if you were using a zig-zag stitch.
The next stitch I want to mention is the Overlock Stitch. This stitch combines a straight stitch with a wide zig-zag stitch and looks kind of like the blind hem stitch. Before I got my serger, I liked to use it to finish raw edges after sewing my seams with a zig-zag stitch.
Zig-zag stitched seam with faux-overlocked edge
Using the Overlock stitch is easy, though can be a little slow because the machine has to do some fancy maneuvering. Simply stitch so that the zig-zag segment of the stitch wraps over the raw edge of your fabric. I find that this seam finish works best of sturdier knits, like cotton-lycra jersey. Lighter rayon jersey knits tend to roll a bit more for me.
Using the Overlock Stitch to finish raw edges.
The last stitch I wanted to mention is the Stretch Stitch (or at least that’s what I call it). It creates a very stretchy seam, but on my machine, is pretty slow going because of the complexity of the stitch. When I’ve used this stitch in the past, I’ve simply trimmed my seam allowance right back without any extra seam finish.
If you are new to sewing knits, spend some time getting to know the different stitches on your machine. There are so many options for sewing stretch seams and finishing edges without having to use a serger. These are just a few options, and I hope you find them useful!
I have a lot of fold over elastic kicking around, and I often end up with little bits and pieces that I hoard away. I also lose things, particularly hair ties, so I’ve found a quick and easy way to use up those small bits of elastic to make hair ties that are amazing!
Fold Over Elastic is nice and stretchy, with good recovery and the satin finish doesn’t snag your hair. They are also nice and thick so if you often find your hair getting wrapped up in traditional elastics (like I do), this may just solve your problem. You’ve probably seen the knotted version of these hair ties, which are well and good, but I wanted mine to have a more polished finish.
How to make sewn not knotted FOE Hair Ties!
1. Cut a length of elastic about 8″ long. I’ve got super thick hair, so if you have finer hair, you may want to cut it a little shorter.
2. Fold the elastic in half, with the right sides (shiny side) facing and stitch together using about a 3/8″ seam allowance.
3. I snip back one edge of the Fold Over Elastic by about 1/8″. I sometimes lightly singe the end with a lighter (please be careful if you choose to do this!), though I don’t find that the elastic generally frays too badly.
4. Fold the seam allowance down so that the shorter end of the seam allowance is covered by the slightly longer end. Top stitch through all layers, being sure to backtack at the beginning and end of your seam.
And that’s it! It takes just a minute to make them and you’ll never buy a hair tie again. Wrap a few around a printed piece of cardstock, and they make a great addition to a handmade gift. It’s also a great way to use all of that amazing printed FOE that I’m seeing all over Etsy (check out Peak Bloom, just as one example!).
Thanks to my beautiful friend, Susie, from Changing of the Garnet for modeling my little elastic for me!
I had a customer email me a month or so ago asking for advice on how to add a front closure to one of my bras. She had some mobility issues and wasn’t able to easily get in and out of a back closing bra herself. Last week I came down with a cold (my second cold of the month, unfair!) and my whole body was aching. Strangely enough, my right hand really ached and I could barely do anything with it! I really felt for this customer who had to deal with aching hands on a daily basis.
I like this method because it uses a simple G-hook, but you can also use this method with a front clip. I sometimes also like to add a metal ring to the center front of my pull on bras, which uses basically the same steps.
What you need:
1. Any triangle front bra pattern, like my Josephine, Scarlett (which I have used here), or Brigitte Pattern.
2. Supplies as outlined in the pattern.
3. G-hook or Front Clip
Instructions:
1. Following the pattern instructions, assemble cups and apply elastic around front edge.
2. Beginning at the center front and leaving a 1″ tail, apply the band elastic along the lower edge of the bra. Leave a 1″ tail and the end.
3. Feed one end of the elastic “tail” through the closed end of the G-Hook. Turn elastic towards garment and stitch in place.
4. Wrap the tail on the other side of the bra around the open end of the hook and stitch in place. This creates a small loop to catch the hook into.
Your hook should be upside down at this stage! It will get flipped around soon.
5. Turn the band elastic under and topstitch in place with a wide zig-zag stitch. Make sure to securely backtack at the beginning and end of your stitching line.
6. Finish the garment following the instructions in your pattern.
That’s it! now you have a neatly applied front hook closure! Enjoy!
Hey guys! I finally released my romper pattern… I LOVE this pattern. It’s so versatile and comfy.
In my instructions for the Emma Romper, I give the basic assembly method… I thought it might be fun to show you how you can take this pattern to the next level with some more advanced techniques! The basic assembly remains the same, but the finishing will be finer. Instead of doing serged seams, I’ll show you how to sew french seams. We’ll finish the crotch with bias tape and snaps (hand sewn or hammered), and add some gentle shirring to the waist.
