Sew-With-Me: OhhLuLu Delphine Thong

Okay confession time. I hate wearing lace underwear. Its scratchy, they never move with my body like I would like them to, and they tend to get ripped/worn incredibly quickly. And lace thongs? The literal, absolute worst.

So I decided to take the opportunity of the #pheenominalpantyparty to refresh my stock of daily go-to thongs in my beloved rayon-spandex from Phee, using my favorite thong pattern of all time the Delphine Thong from OHHLuLu. Now at first I wasn’t totally sure about using rayon spandex for undergarments but after the first one I made, I was totally hooked! It is so soft, so comfortable, and moves with my body in a way most underwear I have owned in the past never have.

The Delphine thong is a super quick sew. I can make a pair now in about 10 minutes but I think even the first time I made this pattern it only took me about 30 to master. For supplies all you will need is your main outside fabric ( I used Rayon Spandex), a piece of cotton panty liner fabric, and some fold over elastic.

Begin by assembling and cutting out your pattern pieces and then cutting out your fabric. For the standard version of this pattern you will need only three pattern pieces, the front, the back, and the lining.

First you need to finish the top raw end of the crotch lining. I like to do this by just running the edge through the serger but it can also be done by folding the top edge back 1/2 inch and topstitching in place.

Then place the back piece and the front piece, right sides together, matching the bottom edge. Place the crotch lining piece right side down, on top of the back piece and stitch in place using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Flip the lining to the front so it is now resting against the front of the thong. The seam should now be concealed. Baste the lining to the front along both sides.

Fold the thong in half so that the side seams touch, right sides together. Sew the side seams.

Now all that is left is applying Fold Over Elastic to both leg openings and the waist opening, making sure to overlap elastic slightly when completing the loop to avoid fraying. This video from Evie La Luve shows how to apply the FOE easily and cleanly.

Give the whole thing a good press (being sure to utilize a pressing cloth!) and your’e all done! Now go make a bunch more, your lady bits will thank you!

Phee X Ohhh Lu Lu Sews Hyacinth sports bra

Hello fellow seamstresses!

It’s Brandi. I live in Florida and sew mostly bikinis and workout wear. I love sewing, being creative, lifting weights, surfing and eating cheeseburgers. I may CrossFit 5-6 times a week so I can eat cheeseburgers on the regular. It’s awfully humid and sweaty working out in the southern, wet heat. The right fabric makes a HUGE difference.

I just made an awesome sports bra and need to share it with you. I used Ohhh Lu Lu Sews latest bralette pattern, the Hyacinth. There is a free version on her website https://www.ohhhlululingerie.com/product/the-hyacinth-free-bralette-pdf-sewing-pattern/ and the version with the add ons for all these awesome options on her Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/listing/608848929/easy-bralette-sewing-pattern-pdf-the?ref=shop_home_active_9#. I sewed view G.

I had to modify it just touch for it to be a sports bra. Before we go over that, let’s talk fabric. All the fabric I used is in the Phee fabric shop. I used the red and white matte stripes for the main http://pheefabrics.com/red-white-matte-stripes/ and white supplex for the lining, straps and band http://pheefabrics.com/white-supplex-18-oz/. If your heavy chested or want even more support, add some power net to the front. Lining with the 18oz white supplex was great for me. Let’s go over sizing.

Ohhh Lu Lu has a great range of sizing.
I’m a 30G cup (36” bust and 29” underbust) and somehow fall into Ohhh Lu Lu’s small. Since I have such a tiny rib cage, I usually pick the size I measure to for the front piece (this time a small) and size down one for the back piece (extra small).

Now on to modifications. First adjustment I made was squaring off the front bust line on the bottom. I wasn’t sure if it would ride up once I put the band on so I just squared it off like this. I added a red line on the photo so it’s easier to see.

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I knew I didn’t want to use lace or fold over elastic (FOE) for my sports bra. Every where the pattern calls for lace trim or FOE I added a 3/8” seam allowance so I could use 3/8” elastic. You can do this on the pattern itself or mark it on your fabric. I mark it on my fabric. I’ll throw my clear ruler on the pattern and fabric just to double check my extra seam allowance is actually 3/8”. Impressively, I nail it every time. Make sure you add a seam allowance to the front and back. Since the pattern calls for plush elastic at the bottom, it already has a seam allowance. No need to add more to the bottom just where it calls for using FOE or lace trim.

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For the band you have 2 options. One, you can either use a pattern piece from another sports bra pattern along with the elastic measurements it calls for or two, you can measure the width of the front and back pattern pieces, decide what width elastic you want to use, double the height and add a seam allowance. I used a 1.25” sports elastic from Joann’s. My band height is approximately 3.25” tall with the seam allowance and the same length of my front and back pieces. I also added a 3/8” seam allowance to both back pieces of view G and cut out 4 pieces (shown in white supplex). Here’s most of it cut out.

