Free Pattern Friday: Hyacinth Bralette and Noelle Underwear

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes an adult's one. I try to publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

So for this month's road test and review post, I'm slightly cheating and sharing two patterns I've posted about in the past, the Hyacinth bralette pattern by Ohhh Lulu and the Noelle underwear pattern by Madalynne. The twist being that I've paired them to make a matching set! 

I had some of the Sia Animal Print Metallic Stretch Mesh from Fabric Godmother (gifted) knocking about in my stash and not much of a clue what to do with it. I tried making a stretch T-shirt, but the colour really washed me out. So with the remnants and the remains of the T-shirt I made this super fun, if impractical,  lingerie set. 

Please check out my original posts about the Hyacinth bralette pattern and the Noelle underwear pattern for the full reviews, tips, findings, alterations and verdicts. 

Free Pattern Friday: Hyacinth Bralette

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes an adult's one. I try to publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

Those who follow me on Instagram will know that I'm on a real undies making kick these days. I'm fully obsessed! So after the Noelle undies pattern that I road tested and reviewed a couple of months ago, I was nosing around for more free undies patterns to try. I've been wanting to try making bras and bralettes and found this free pattern by Ohhh Lulu, which looked like a good option for building up my skills and getting my head round some of the processes. I love the look of a lot of the Ohhh Lulu patterns, so I appreciated the opportunity to try one out for free before I parted with money (spoiler: I've since parted with a fair chunk of money on this website!). Thanks to this designer, and all the other designers, who share some of their hard work with the sewing community for free. 

(image source: Ohhh Lulu)

Pattern Type:

The Hyacinth Bralette is a light-weight, low-support bralette with a scooped neckline. It's a pull-on style, so no fastening to faff with. It will give you the opportunity to try using and applying undies elastics, stretch lace (if you have some, I didn't) and constructing straps. A step-by-step YouTube video is available to help if you want additional assistance. 

Sizing info:

The Hyancinth has been graded for sizes 2X Small - 3X Large which covers 32" - 47" full bust measurements. If your shape requires more coverage, there is guidance in the form of another YT video on how to slash and spread the front pattern piece to accommodate a fuller bust. 

For the rainbow version pictured in this post, I simply went by my measurements, which put me in the 1X Small sizing. It felt ok but like I could do with some more coverage, so I followed the tutorial to make the front piece fuller. I've laid the original pattern piece over my altered pattern piece in the image below:

Fabric info:

This pattern is billed as a scrap-buster, which you know I'm all about. However, it really isn't going to bust much in the way of scraps haha! It's recommended that you use jersey fabrics, such as jersey, interlock and spandex knits. If you're looking for any kind of vague support, I think you really need to make sure your fabric has some elastane/lycra/spandex content that offers good recovery and some support. It's also important to remember that different fabrics will differ in stretchiness, so that will also effect sizing. 

The rainbow version is made with some cotton/lycra jersey leftover from a couple of projects I made for my big kid. The blue version is made using stretch crushed velvet that I harvested from a thrifted dress. I also lined the velvet version with a small amount of power mesh to give it a bit more body. 

I love how you could really get invented with your fabric choice/combos, trims and embellishments. 

Findings:

This was SUCH a fun project. Once I'd started cutting out the pieces, there was no way I was going to bed until I had made it and could see how it turned out. The pattern and instructions were great, the latter with large colour photos showing the steps clearly. Personally, I prefer written/illustrated instructions over videos, but I really appreciate that the designer took the time to create that to support this free pattern. 

I feel that getting the length of the under bust elastic is key to the success of this bralette. There's no catch fastening to help you loosen or tighten the bralette. If you cut the under bust elastic too tight, it'll feel super uncomfortable. Too loose and it'll offer zero support at all. In the end, I think I found the length that feels perfect for me (bearing in mind that different elastics might offer different amounts of stretch and support also). 

The one thing I would change, and in fact did for my second version, is how the under bust elastic is applied. The elastic is applied in two stages, and you're asked to sew up the second side seam in between those two stages. But that prevents the elastic from lying very flat. Instead, for my second attempt, I applied the elastic fully with just the one side seam stitched up, THEN stitched the second side seam, which resulted in a much cleaner finish. 

I also must admit that for the rainbow version I cheated a bit and used bra straps that I harvested from an old RTW bra. For the blue velvet version, I made straps as per the instructions and it's actually really easy and satisfying. 

