After making my original boxer shorts (two pairs), I'm wearing no other shorts. My skin trouble at the crotch (mentioned in Upcycling Clothes Ideas Episode 3-1) is becoming better and better each day.
...I know, nobody wants this information.
So this is Upcycling Clothes Ideas Blog Episode 3-2, explaining how to stitch them, following Episode 3-1 where you learned how to draw your own patterns. I hope some of you are actually making your own pants following this series.
FYI, you can check out our previous Upcycle Clothes Ideas Blog EP1 and EP2 as well.
Material - Get Creative To Upcycle!
- Old clothes, bedsheets, etc. to be upcycled, enough to take 2 each of the front pattern and the back pattern.
If you use a purchased fabric, you need around 1 meter.
- Elastic band
Width: around 0.2 - 0.5 inches
Length: nude waist size x 0.9 + 1 inch
- Thread
Let's Stitch Like A Boss!
Please note:
I'm stitching it without a locking machine this time as I guess not many hobby sewers in India have a locking machine (in fact, I met some professional tailors who don't own one!).
But if you're ambitious for sewing, you'd want a locking machine which makes your work to the next level.
Chalo, let's start!
1. I am using left-over fabrics. I don't have any clothes which I won't wear since I did Konmari some time ago.
The indigo fabric was not enough for all 4 pieces, so I'm using another fabric for 1 piece.
2. Cut out the 4 pieces
2 Back Pants (on the left of the photo) and 2 Front Pants (on the right).
If you're using multiple fabrics like I'm doing, be careful on right/wrong side of the fabrics so that you won't have "2 Left Pants and 0 Right Pant".
Those who didn't add seam allowance on the paper patterns would need to add it when you cut the fabrics:
- 1.2 inches to the top and the bottom lines
- 0.6 inches to all the other lines (vertical / vertical-ish lines)
3. Pair the Right Front Pant with Right Back Pant, and the Left Front Pant with Left Back Pant.
Then stitch the side and the inseam of each pair with the right side (of the fabric) out.
Seam allowance: 0.2 inches
After stitching four lines, they look like these:
4. Turn them over (now the wrong side out), and press the seams with an iron.
Ironing process is very important in sewing as it makes the stitches accurate and clean.
5. Stitch the side and the inseam on the finishing lines (now you have 0.4 inches for the seam allowance).
6. Turn over only either of Right Pant or Left Pant, and insert the other one inside the turned-over one (so that the wrong side of each pant faces each other).
7. Stitch the crotch (the curved line from the centre of the front waist till the centre of the back waist).
Seam allowance: 0.2 inches
8. Turn over (now the wrong sides out), and press the seam with an iron.
9. Stitch the crotch on the finishing line (now you have 0.4 inches for the seam allowance).
10. Yey, now it looks like pants!
11. Fold the waistline and the hems at the finishing line (the seam allowance should be 1.2 inches) to the wrong side, and press with the iron.
12. Hems
Fold once more within the seam allowance (not another 1.2 inches up!) and make it three-fold. Then stitch very close to the newly-folded line.
13. Waistline
Do the same as 12. But leave the last 0.5 - 1.0 inches unstitched without completing the whole waistline.
Then, insert the elastic band from the hole. Put a safety pin at the edge of the band to make it easy to insert it.
14. Lay one end of the band onto the other end for 1 inch, and stitch repeatedly on both.
Then insert the band in the folded waistline, and close the hole by stitching.
15. Yeeeey, done!!
Here, I realised that the pants were a bit too wide as underpants.
So I modified the patterns and made another pair. This is the revised pants:
Of course, the pattern I showed in Episode 3-1 is the revised one.
Since I am using the fabric which doesn't stretch like cotton jersey, I made it pretty loose for underpants. And the elastic band is just enough to keep the pants but you forget that you're wearing it.
Yes, "forgetting that you're wearing XXX" is the condition of the best underwear, isn't it? Soooo comfy!!
But please note:
- The waistline is perfectly on the actual waist which is pretty much "high-waist".
So when you wear jeans etc. over them, these pants show above the jeans.
If you want to make them a little more low-rise, more flared, longer etc., you can modify the patterns (please ask me how in Comment!).
- Since these are boxer pants without "groin piece" or "crotch piece", you can't place menstrual pads, or they're not reliable during the time of your body cycle when you get heavy discharge.
So these pants are NOT for all days of the month for all generations of women when worn as underwear.
I hope you liked this upcycle clothes idea, making patterns and stitching all by yourself from scratch. I hope even one person among you complete a whole project and become more familiar with sewing.
Please do let me know any questions or feedback in the Comment section.
If you know any person who's a DIY freak and ambitious for upcycling clothes, please share this.
More DIY/Upcycle/Underwear Blog Posts
DIY comfy bra 1
DIY comfy bra 2
Why do we have to wear underwear anyway?
Bonus Video
Again this is not about the pants tutorial, but a fun video which you'd feel the joy of DIY!
This girl had no training in sewing, but finally made a jacket suit (with felt!) from scratch somehow. What she made was... the famous Blue Cloud Suit which Prince wore in Raspberry Beret music video! Woohoo check this out!
I have started dreaming of making my own Blue Cloud Suit and wear it at MIRCHI KOMACHI stall ;)