Sewing Lingerie: Essential Techniques
Alison Smith
Class Preview
1:25
- In-depth Instruction; over 153 mins
- On-demand video access anytime
- Bonus downloadable PDF resources
- Access to class Q&A
Introduction to Lingerie
17:17
Meet Alison Smith, the United Kingdom's premier teacher of dressmaking, tailoring and corsetry, and learn about the patterns, fabrics and notions suitable for lingerie. Alison shares tips for stabilizing and cutting out your fabric.
Seams
19:40
Alison demonstrates several seams suitable for the light, slippery fabrics you're likely to use. Both the French and flat-felled seams enclose the raw edges. Difficult fabric can be seamed with an extra zigzag stitch. If you wish to serge or overlock your seam allowances, Alison shares some tips.
Working With Lace
27:34
Learn how to find the right side of lace and add it to a straight edge, such as the hem of tap pants, with two stitching lines for durability. Alison also shows how to attach scalloped lace to your garment and how to miter your lace evenly around corners, such as across the top of a camisole.
Advanced Lace Techniques
23:02
With the lace basics under your belt, move on to more advanced lace types and techniques. Alison shows how to add a lace-edged slit to a slip, and use lace to replace a seam or add decorative accents to your lingerie, such as lace over the cups on a full slip or nightgown.
Elastics
21:55
Alison shows how to add an elastic waistband to garments such as tap pants (also known as French knickers) and half-slips. Learn to sew your elastic with or without a casing, without stretching out your bias-cut fabric.
Straps
24:31
Stretch your skills with elastic, adjustable and fixed straps. Follow along as Alison sews a lacy, stretchy strap, an adjustable bra-type strap and a silky rouleau strap. You'll love Alison's trick for keep rouleau straps from stretching and slipping off your shoulders!
Hems
18:24
Finish your lingerie project with special touches such as a pretty shell hem you can sew by machine or by hand. You'll see how to hem difficult fabrics and add charming bows and ribbon rosebuds. You'll love the luxe look of your new intimate garments!
Learn how to sew lingerie alongside Alison Smith, the U.K.’s premier sewing instructor. Start class with a lesson on what patterns, fabrics and notions are best suited for lingerie. Next, discover how to stabilize, cut out and seam a variety of lightweight, slippery fabrics. Enhance the beauty of your work as Alison covers a variety of techniques for incorporating lovely lace into your lingerie. Then, find out how to apply elastic waistbands to your lingerie — without stretching out bias-cut fabrics. After Alison makes lingerie waistbands a cinch, you’ll learn to create lacy shoulder straps, adjustable bra straps and silky rouleau straps. You’ll also see how to hem lingerie fabrics with confidence and complete your projects with gorgeous finishing touches.
Important Pattern Information
The sewing pattern on which this class is based — Vogue 8888 — is not included with your purchase and may be out of print — check with online retailers. This class is rich in essential sewing techniques, so if the pattern is out of print, we encourage you to look for an alternative pattern with similar style details. You might also be able to find the original pattern through a private reseller.
Alison Smith
Alison Smith is the United Kingdom's premier teacher of dressmaking, tailoring and corsetry. She is the first person to receive the award of Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to sewing and corsetry! Alison runs the School of Sewing and is the author of the best-seller "The Sewing Book," with more than 300,000 copies sold worldwide, as well as "Dressmaking Step by Step." Alison participates in many sewing shows and writes regularly for sewing magazines.
Bonus materials available after purchase