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Now to cut out the straps. This is my favorite blog post about making straps. It shows you several ways to make them. http://strawberrymilkrun.blogspot.com/2011/10/sewing-swimwear-spaghetti-straps-using.html?m=1 I did not make adjustable straps. I measured another sports bra from the bottom of the cup (not the bottom of the band but where the band attaches to the bottom on the cup) up over the strap to the bottom of the back piece (not the bottom of the band) to get a idea of how long my straps need to be in comparison with how the Hyacinth. I needed my straps to be about 9”. I cut my straps at 12” just in case things went haywire.

Time to sew! Finally. I sewed my straps and back accent pieces first. I sewed the back accent pieces right sides together (RST) and added 3/8” elastic on both seams. I like sturdy sports bras. Take a strap and push it between the two pieces of fabric to the top of the accent piece while it’s still inside out like this. Sew across the top where my finger is. Trim any excess.

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Pull the strap and wiggle the fabric around and you should be able to pull it right sides out. Mine was a little stubborn so there was lots of wiggling the fabric around to get it to pull ride side out. Repeat on the other side and you should have something like this!

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Now follow the steps in the instructions sewing the side seams (remember Ohhh Lu Lu uses a .5” seam allowance) and baste only the bottom your accent pieces in place per Ohhh Lu Lu’s instructions. This is where I went on my own path on finishing the sports bra. I put the front and front lining RST and sewed 3/8” elastic with my elastic foot (so I don’t have elastic measurements) to the top center front. I opened it up, right sides up and under stitched the elastic to the lining with a stretch stitch. This will help the elastic from wanting to flip outwards while your wearing it but the right side on the center front will still look seamless! It looked like this under my machine.

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I then attached my straps to the front in the same manner we sewed the strap to the back accent piece, basting them in place to make sure they weren’t twisted. This is a great spot to try it on and check everything. If the straps feel like they are good to go, sew from down for good. Now I finished around the underarms and back of the sports bra with the *wrong sides touching* using 3/8” elastic on the lining side. Just like sewing bikinis. Then I turned the elastic under and top stitched using a zig zag stitch. Now it looks like this.

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Now it’s time to add the band. I sewed the side seams of my band together then I sewed just one side of my band to the bra RST matching up the side seams. Stay with me here. This is a little different than most pattern designers instruct you to sew the band. I like this way. The band won’t twist and roll around. Once you have your elastic cut, measure the half way point and mark it. Place your elastic on the wrong side of the band starting about an inch before one of the side seams. Leave some of the fabric hanging, like an extra seam allowance about 1/4-3/8”, disengage your serger blade and serge the band making sure the needles are catching the band while you still have some fabric hanging to the right. It should look like this.

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Don’t forget to stretch your elastic as you sew it. The center point you marked should match up with the other side seam. Sew or serge all the way around over lapping your elastic at the end. Flip the band up and top stitch with a stretch stitch or coverstitch making sure you catch the seam allowance. This is what the wrong and right side of my band look like.

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Ta-dah!!!! You now have an awesome sports bra.

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Much love,
Brandi

Using Lingerie Sewing Patterns for Swimwear

Posted by Nicole Voegele

Hi. My name is Nicki and I can’t leave well enough alone! As soon as swim week was announced I was immediately thinking of all of the lingerie patterns I have purchased and sewn recently and how awesome those designs could be as swimwear. After trying to convince my trouble making self to use of one the many swimwear patterns I already own for over a week I gave in and ended up using not one, not two, but four lingerie sewing patterns to make my own swimwear mini capsule all out of Phee fabrics!

It was a whirlwind week of sewing but in the end I fell completely and totally in love with using lingerie patterns for swimwear and I am here to show you how you can do it too! The best part about using lingerie patterns to make swimwear? The patterns require minimum hacking but endless potential for unique and custom swimsuits!

Choosing a Pattern

First things first, we need a pattern to work from! When choosing a lingerie pattern to make into swimwear the main things you need to consider are fit (i.e. coverage) and support. I am a firm believer in people wearing whatever makes them happy but there are laws dictating how much of the body can be shown legally (bummer, right?!) so make sure you are choosing a pattern that won’t get you arrested (Unless that’s your goal. You do you boo.) and that you feel confident and comfortable in from the start, it will make all the difference in the end!

So what lingerie patterns lend themselves well to becoming swimsuits? In theory all of them but some will be easier than others to manipulate! Personally, I have had the best luck converting soft bra patterns, like the OhhLuLu Jasmine or the EvieLaLuve Willow bra, into swim tops and there are so many great free panty patterns available online that make great swim bottoms as well (Check out this post on sewuprising.com for my five favorite free lingerie sewing patterns for some of them!). The use of underwires and channeling is an advanced lingerie technique so if this is your first experience sewing lingerie I would avoid those for now but just keep in mind that they are an option as you progress and underwire swimsuits are AHHHMAZING!