What You’ll Need:
1. The Emma Romper Pattern
2. A fabric with a good drape. I’m using a Liberty of London silk.
3. Lace trim for the neck and legs.
4. Sew in or Hammer in Snaps
5. Small Scrap of Interfacing
6. 1/2″ Strapping and bra strap rings & sliders
7. Needles and Thread
Instructions:
1. Begin by applying lace along Front Neckline, as indicated in the Pattern Instructions.
2. With the wrong sides together, pin your center front seam. Stitch together using only a 1/4″ Seam allowance.
3. Trim back seam allowance to approximately 1/8″.
4. Using a warm iron, press seam allowance to one side. Then fold your garment along the center front seam, and press flat.
5. Stitch seam closed using a narrow, 1/4″ seam allowance.
6. Repeat the same process on the Center Back and Side Seams.
7. Sew lace onto the right side of the garment. Turn seam allowance under and press. Top stitch in place. An extra pretty way to finish the leg openings would be with appliqued lace. Check out my hero, Carine Gilson for some dreamy inspration.
8. In this intance, I’ve finished the raw edge of the crotch seam with self fabric. I measured the width of the crotch seam (including the lace portion) and added 1/2″ to either side. I wound up with a measurement of 5″. I cut 2 pieces of fabric and 2 pieces of light weight interfacing that were 5×2″
9. Iron interfacing onto the wrong side of your fabric strips. Fold in half lengthwise and press.
10. Pin and stitch on to the right side of the Front of the Romper.
11.Turn under the raw ends of your fabric strip.
12 Turn strip towards the inside of the garment, and top stitch all the way around the exterior of the strip. Repeat this process on the opposite side.
13. You can either hand sew on snaps or try your hand at hammered in snaps. I ended up putting hammer-in snaps in mine, but they aren’t quite as perfectly set as I would have liked!
14. Finish the upper edge and straps as indicated in the pattern.
15. To add some quick contouring around the waist, Try on the romper while it’s inside out. Find your natural waist, which is the narrowest part of your torso (you can also use the waist line guide on the pattern pieces) and mark that part at each seam with a pin (or use dressmakers chalk). I suggest trying on the garment to find your natural waist because waist height varies greatly. My waist is super high. My friend’s waist is perfectly in the middle of her torso… everyone is different.
16. I used some soft, 1/2″ elastic to cinch in the waist of my romper. To do this I used my pins as a guide and zig-zag stitched the elastic onto the inside of the garment. Pull on the elastic as you stitch. This creates soft gathers and will pull in your waistline. Alternatively, you could also sew a casing onto the inside of your garment, and draw elastic through the casing. Adding button holes and a drawstring would be fun too! I have also finished these with long satin sashes tied at the waist.
Now you’re ready for some seriously luxurious lounging.
It’s time for Part Two of my Retro Bikini Tutorial. I’ve done a tutorial on how to sew the Ava Panties as Bikini Bottoms before. I did this version just a little differently. I wanted to add a contrasting band around the waist and omit the elastic around the legs. I have full hips and thighs, so these bottoms fit snug as they are. If you’re on the thinner side, you might want to add elastic or bind your leg openings like we did on the Bikini Top.
Instructions:
1. To make the waistband, I roughly measured the waist of the panties front and back. I cut a size medium, which had the same measurement for front and back. I then drew a straight waistband, which was 2″ wide with 1/2″ seam allowance on either side. I indicated cut 2 on my new pattern piece, as my front and back measurement was the same.
2. Cut your fabric – I’m lining the entire thing.
3. Baste your front lining to the swimsuit front.
4. Like we did with the swimsuit, we’re going to sew the lining and swim fabric all in one motion. Begin by layering: Back Self (rightside up), Front Basted Self (rightside down), then Lining. Pin together if needed and sew your seam. Now your crotch seam allowance in encased between your layers.
5. Sew your side Seams and try them on. They should fit snug all over.
6. Sew the waistband into a continuous loop. Fold in half and press with a light iron. Attach to the waist of the panties, lining up your side seams.
7. I top stitched down my waistband seam allowance using a twin needle.
8. To finish the legs I simply finished the raw edges with my serger, then turned the edges and top stitched them with a twin needle. You can also finish with a zig-zag stitched hem, bind the legs, or use elastic.
That’s it! I’ve found it takes some getting used to sewing swim fabrics. They are slippery and can be hard to manage. But, the more bathingsuits I make, the better they get!
Here I am in mine. Neverind the pug butt and falling down fence. I made Izzy a matching suit too! Now hopefully the weather gets a little warmer so I can test mine out at the beach.
