Calm Under Tension by Gwen Gyldenege
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Art
    • Artwork
  • Sewing

Seamwork Magazine Geneva Panties

1/30/2016

Comments

 
Picture
Going along with my January being all about Lingerie, I seem to be fully on a mission to find my ideal panty pattern. Not what I thought I'd be doing, but what it's working out to be. This post will be about my experience with the Seamwork Magazine Geneva Panties. 
Picture
Using scrap 4-way stretch cotton, I cut out a muslin in size XL. Straight XL. No mods whatsoever. That's pretty rare for me. But, I went with it anyway. These were fast and fun to sew up. But, when I tried them on, I had way too much fabric bunching up above my thighs. You know by now I'm short distanced between top of hip and top of thigh and I have protruding thighs. So, I put the panties on, used my evaporating purple marker and estimated where the new leg line should be placed. 
Picture
I cut a 2nd muslin out of this cute princess fabric I got on the flat folds table at Pacific Fabrics just for making muslins with knits. While this might look small to you, it's on par with all my other RTW bikini panties. 
Picture
After all was said and done, here are the two panties laid one atop the other. Ooo that crotch on muslin #2 does seem quite tiny. And really, it was too small in that area when I put it on. It's as though I forgot to include seam allowances. 
Picture
Here the 2 pair are next to each other.
Picture

Area

Side Seam Coverage

Crotch width

​Leg Height

Blue/Green #1

Preferred

Too Big​

Too Low​, bunches

Princess #2

Too small

Too Small

​​A tiny bit too high, exposes. Required modifying the design lines too much.

​All in all, the panties were fun to make up and are a great pattern.  If you're looking for a panty pattern, this is pretty good.

For my needs, however, I feel like I'm working with a pattern that really isn't designed for my body style. And, I've had great luck with the Kwik Sew 653 Vintage Bikini bottoms, so I would rather spend time making more of those. 
Comments

FehrTrade Lacey Thong as Swimwear / Activewear

1/29/2016

Comments

 
Picture
After making my first Lacey Thong in cotton and lace, I wondered, "what would the pattern look like if I used swimwear knit (nylon-lycra) for all pieces?"  Well, I needed to try the pattern a 2nd time anyway without a seam in the main center front piece (I was using scraps for my first time round).  

Then, I recently discovered that Merckwaerdigh has a great tutorial on converting Lingerie into swimwear. SWEET!  I've been wanting to try the clear elastic, but wanted a little guidance before I dove into it. Her tutorial was just the push I needed.

So, I grabbed some pink nylon lycra I bought at Joann's in the dancewear section and remnants of the Funkifabrics Ikat Lycra I used to make this skirt plus some white swimwear lining from Pacific Fabrics and went to town.
Picture
Seriously, doesn't this color combo just make you smile? 
Picture
Similarly to how Melissa's pattern tells you to insert the inside elastic, I inserted mine.  Though, because I have no lace fluttering in the breeze, I have the need for elastic on the full leg circumference rather than just on the inner legs. I measured the leg length using my curve runner, then took 2" out of the total length. This was just an easy place to start. I didn't know how much the clear elastic would stretch or behave.  So, I used the same method as on my other panties. 

One of the techniques I learned from Jan Bones was to sew elastics flat as much as reasonably possible. Though her technique is a little different and is focused on the comfort and placement of elastic around the leg in a slightly different way than I will be explaining. I suggest getting her smoothie panty pattern because the techniques she includes are worth the price of the pattern alone!  Flat elastic insertion (rather than in the round) is what I did with this thong. That entire curve from side seam around the leg circumference to the other side seam is basically a single line. 
Picture
To measure / mark my elastic and pattern for elastic insertion:
  1. I put side seams together, marked 1/2 way
  2. then took the side seam to the 1/2 way point and marked that new 1/2 way point (which is really one of the quarters. You're halving the halves. 
  3. Then, I took my elastic, folded in half and marked
  4. Last, I took the cut edge of the elastic to the mid point (the pin you placed in step 3), and marked that half. Halving the halves or marking the end of the the 1st and beginning of the last quarter of elastic. 
  5. To encase the elastic, place the clear elastic on the wrong side, flush with the raw edge matching pin for pin between the pattern and the elastic. EASY!  
  6. Pin the side seams and cut edges of the elastic
  7. Now, some of you might stop here and sew away. I've had too many seam ripping disasters, so I pin a little more.  I slightly stretch between a set of pins, grab the flat smooth spot in the middle where the elastic and raw fabric are aligned with my teeth then grab with my hands and place a pin. I repeat until I feel it's smooth enough to not fight the sewing machine. 
Picture
As you can see, I didn't place more than just 4 -8 more pins beyond the original 5. The curve wasn't terribly severe so that meant it would be easier to slightly stretch and sew. 
Picture
After the elastic is sewn to the wrong side 1 time, fold it over toward the wrong side one more time and stitch again to completely encase the elastic. I like smooth fabric rather than elastic against my body. That way I don't know I'm wearing anything. If I'm fussing with my clothing or underwear, we have a problem. That stuff will get tossed! Not worth it. 
Picture
To preserve the beautiful points of the center front and back, I chose to fold and stitch the seams to the center front / back pieces rather than than the sides, even though that meant a little more bulk (5 layers rather than 4). This fabric, including the funkifabric is so thin that it worked out nicely.  I'm so glad I did that and aimed for sharper points. 