Regarding the fit, I must agree with the description in that this is a low-support bralette. It feels ok, but for my preferences it doesn't offer enough support to be worn all day. If you wanted something comfy to wear whilst hanging around in the house though, this might be the pattern for you. I wanted to try the blue velvet version to see if using a different fabric and adding a power mesh made much difference, but it hasn't made quite enough for all-day wear. I'm going to give the rainbow version to my big kid who will probably fit it very soon, the rate at which they're growing. 

Would I make this again?

I had A LOT of fun with this pattern, and I learnt quite a bit also. It's given me the confidence to move on to slightly more involved bra/bralette patterns, and I've since made the Ohhh Lulu Jasmin bra pattern with success, and have the Bambi bra pattern waiting in the wings. 

Emergency Free Pattern Friday (on Wednesday): Speedy Pants for Kids **UPDATED**

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes an adult's one. I try to publish these posts every first Friday (or in this case, Wednesday) of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

**UPDATE: Waves & Wild have just announced that the brand is being bought, and therefore their patterns will continue to be available. It is currently unknown if that means their free patterns will continue to be available for free going forwards. So you should probably download any you want now anyway**

Forgive the dramatic post title: I needed to catch your attention because this is time sensitive! Longer term readers of this blog might recall me posting about the excellent, free Speedy Pants pattern for kids by Waves & Wild here (and even further back, here). 

Well, W&W are set to shut up shop THIS FRIDAY! I don't know at what exact time the plug is to be pulled, but pattern purchases will cease to be an option. I believe the website will still be up for a while to give people a chance to download the files they've purchased, but the clock is ticking for any new acquisitions of their free or paid-for patterns. 

I don't know why the designer behind W&W (and formerly, Made by Jack's Mum) has decided to close up, but I wish her all the very best and send huge thanks for this phenomenal free pattern that has clad the bum of both my kids at various points for years!

Completely coincidentally, I recently printed out the pattern again and traced off a bigger size, as my little boy is in dire need of new undies. According to the size chart, my skinny 9yo should be wearing the size 5 undies, but I cut out and made these ones in a size 7 because I want them to last for yonks. And yonks they will last, as the fabric I used (that I picked up as scraps at this fabric swap) is excellent quality and perfect for this type of garment. 

You can read my previous reviews if you wish, but I would like to emphasise that these undies can be make ENTIRELY on your overlocker. Which is a total win if you, like me, often cannot be arsed to swap between my overlocker and regular machine during a quick project such as this. 

Now, GO!!!!!!!!

Free Pattern Friday: Noelle Underwear for Women

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes an adult's one. I try to publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

Ok, so elephant in the room: yes, I am posting pics of myself in my pants on my blog. Now we've got that out the way. So I've fallen down a Pinterest underwear inspiration rabbit hole recently, in advance of trying to make myself some nice sets of undies that actually fit and feel supportive. If you're interested, you can see my board here. Although Pinterest has made it virtually impossible to tell which pins I've added and which they've suggested. ANYWAY. A lot of the undies I've been pinning are what can only be described as Big Pants. Now, I'm usually a committed hipster undies wearer, but I thought it'd be fun to experiment with a different style. Enter: the Noelle pattern by undies designer Madalynne. 

I first discovered this pattern when searching for free patterns to suggest to the Patrons of my podcast, Check Your Thread, when I was planning an online undies sew-together session. Thanks, as always, to all designers, including Madalynne, who offer some of their hard work up to the sewing community for free. Onward...

(image source: Madalynne)

Pattern type:

What I would describe as Big Pants, the website would describe as 'feminine, everyday high waisted underwear'. The waist and leg holes are meant to be finished with picot elastic. 

Sizing info:

The pattern isn't the most size inclusive, covering natural waist 23" - 41" and hip sizes 33" - 50", which is divided into sizing XS - 3XL. I made the size M, as per my measurements which I felt was the correct choice. That said, the stretchiness of your fabric will effect the fit greatly. 

Fabric info:

This pattern seems to have been designed mainly for stretch lace with a power mesh/net lining. However, the list of suitable outer fabrics does include jersey or any fabric with a 4-15% spandex content resulting in a 30%-40% stretch. I prefer cotton jersey with Lycra content for undies, so I used a scrap of such a fabric that has a little less stretch than perhaps would be ideal, but ultimately was fine for this project. I chose not to line these undies because honestly who lines undies?

