Quiltingboard Forums - Put on your big girl panties

I posted a picture of my cute little panty purse and a couple of you asked for a tutorial. So here it is. The pattern is attached as a PDF. This is a hand drawn pattern - sorry I don't have a program to draw with. This works just as well. A quick and easy sewing project to use up scraps.[/FONT]
This project requires:
10" x 7-1/2" scrap for outside
10" x 7-1/2" scrap for lining
10" x 7-1/2" piece of batting - fusible or warm & natural works best - something thin not the thick lofty kind.
14" of lace
7" or 9" zipper
To make:
Cut the outside & lining fabric using the pattern and placing on the fold.
http://www.wowilikethat.com/wp-conte...4-1024x768.jpg
Lay the outside fabric on top of the fleece and using it as your pattern, cut out the fleece. If using fusible, iron it to the fabric.

Stitch the legs of the panties first. This is a good place to use some of those decorative stitches that don't get much use. I tried several but seemed to fall in love with a simple triple zig zag stitch. Sew both leg opening with the stitch of choice. Stitch using the 5/8" seam allowance marked on the sewing machine.

Sew on the lace at the top of both sides. Use a very narrow stitch.

Place zipper face down along the top edge of one side.

Place lining fabric on top of the zipper. The zipper will be sandwiched in between.

Using a zipper foot, stitch all 3 layers together. If you look closely at a zipper you will see a very fine line, that is about where your stitching line should fall. If it is too close to the zipper, the fabric catches and the purse will not open.

Stitch the other side of the zipper by bringing the outside fabric to the zipper.

Flip over the purse and fold up the lining to the other side of the zipper. The zipper needs to be sandwiched in between the fabric and the lining. Stitch using a zipper foot.

Now it will look like this isn't correct, but it is.

Unzip the zipper a little bit and pull the inside out. See. It works. Press well on both sides of the zipper.

Now grab both lining pieces and pull out. Do the same with the outer fabric. The lining pieces need stitched together as do the outside pieces need stitched together.

UNZIP THE ZIPPER - VERY IMPORTANT.
Starting at the crotch one side, stitch up the leg opening, over the zipper and finish at the crotch on the other side. I used the edge of my foot as my seam allowance. I used little handy little tool for getting over the zipper effortlessly. One may have come with your machine. If it didn't, you can buy them at JoAnns for a couple dollars or make a temporary one by placing a folded piece of cardboard under the rear of the presser foot just as it gets to the zipper. Doing this eliminates skipped stitches.

Gee my machine needs cleaned doesn't it? Pretend you didn't notice that above. Ok? Also when stitching around the decorate stitch, my seam allowance shrunk a little bit, but there is still plenty of room to make your seam.

The remaining side gets stitched the same except leave a 3" or so opening at the bottom of the lining for turning.

Stitch, clip curves and snip corners. Turn. While the opening in the lining is still unsewn, going through the opening, push out all the corners of the outside fabric. Be sure to push out where the zipper is too. Don't push out the lining because they gets pushed in the opposite direction once you put the lining in place.

Hand stitch the opening closed. I simply finger press the fabric to match the seam allowance, then hand stitch using a little whip stitch.
That is it. Push the lining into place. Push the corners of the lining where they belong. Press well and enjoy.
If you have any questions, just ask. I'll be happy to answer.

Debbie