This pattern, dubbed the ‘Brazilian’ by Flo-Jo Boutique’s Delia Adey and Erika Peto, uses plain elastic and a decorative zig zag stitch to create a frilled effect. The knickers are cut in three pieces with all the seams concealed neatly within the gusset. The technique for gathering then not gathering in between the markings on the pattern ensures the knickers sit flat across the bottom. Make in a light woven fabric, such as poplin, cotton lawn, silk, satins or voiles.
ESSENTIALS
● Fabric: light woven fabric, 60cm x 1.15m; cotton jersey, 10cm x 15cm ● White or black elastic, 5mm wide, 2m
● Satin ribbon, 50cm
SIZES
8-18
1 Download and print the templates from sewmag.co.uk. Cut out a back and front from fabric on the bias. Snip one outer gusset from the main fabric and one gusset from cotton jersey, ensuring all notches and markings are transferred. Lay the knicker back, right side up, on top of the cotton jersey gusset, lining up the notches. Position the fabric gusset on top wrong side up, lining up the notches. Pin together, then sew with a straight stitch and 1cm seam allowance.
2 Lay the knicker back right side up. Pull the jersey gusset out flat underneath the back. Leave the outer gusset right side up. Place the knicker front onto the outer gusset, lining up the front notches, with right sides together. Pin the two pieces together. Roll the front of the knicker over onto itself towards the pin. Roll the back of the knicker the same way, so both pieces sit on top of the outer gusset piece. The cotton jersey gusset remains flat at this stage. Fold the cotton jersey gusset over the top of the rolled up knickers and line up the front notches.
3 Re-pin through all three layers of the front edge of the gusset. Sew in place with a 1cm seam allowance, back tacking at either end. Pull the rolled up front and back through the gusset and the knickers should be in one piece with both gusset seams hidden. To finish off the edges, use an overcast zig zag stitch. The left-hand stitch goes into the fabric and the right-hand stitch goes over the edge, binding the fabric. Zig zag in this way around all the edges of the knickers except the side seams. As the knicker front and back are cut on the bias the fabric will pull and naturally