BUT! I’m not going to let that get me down! Last weekend I made this swimsuit. I was inspired by Alexia (from Whimsy Tails ) who made an amazing 2-piece version of my Abigail Swimsuit. You can see it on her Instagram. I really loved the way she place the stripes on the top. I decided I’d give it a go using my Sarah & Ava Pattern to do something kind of similar. I really loved how it turned out and I get lots of emails about using my patterns for swimwear so I thought I’d offer an indepth tutorial.
What you’ll need:
1. The Sarah Bralette Pattern and Ava Panties Pattern
2. Coordinating Swimsuit (Spandex) fabric.
3. Swimsuit Lining
4. Thread
5. Twin Needle
6. Rotary Cutter (optional, but handy)
Instructions:
1. Print out your patterns.
2. Trim away margins where indicated.
3. Tape pattern together.
4. Optional: I wanted to have a diamond motif pattern layout on the back, so I added seam allowance to both my back pieces, instead of cutting them on the fold.
5. Make adjustments. I have a slightly larger cup size than what I’ve drafted this pattern for. All I have done is cut between a size small and medium. If you need a significant change to the bust area, you can slash and spread the cups to increase the size. You can also wing it, like I sometimes do, by just exaggerating the curve of the cup and adding some height. If you are more petite, just straighten that sucker out. Check out my tutorial on adjusting the cup size of my Jasmine Bra for some further instruction.
Cutting between a small and medium
5. Optional Pattern Placement: I have drawn a line on my pattern pieces so I know where to place my stripes. I wanted to create a chevron motif over the bust so I took a little bit of time before cutting my fabric to make pattern placement indicators on my pattern pieces.
7. Cut your fabric! For a swimsuit, you’ll need to cut Lining & Swim Fabric. You don’t have to line the back, but I think it makes for a nicer suit.
8. Cut your binding. Using a contrasting fabric, cut several long strips of binding (stretch should be going lengthwise). I cut mine in 1 inch strips, as I wanted narrow, quarter inch straps and binding. Cut accordingly! Using a rotary cutter makes life a lot easier.
9. Baste lining to Front Cup.
10. We’re going to line and sew our cup seams in one motion so that our seam is encased between the lining and swim fabric. Layer your pieces like so: Side Cup Lining, Basted together Front Cup (lining side down), finished with Side Cup (right side down). Sew your seam (1/2″ Seam Allowance). Why do it like this? This way your lining and exterior fabric won’t shift and you’ll have less seam allowance to worry about between your layers. I’m serging my seams, but you can also just use a zig-zag stitch.
11. Prepare your binding by turning under the raw edges by 1/4″ and pressing with a warm iron. Careful not to melt your farbric!
12. Baste Binding along front edge of cup using a narrow zig-zag stitch. Gently pull on the binding as you stitch. You wan the suit to contour along your bustline. When you’re done, turn the binding under and top stitch with a twin needle. If you don’t have a twin needle, you can also zig-zag stitch. The binding gets applied exactly the way you’d apply any binding (though I apply mine to the right-side first). I made a Video! Watch!
Raw edge trimmed back, binding is ready to be turned under and top stitched.
Twin-stitched binding.
13. Baste Lining to Center Front Band.
14. Just like we did with the cups, we’re going to sew our lining and exterior fabric in one motion. Layer your fabric like so: Side Front Band Swim fabric, Center Front Band Basted Piece (Swim Fabric Down), finished with the Side Front Lining. Sew your seam, and now your seam allowance is encased.
15. Stitch cups to Front Band
16. Prepare your back pieces. If you’re doing it like me, you’ll have to sew your Center Back Seams. Then, go ahead and baste your lining to your swim pieces. Stitch your Upper Back to your Lower Back.
17. Sew your side seams then try this baby on! If you’re happy with the fit, finish your seams by serging or zig-zag.
18. Apply Band Elastic on the inside of the garment using a wide Zig Zag stitch, as indicated in the pattern instructions. I have also made a video to show you exactly how to do it.
19. Now it’s time to bind the upper edge of our tops. I used a length of binding approximately 80″ long (I had to attach two pieces in order to get this length). I started basting on my binding approximately 31″ down the length of the binding – this extension forms your strap. You will be left with a long extension on the opposite end as well.
20. Folding your binding in half, and making sure all of the raw edges are turned towards the inside, top stitch with a twin needle.
21. Cut your straps so that they are both an even length and tie the ends into knots.
22. Cut a strip of elastic approximately the same lenth as the bottom of your top. Stitch it into a loop.
23. Pin the binding evenly around the bottom of your swimsuit top and baste on. Finish just like we did all of the other bindings by top stitching with a twin needle.
