Thong underwear -- you either hate it or love it. There is one thing we can all agree on, though, nobody likes it when their underwear lines show. Using a pair of regular cotton underwear, you can make the perfect underwear for date night by sewing your own thong. All you need is a pair of scissors, some fold-over elastic, basic sewing skills, and you can be underwear-line free in no time. After all, finding a comfortable thong in the right fabric can be hard, especially when you are hard pressed for time!
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Things You'll Need
Regular underwear
1 yard fold-over elastic
Rotary cutter / scissors
Ball point sewing needle
Coordinating thread
Pins
Sewing machine
Step 1: Cut Out Leg Holes to Create Thong Shape
Lay your underwear down matching up the leg holes so that the back of the underwear is folded together and laying flat. You want to be sure that everything is lined up exactly, so that when you do cut, it is even all around on both sides.
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Carefully start to cut around the upper portion of the leg (closest to the waistband), cutting off the binding of each leg hole. Continue in a straight line towards the back center of your underwear. Stop when you are approximately 2 inches from the back center.
Curve your rotary cutter down towards the bottom of your underwear, giving you a nice triangle shape toward the top. As you cut, taper closer to the back center of your underwear, stopping when you are just 1/2 inch away from the center. Continue cutting down and around, until you reach just past where the underwear lining begins. Work your way up towards the front of the underwear, cutting off just the binding, until you reach the upper edge.
Remove the old leg hole entirely, giving you the new thong underwear shape. Technically, you can stop here and wear your underwear for one night only. The thong will not fray, as it is made out of knit fabric, but it will also not stand the test of time. This would be more of a 1-night-only pair of underwear. It will suffice in a pinch, though. For underwear that lasts, continue to the next step.
Step 2: Cut and Pin Fold Over Elastic to New Leg Holes
Measure around your new leg hole with the fold-over elastic. You want the elastic to be 1 1/2 inch shorter than your actual leg hole. Cut 2 pieces of elastic this length, 1 for each leg hole.
Fold elastic right sides together, pin and sew the raw edge using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Make sure to use a ball point sewing needle, recommended for knit fabrics and a nice straight stitch.
Tip
It can be tricky trying to determine the 'right' vs. 'wrong' side of fold-over elastic. The right side typically has a satin, shiny appearance with a specific line down the center, with the wrong side having a more matte look.
Pin the fold-over elastic to one leg hole, on opposite sides, right sides together matching up the top edge. The elastic is slightly shorter than the leg hole opening, so you will need to make sure you stretch the elastic to fit evenly.
Pin the fold-over elastic in the center, on opposite sides, once again stretching the elastic slightly so that it is evenly pinned.
Step 3: Sew Fold-Over Elastic to Leg Hole
Using a stretch stitch on your machine (a small zig zag stitch, stretch stitch, or overlock stitch), sew using a 1/4 inch seam allowance close to the raw edge. Stretch the underwear as you sew, so that it is the same length as your elastic.
Fold the elastic over towards the inside of the underwear, covering up the exposed seam inside. Pin the elastic in place on the right side of the underwear. Sew using a small zig zag stitch to secure 1/2 inch away from edge.
Step 4: Repeat for Other Leg Hole
Repeat steps 2 & 3 for other leg opening and fold-over elastic. Lightly press with an iron on low setting to finish and enjoy!