Findings:

The biggest surprise for me, aside from that I quite like wearing Big Pants, is that this pattern doesn't include any instructions! From what I understand, this pattern appears in Madalynne's book, 'Sew Lingerie: Make Size-Inclusive Bras, Panties, Swimwear & More; Everything You Need to Know', which, I assume, tells you how to make them. The instructions can also be accessed in the form of a Creativebug online class, which currently costs $9.95. Aside from those definitely not-free options, you're on your own. 

That said, if you've ever made undies before, you will be able to figure out the construction easily enough. The head-scratching occurs, or at least it did for me, with trying to work out how long to cut the elastic. In the end, I did some maths to work out the percentage difference between the leg holes and waistline, and the lengths of elastic required on my own free undies pattern, and then measured the leg holes and waistline of the Noelle pattern to which I applied the same percentage difference. This worked out well for the leg holes, but I feel the elastic at the waist should have been a tiny bit tighter.  

There's a bit of faff involved in actually obtaining the pattern pieces: you go through the online shop to access a download that is actually just a page from which to then access a document that includes the pattern pieces and some info on supplies and cutting. The pattern consists of a front piece and back piece, with a shaded area on the front piece to show the shape from which to cut the crotch lining piece. Rather than tracing that crotch lining piece off the front piece, I just printed out the lower part of the front piece twice.  

The pattern pieces came together easily, using only my regular sewing machine because I couldn't be arsed to rethread my overlocker for what I was hoping would be, at best, a wearable toile. My fabric wasn't the greatest quality, but they've definitely come out wearable. That said, because I was using fold over elastic, rather than the suggested picot elastic, the crotch has turned out a bit wide. If I were using FOE again, I'd narrow the crotch area. 

I also found them to be too high, particularly at the back. Even with my highest waist jeans, they peek out over the top! For future pairs, I'd skim off about 2cm from the waist edge, but leave the waist elastic the same length or even tighten it a bit as that came out a smidge loose. 

Would I make this again?

With the adjustments stated above, I can DEFINITELY see myself using this pattern again with some nicer fabric. I'll even bother to thread up my overlocker to make the seams on the inside neater. I'd also like to play around with creating seam lines and panels with different fabrics. This pattern is a great canvas for all sorts of potential undies making. 

Scrap Busting September 2024

Happy October! Did you participate in Scrap Busting September this year? The endeavour is organised by my pal Meg Grandstaff who encourages us all to explore our creativity and resourcefulness by crafting with scraps and leftovers of fabric and yarn. If you'd like to hear more, check out this recent episode of my podcast, Check Your Thread, in which I have a hilarious chat with Meg. 

Trainer socks:

I'm making this post to record the items I made using fabric scraps last month. First up, I made two pairs of trainer socks using this free sewing pattern and tutorial. The pair pictured above were made using some 100% cotton interlock with cotton/lycra jersey for the band. The pair pictured below were made using some Liberty cotton/lycra jersey entirely. Both are wearable, but the second pair are more so because I adjusted the heel dart so there's less bulk underneath my foot. I'm so excited to have a well-fitting trainer sock pattern that I can use over and over in the future. 

Kid's undies:

I continued to raid my jersey scraps tub to create a couple of pairs of undies for my son. I used a new-to-me undies pattern from an Ottobre Design magazine because it was comprised of quite a few pattern pieces that would make it easier for using with scraps. I also chose it because the leg holes were hemmed rather than finished with bands. The waist is finished with visible elastic which feels to me like they'll have more longevity than with a band of fabric like most of the previous pairs I've made him.

I had a lot of fun picking the different jerseys to go together. I have had some of these scraps for so long, it feels good to get them out of my stash. 

Kid's joggers:

Next up was a pair of joggers, also for my son. I had lots of remnants of the same speckly sweatshirt fleece from the scrap bin at work. I didn't do anything clever, simply pieced sections together and topstitched down the seam allowances to reduce bulk. I wanted these to look fairly understated so he has the option of wearing them for PE at school, but I chose a scraps of striped french terry for the back pocket and cuffs for a tiny bit of interest. 

Again, the pattern comes from an Ottobre Design magazine. Those magazines are such a great resource for basic knit garment patterns. I didn't bother with the side seam pockets however, as I find they often create visible bulk, and he doesn't really use those pockets anyhow. I combined sizes (116 width and approx. 128 length) to more closely reflect his long, thin frame. He's already been wearing and enjoying them. I had to buy elastic to finish these off. 

Kid's scrappy cardigan:

And lastly, I wanted to reduce the volume of ponte and double knit scraps in my stash, so I proposed a scrappy cardigan for my daughter. She's got a whole Goblincore thing going on these days, and over-sized scrappiness fits well in that aesthetic. 