The second thing you are going to need to consider is support. Support can mean a lot of different things but for the purposes of keeping this easy let’s just focus on breast support for now. One of the biggest advantages of learning how to transform lingerie patterns into swimwear patterns is being able to use stronger elastics, underwires, and specific construction techniques to make the most supportive and flattering swimsuit possible for your unique body. If you fall on the smaller side of the breast spectrum this may not be as big of a concern for you but if you fall on the lager side look for patterns that have large under bust elastic, fuller breast coverage, and a wider back band to offer the most support. If tummy/bum support is more your game, look for one piece options, like the Jamie Bodysuit (pictured below) , or high waisted pantie options like Maxine from Evielaluve or the Ava Panties from OhhLuLu.

Adjusting the Pattern

No matter what pattern you choose, be ready to make a couple practice pieces (or more!) before cutting into your good swim fabric. Just like with any other kind of apparel sewing the right fit is key to a perfect product and not every lingerie pattern is going to fit every person right out of the package.

I would recommend making your first practice piece (or couple of pieces) for whatever pattern you choose out of the fabrics recommended by the pattern to get the general overall fit right and then make another practice piece, or two or three, out of swim fabrics before using your “good” fabrics. The stretch percentages between lingerie fabrics and swim fabrics can be very different, which could cause the swimsuit to fit differently than intended. There are some lingerie patterns I have had to muslin seven or eight times before getting the perfect fit so don’t get discouraged if it takes you a while, it is all a part of the learning process! Personally, I have found a consistent need for sizing up at least one size when switching from lingerie fabrics to swim fabrics when using lingerie patterns for swimwear. If you need help fitting bra or panty patterns the Bra Makers Forum group on Facebook can be a great place to ask questions.

Since many lingerie patterns are basically swimsuit shaped to begin with, you may not need to make any adjustments at all to make swimwear out of your chosen lingerie patterns beyond swapping out the types of elastic you use. If the pattern you choose calls for picot elastic, plush backed or regular, like most do I am going to very, very strongly encourage you to swap that elastic out for either fold over elastic (I like to buy in bulk from amazon) or swim specific elastic. Picot elastic just doesn’t hold up to salt or chlorine like these other types of elastic and nothing is worse than your beautiful swimsuit stretching out because you used the wrong elastic. Trust me.

If you are using swim specific elastic and can find it in the same width as the called for picot elastic you won’t have to make any changes at all to your pattern which is a total win and probably the easiest way to get started. If you can’t find the width of swim elastic that matches the width of the picot elastic, you will need to widen or narrow the pattern seam allowance to match the elastic you can find BEFORE you cut out your pattern pieces. Remember you will be folding the elastic in so you need to adjust twice to get the same end result. Example: If the pattern calls for ½ inch picot elastic and you can only find ⅜ inch swim elastic you will need to remove a total of ¼ inch of seam allowance from each edge where the picot elastic will be, ⅛ for the initial elastic attachment and ⅛ for when it is turned under and topstitched.

PS if you need help attaching swimwear elastic, check out this swim week SAL video!

If you don’t want to use swim elastic your next best bet is to use fold over elastic, or FOE. FOE is a great option for when you want a pop of color contrast, a sportier look to your suit, or are making something that will be fully reversible. Using this type of elastic almost always means altering seam allowance, however, which is off putting to some people but I promise it isn’t hard at all, again it is all about the math!

FOE doesn’t get turned in on itself like picot elastic does so if you can find FOE the same width as the called for picot all you have to do is take that same amount off your seam allowance. Example: if your pattern calls for ½ inch picot and you have ½ inch FOE elastic to use, then you need to remove ½ inch of each edge the FOE will be used on.

If you do not have FOE the same width as your pattern called for in picot you will need to remove the called for width plus or minus the difference in what you have versus what the pattern calls for. Example: The pattern calls for 1/2 inch picot elastic and you have ¼ inch FOE elastic, you will need to remove a total of ¾ inch seam allowance, ½ inch for the unturned area and ¼ inch for the difference in elastic widths.

Okay maybe it is a little complicated but that is what all those practice suits are for right?!

Beyond elastic, any other pattern adjustments you choose are totally up to you! You might consider adjusting the back closure of your suit top from a traditional hook and eye, which totally work and you do not have to remove if you don’t want, to a traditional swim style closure or adjusting to have no back closure at all. Or you may want to play with different strap options, crossovers, or widths to change the feel of your finished pieces in a big way or even mash different patterns to get a totally unique to you look. Both are super quick changes to any pattern but make sure you are practicing before you start cutting into those good fabrics!

So there you have it, the quick and easy breakdown of using lingerie patterns to make custom swimwear. If you have questions, I am always available to help but really there is no better way to learn than just to dive right in and get started! All of the patterns I mentioned above are tried and approved by yours truly so start with them if you are a bit nervous but have fun exploring this whole new world of sewing! Give it a try and I promise you be sewing your own swimsuits, and lingerie, in no time!

Want to see all seven of my Phee swimsuits from lingerie sewing patterns and how I made a completely reversible Made for Mermaids Mama Bridgette bikini top? Be sure to visit me at sewuprising.com and let me know you came from Phee!