I’ll post the tutorial for the coordinating bottoms in a separate post!
The Jasmine Bra (available in my sewing pattern shop, Ohhh Lulu Sews) is a great bra pattern for a first-time lingerie sewist! It is simple to assemble, and will give you experience applying lingerie elastic. It’s a comfortable bralette that can accommodate a number of sizes with some simple pattern adjustments. I use this pattern a lot myself. You may remember I made a boned bikini top with it last summer. I’ll also show you how to add padding in another Pattern Hack Post.
First we need to know a little something about how cup size works. Cup size is basically the difference between your Bust & Band measurements. For the novice seamstress, your bust measurement is measured around the fullest part of your bust, and your band measurement is measured around your ribcage, just below your breasts where your bra band sits. In general, each Cup Letter represents 1″ difference in Bust and Band measurements. So, as an example, if you have a 30″ band measruement and a 34″ bust measruement, you should fit a 30D bra. This is not a fool proof method, but a guideline for finding a size that fits you best. The person with a 30 band and 34 Bust may well find that a C cup is more comfortable or that they prefer a looser band. Regardless, this is often a good starting point.
I have drafted the Jasmine Bra for about a B/C cup size, which is a very common cup size. If you are below or above that cup size, you will likely want to make some pattern adjustments.
If you are an A or AA cup, you may generally have a 0-2″ difference in bust to band measurement. As a result, you will want to straighten out the curve of the cup (See the illustration below in the orange ink). The front princess seam gets taken in at the bust apex, which is approximately 3.5″ up from the lower edge of the pattern piece. When reducing the cup, I haven’t adjusted the height of the pattern pieces, just straightened out the curve of that front seam.
If you are a D-DD Cup (or larger!), you will want to exaggerate the curve of the cup as well as increase the height to provide better coverage. Here, in purple ink, I’ve increased the bust curve by 1/2″ on each pattern piece at the apex. I’ve also extended the top of the cup by 1/2″.
Because this pattern is to be sewn in stretch knits, the fit is really quite flexible. If you are above a DD (this includes myself!), you may find that this simple adjustment, adding 1″ to the bust apex + a bit of height, will be all you need to get a better fit. Remember, it is really important when sewing any garment, but especially lingerie, that you sew a mock up first in a fabric of a similar weight and stretch. This way, you can make any pattern adjustments to get a truly custom fit!
Depending on the type of elastic you are using, you will use different methods to apply the elastic. However, the basic idea is the same. Baste your elastic on, pulling gently to ensure a secure fit. Fold your elastic under, or over, and zig-zag stitch down, pulling flat as you go. When you finish, you want your elastic to pull your leg and waist opening slightly smaller – about 2″ depending on the resiliency of your elastic.
For foldover elastic -baste the elastic to the wrong side, as you would bias tape. Use a long zig-zag stitch.
Trim back any excess, fold over towards the right side, and zig-zag stitch down, pulling as you go.
If using a flat lingerie elastic, with or without a picot edge, baste onto the right side of your garment, pulling gently as you go. Stitch about 1/16″ away from the edge of the elastic, furthest from the edge of your garment. For instance, if you are applying a 1/2″ elastic to the waist band of your panties, baste on 7/16″ away from the seam allowance. Make sense?
Trim back any excess, fold your elastic under, and top stitch down.
Voila! Two easy ways to finish off your garments… And you’re done!
If you are using hook and eye tape, head on over to A Few Threads Loose for instructions on how to apply it.
Start by either transferring the lacing markings on the pattern onto your centre back seam OR make small markings, starting 3/4″ of an inch down from the top edge, every 1″ apart. Eyelets should sit about 5/8″ away from the centre back edge.
Using your markings as a guide, punch small holes where your eyelets will go. You can use an awl, or grommet pliers to make your hole.
Eyelets can be applied a number of ways – there are two common tools pictured above.
1. Grommet Pliers – these can be found at most hardware store, and will set 2 piece grommets. Grommets come in many different sizes, so make sure the pliers you buy fit the eyelets you want to set.
2. Tool & Die – These often come with eyelet packages you purchase at the fabric store, and are set with a hammer.
I used grommet pliers to apply my grommets, and used a 2 piece grommet. Two piece grommets are preferable for a corset that is going to be worn for an extended period of time, or if you plan on wearing it a lot. Eyelets without washers tend to have rough edges and will work their way through your fabric, if you are applying much strain to the fabric around it.
Remember to insert a bone on either side of your eyelets to keep your lacing laying flat. This is the only spot in your corset where I really, really advise that you use boning. The rest is up to you!
Now, lace it up and see how it fits! Do you feel like you need to add more boning? Does everything lay flat?
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