Compared to women's patterns, and patterns for younger children, the selection available for tweens and teens is really poor. I plan to create a post that lists the pattern companies I have found that do cater to this age group at some point. However, with the selection of suitable cardigan patterns incredibly limited, I ended up tracing her school cardigan to make my own pattern. 

I got my daughter to select the scraps that most appealed to her from the tub, which produced quite a wild effect! She also chose the top stitching colour, ribbing and wooden buttons from my stash also. It's so pleasing to make an entire garment from items you already own. And the best part is that she loves it! She's worn it basically every day since I finished it up. 

Free Pattern Friday: SoZo Undies and SoZo Vest for Adults

 

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes an adult's one . I publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. I also firmly believe that pattern designers deserve to be properly paid for their work, so if you enjoy using a pattern and can afford to do so, make sure you support that designer. Some designers' websites offer the option to make a donation, alternatively you can buy one of their paid-for products. If you can't afford to do so, you can support the designer by sharing your project via social media to help draw more attention to their work. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

Ok. I'll admit it. I'm cheating a bit this month. I recently used both my free sewing patterns to use up some leftover jersey to make the set pictured above. Therefore I'm posting (again) about my own free undies pattern! I am, at least, also posting about my free vest/camisole/singlet pattern which I haven't mentioned on this blog for YEARS. I've got some exciting, new-to-me, free pattern road tests in the works, but they weren't ready to post about this month, so look out for those. 

As you may know, I gave the free undies pattern a massive update last year. I extended the sizing greatly and it now includes 32" to 50" hip. I added another version so there are two pattern piece and construction options. One is quicker to make so might be more suitable for less experienced and/or time poor sewers. The other requires smaller pieces of fabric so might be better for those trying to bust their scraps and leftovers. Plus, I gave the instructions a major overhaul to include heaps more detail, tips and information, as well as clearer step-by-step photos. You can find the pattern here, with more details in this post. 

The reason why I don't mention the vest/camisole/singlet pattern is because I released it over ten years ago and it really shows! I haven't given it any kind of update since then, it is what it is. It's available in very limited sizing with pretty basic instructions. Since drafting and sharing my vest pattern, I have seen heaps of effectively identical versions spring up to buy, so there doesn't seem like a lot of point spending my very limited time on going over that one. With my undies pattern, I feel that the fit is different to the other undies patterns I've seen out there, either to buy or for free. Therefore I feel like I'm offering the sewing community something slightly different, but I no longer feel that with the vest pattern. However, if you happen to fit within the sizing, or fancy making it for someone how does, it is also available on this page. 

Please remember that peops gotta eat and stay caffeinated, so if you do download either of the patterns and enjoy using them, please consider buying me a coffee via the link on the Free Sewing Patterns page. 

Handmade Moontide Washable Period Pants

 

If you're a period haver, do you use period pants? I must admit that I'm not an early adopter of anything, which includes period pants when they came out a few years ago. I'm so used to making my own undies, that buying undies from a shop, even if they have a distinct purpose, felt weirdly wrong. So I stuck to my usual period-management set up, despite hearing positive previews about them from friends and colleagues. More recently I'd heard talk in the sewing community of people making their own which peeked my interest. But it wasn't until I was approached a few months ago by Yelena from Sew Projects to see if I'd like to try her products for free in exchange for an honest review, that I finally gave the whole thing a try. Yelena is an underwear designer who has developed washable period pants patterns that she sells along with kits that contain all the materials required to make them. 

(image source: Sew Projects)

The pattern:

The Moontide period pants pattern is a pretty standard undies style that include SIX different types of gusset so you can tailor your undies to your own specific needs. The gusset options are: light flow, regular flow, heavy flow, heavy flow with wings, very heavy flow and very heavy flow with wings. Phew. You also have some control over the absorbency levels of your undies by adding additional layers of the absorbent material inside the gusset itself. Seeing as this was my first pair, I went with the regular flow option. The sizing of the undies themselves runs from a 34" to 50" hip. 

The instructions are very comprehensive, with lots of useful information about the various materials you'll need (even if you haven't bought the kit) and what they're for. The construction steps are illustrated with clear, colour photographs. I also love that she's thought to include tips for laundering to hep you get the most from your investment of time and money going forwards.

