Tilly and the Buttons: Designing Combos & Choosing Supplies for Dreamy Iris Undies!

We understand that sewing lingerie can seem intimidating, especially when it comes to shopping for supplies like elastic and lace that you might not have encountered in your dressmaking sewing projects. But we promise you that sewing the Iris knickers isn't as scary as it can first seem and we're confident you'll find that too...

In this blog post, we'll be sharing all the details on our exciting knicker supply store, along with lots of inspiration and ideas for the kinds of combinations you can create with your sewing pattern, plus a peek at the hacks demonstrated in our online workshop.

It’s true that there are different sewing techniques and different fabrics and notions involved when sewing lingerie items, but once you get to grips with those there’ll be no stopping you!

Our 'Learn to Sew Knickers' online workshop, taught by our favourite lingerie designer Hannah of Evie La Lùve, is all about getting you comfortable with stretch fabrics and lingerie sewing techniques using the Iris knickers sewing pattern. If you fancy a little more guidance on your knicker sewing journey, then check out the online workshop as Hannah covers every step (including choosing fabric) in-depth - phew!

LEARN TO SEW KNICKERS WITH A PRO TODAY

Iris can be used to create a whopping 36 combinations, and that's not including all the potential hacks and add-ons you can muster if you're feeling particularly creative. Iris is the only knicker sewing pattern you'll ever need - trust us!

So let's get into the supplies you'll need...

To help make your knicker supply shopping as simple as possible, we've got a selection of colourful stretch lace trims and dreamy fold over elastics on offer in the shop!

VISIT THE IRIS KNICKERS SUPPLY SHOP

Stretch lace

The type of lace needed for the Iris knickers is called narrow stretch lace or a stretch lace trim, and you can use this to finish the leg openings and waist opening. It’s really important that you pick a stretch lace that has a good amount of stretch, between 40-60%, the same as your fabric, for a good fit.

Whilst you might not always find narrow stretch lace in your usual fabric shops, we'd recommend searching on Etsy & eBay as you'll find lots on there!

Fold over elastic

The type of elastic you need for the Iris knickers is called fold over elastic, often abbreviated to FOE, also known as fold-over binding. This is a very stretchy type of elastic found in widths of 15 mm (5/8in), and, less commonly, 20 mm (3/4in). It will most likely have a shiny side and a matt side, but also can be found, less commonly, with two matt sides. Again, we'd recommend having a look on eBay and Etsy - they can be a treasure trove of lingerie sewing supplies!

We know searching for stretch lace trim and fold over elastic can seem daunting, so we've curated a small collection of colourful supplies perfect for sewing your Iris knickers, you just need to supply the lovely fabric! Visit our supply shop here.

Fabrics

When you're shopping for your fabric you need to ensure your fabric has good 4-way stretch, meaning it stretches up and down and across with a good stretchy fibre content like spandex.

It’s also very important that your fabric has good recovery, meaning it stretches and then returns to its original state, without having been stretched out or becoming baggy or distorted. The ideal amount of stretch needed in your fabric for the Iris pattern is between 40-60%. This is covered in detail in our Learn to Sewing Knickers online workshop.

As we mentioned, the design possibilities are vast. Iris is the ultimate knicker pattern to lead you on your way to creating a whole drawer full of me-made undies! Here are just some of the potential combinations you can whip up...

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If you're unsure what the stretch content of the fabric is (if the information isn't listed in their shop), contact the seller to see if they can help confirm if it has 4-way stretch and if they can recommend it for sewing your own knickers!

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What makes sewing your own knickers so fun is picking contrasting or perfectly matching trims for your fabrics! We could create these mock-ups all day...

Inspiration from the workshop

If you take our Learn to Sew Knickers online workshop you'll gain access to TWO extra add-on pattern pieces to add even more playful touches to your Iris knickers:

Sew faux bow ties for the sides with our step-by-step video
Customise your knickers with lace ruffles on the leg openings

Hannah also takes you through a bunch of creative pattern hacks for endless Iris inspiration:

Create a lace overlay or sheer cut-away detail
Learn how to add style lines to your pattern so you can combine different fabrics
Alter the pattern to use picot elastic, and learn to sew with this pretty detail
Change the crotch style to neatly enclose the seams
Learn to tie the perfect bow for a simple finishing touch

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