Here's the thong showing the sharp points and the leg elastics fully sewn in before I added the waistband elastic. That point where the side pieces meet at center front is a bit tricky. So I ended up folding them to whichever side allowed for a nice straight center front seam and no bumps, then stitching them down. 
Picture
Picture
Above is the back of the thong showing the waist elastic encased (top) and the leg elastic and joining side to back seams.  The swimsuit lining was only used on the center front and back pieces because that pink lycra from Joann's is so friggin see through that I can read every square and dash on my cutting board when it's a single layer. 
Picture
Picture
Here she is all done! I just adore this print and color combo along with the pattern. I'm not usually a thong person. And while it's fit is fabulous and so far wonderfully comfortable, I'll only be wearing this to a private party for 2.  Meaning, I doubt I'll ever wear it as a swim bottom in public. But hey, who knows. Maybe one day I'll write home about being adventurous on some foreign beach in like Southern France or Rio where no one knows my name. Ha ha!
Comments
<<Previous
    Gwen Gyldenege

    Author: 
    Gwen Gyldenege

    I'm a one woman circus.  
    I'm curvy and athletic.
    ​I am a dancer.
    My last name translates 
    to "Golden Oak". 

    I'm an artist, intuitive, engineer, seamstress 
    and performer.

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Sewing in Seattle

    Archives

    December 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    August 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    April 2009
    December 2008

    Categories

    All
    Activewear
    Adventures
    Art
    Artists
    ArtOfThe20sDress
    Calligraphy
    Cartoons
    Clown
    Comedy
    Costumes
    Creativity
    Crochet
    Dance
    Dancewear
    Dingleballs
    DIY
    Fabric
    Fashion
    Fiber
    Fitting
    Food
    Funkifabrics
    Garden
    Handwriting
    Hiking Gear
    Holiday
    Humor
    Inspiration
    Interviews
    Jalie 2795
    Jalie 2795 Hoodie Sew Along
    Jalie Patterns
    Jewelry
    KiddieAdultsUnite
    Kitchen
    Kits
    Knits
    Knitting Patterns
    Lifted Gifted Higher
    Lingerie
    Littlealters2013
    Mad Men Dress Challenge III
    Marketing
    MMMay14
    Moulage
    Muslin
    Needle & Thread
    Nwcreativespirits
    Outdoor Gear
    Paint
    Paper
    Passthepaper2012
    Pattern Drafting
    Photoaday
    Photography
    Pmc
    Prayer
    Projects
    Sculpt
    Sew
    Sewforvictory
    Sewing Workout Wear
    Sew News
    Shows
    Shrinky Dink
    Sing
    Skillshare
    Social Media
    Spring
    Spring Race Challenge
    Stories
    Tutorials
    Video
    Vintage
    Voiceover
    Wardrobe Architect
    Watercolor
    Yarn

Except for sources otherwise stated beneath images or bottom of the page (Creative Commons), all images and works are copyright Gwen Gyldenege, all rights reserved.  Contact Gwen to request permission.
Photos used under Creative Commons from I Robertson, DoNotLick, Gustty, Jayson Emery, Nbepko, Gamma Man, I Robertson, Lars Plougmann, RowdyKittens, Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious, The Wandering Angel, VasenkaPhotography, quinn.anya, Léa Chvrl, Lost Albatross, Guttorm Flatabø, BEST PHOTO, RowdyKittens, allistair, BozDoz, tanakawho, Navicore, Bilal Kamoon, D-Stanley, Kris Krug, glasseyes view, essers, Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious, Alex Pepperhill, Found Animals, adactio, Office Now