(image source: Sew Projects)

The kit:

Part of what had prevented me from trying to make period pants sooner was knowing what types of materials would work best, and finding where to source them. With these kits, you don't need to figure that stuff out at all. I also really like that most of the layers are made from natural fibres as far as is possible, thus minimising the release of microplastics during laundering, which I know isn't true of all reusable period pants and pads that are available to buy out there. The kit contains the following: cotton/Lycra fabric for the main part of the undies, 100% cotton absorbent layer, bamboo/Lyrca moisture wicking layer (that sits against your body in the gusset), PUL waterproof layer and wide fold over elastic. 

The kit is £43.50 (excluding the pattern) and I found that there was enough for of the main fabric and elastic for two or three pairs, plus enough of the other items for at least five of the regular flow gussets. Yelena has also very cleverly put together packs to purchase that just include the materials needed for the gussets, available with or without the fold over elastic. The full kits come in a variety of colours for the main undies. I chose the teal colour, which is a colour I adore but always struggle to photograph accurately. The picture below shows the colour most successfully.

Findings:

Right. I have given these undies a go through two periods now so I could give the most accurate and honest review. Firstly, the construction. The way these undies are constructed is only slightly more involved than regular undies making. So having made many, many pairs of pants in the past, I found the construction very easy and satisfying. If you have never made undies at all, I would DEFINITELY recommend making a couple of regular pairs of undies constructed with fold over elastic first. It would help to get the hang of applying the elastic before complicating things by adding these additional layers for the period pants. 

When I first put them on, I must admit that I did NOT like the feel of them! It felt like there was a lot of padding around my bum that, as a tampon user, I'm not normally used to. But I stuck with it and the gusset layers softened up within a couple of hours, and I haven't noticed any weird sensation when wearing them since. Each element of these undies feels really good quality, and the bamboo jersey gusset lining, in particular, is lovely and soft.   

I did come to the conclusion, however, that this shape of undies just isn't the perfect one for me. This is no criticism: having developed my own undies pattern and tried some of the others out there, I fully believe that no undies pattern can be The One for everyone. Every bum is different, and everybody's tastes and preferences are also different. I definitely find this style wearable, but going forwards, I'm going to try adapting my own undies pattern using the Moontide pattern as a guide to make more pairs. 

Having tried these at different points of my period, I have also found that I still much prefer wearing tampons on the first two days of my period, but prefer wearing these pants over washable sanitary pads for the remaining days. Not only are these more absorbent than my self-made washable pads, but they are more convenient. For example, I wore these undies on a day when I went with my daughter's class on a school trip. It was great not having to factor in changing tampons or pads during the trip when time was very limited. 

So for me, these undies (and the future pairs I will make going forwards) are going to part of my period-management set up, rather than completely replacing all other methods. But I have found that I've been using fewer single-use, disposable products, so that is fantastic! 

Free Pattern Friday: Kids' Speedy Pants (Boxers AND Briefs Edition)

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes an adult's one. I publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

Today I'm writing about a free pattern that I've road tested and written about before, nearly two years ago in fact. I've also included it in a number of free pattern round up blog posts, plus I spoke about it in episode 4 of my new podcast, Check Your Thread. It's such a great pattern, and potentially so useful for parents/carers who like to sew, that I'm not even sorry that I bang on about it so much! We are, of course, talking about the Speedy Pants pattern by Waves and Wild (formerly Made by Jacks Mum). You can access the pattern by adding them to the cart on their site (you won't be charged), as well as via the Waves and Wild Facebook Group (I believe) and at the bottom of their regular newsletter, which I've subscribed to. 

My previous post about this pattern can be found here, a lot of which I've copy-and-pasted into this one. However, I talked about only the briefs style in that post, and now that I've had a chance to try out the boxers style (both are included in the pattern, see spec drawings below), I've included more details about that version in this post. Thanks heaps to Waves and Wild for making this gem of a pattern available for free. 

(image source: Waves & Wild)

Pattern type:

As previously stated, the Speedy Pants pattern download includes briefs and boxers styles. Both styles are finished with strips of fabric which form the waist and leg bands: no elastic required. Each pair could be made entirely on an overlocker, however instructions for using a regular sewing machine are also included. 

The briefs pattern consists of a front piece, a back piece, a gusset, plus the dimensions to draft your waistband and leg band pieces. The boxers pattern is one main pattern piece that is cut on the fold at the centre back. There is also a front gusset piece (not seamed in the centre like the spec drawing above suggests, however), and the dimensions to draft your waistband and leg band pieces. 

The pattern files consist of instructions, print a home pattern pages, A0 pattern page as well as projector files. The print at home version (I haven't checked the A0) features the layers function, so you can print out only the size you require. 

Sizing info:

Both styles are graded to a generous size range of 6-12 months to 12 years. I've made countless pairs of these undies now across a variety of sizes, and find the fit pretty accurate, age-wise. That said, looking back at the original post I wrote about this pattern, I've realised that most of the pairs I made for my daughter when she turned six are still in regular rotation close to two years later! I think that the fabric bands tend to 'give' more than the traditional elastic used in undies-making, particularly over time with repeated wear and laundering. Therefore, these undies might have a longer lifespan than shop-bought undies.

Fabric info:

The fabric suggestion for this pattern is 4-way stretch jersey. I'd go further and say that a decent elastane/Lycra/spandex content is essential for the bands so that they hold their shape for more than a handful of wears, and generally advisable for the other pieces too for maximum comfort. As I highlighted in my Favourite Scraps Projects podcast episode, this is an excellent pattern to use if you have scraps of jersey to use up.

Because I've made so many pairs of undies using the briefs version of this pattern, I've been able to do plenty of experimenting and collecting of data to see how different jerseys behave (or don't) over time. By now I think I've got a fairly good idea of what's going to work well and have a long life. The way I approach selecting fabric for this pattern is to begin by dividing all my jersey scraps into three piles: 1) single jersey with great stretch and recovery (mostly cotton/elastane blends) that I know will be perfect for these pants, the band pieces HAVE to be made from this category, 2) other jerseys that will be ok for the fronts, backs and gusset, especially if they're combined with fabrics from the first pile, and 3) all the jerseys that were too thin and drape-y, or with poor stretch and recovery that are NOT suitable for this project. Then I see what I can use up and what fun combos can be made. However, as you can see, most of the pairs I've made using the boxers version so far consist of only one fabric all over because I had some larger pieces in my stash to use up. The boxers pattern doesn't lend itself quite so well as the briefs version to scrap busting because of that one main pattern piece. However, I have made side seams in a couple of these pairs so the pattern pieces could fit on smaller pieces of fabric. 

Findings:

As you can probably tell, I'm so happy to have found this pattern! The pattern itself is well produced, and the instructions are illustrated with step-by-step photos and easy to follow. The wide size range should see most kids through to when they start to wear adult sizes. So if you have a big enough jersey scraps bin, plus sufficient will and patience, you may never need to look elsewhere for kids' pants again. 

Clearly, making these pants is addictive, but I must admit that making a massive batch in one go can get a bit much. Pinning tiny leg bands into tiny leg holes can definitely start to get old. Instead, I would recommend making a pair or two every now and again, as a palette cleanser between larger sewing projects perhaps. That's one of the reasons that I always make them a size or two in advance: so there's no need to panic-batch sew a whole stack of pants.

My little boy hasn't started wearing these boxers yet so I haven't had any feedback, but I wonder if hemming the leg holes rather than finishing them with bands might be more comfortable. I know my husband didn't like a pair I made him years ago that had a banded hem. I think for future versions I'll try lengthening the legs of the boxer style pattern and hemming the bottom edges instead of the bands, which will reduce the fiddle-iness also! 

For my previous pairs using the briefs version of the pattern, I made a couple of tweaks to the fit. For both Frankie and Dolores, I ended up raising the waistline at the centre back fold by 1cm, blending the curve down to the original waistline by the side seam. And for Dolores, I found that the gusset area was too wide: there was just too much fabric there. To amend this, I narrowed the front and gusset pieces by 0.75cm-ish where it was needed, therefore narrowing it by 1.5cm-ish in total. I found for Frankie that this wasn't necessary. 

The only other point I'd suggest is to include some kind of label or loop of ribbon so they can identify the back quickly.

 

Customisation ideas:

• Try piecing together smaller pieces of really small pieces awesome fabrics until the sections are big enough to cut the pattern shapes out of (I think this would work better for the briefs style)
• Use swim Lycra to make swimming trunks or bottoms
• If you have some thin and soft enough, replace the leg hole bands on the briefs version with fold over elastic or special undies elastic
• As mentioned above, consider lengthening the legs of the boxer style pattern and hemming the bottom edges instead of adding bands
• Use width, soft elastic around the top edge instead of a fabric band for a more 'shop-bought' look, if that's what you're after

Would I make it again?

OF COURSE. I have already used this pattern to make what feels like a trillion pairs of little undies. And now that I've busted out the boxers style as well, I have renewed interest in making heaps more!