One of the first lingerie sewing techniques I was taught at university was how to attach plush back lingerie elastic. A simple pair of knickers made in a soft blue and white checked cotton with a delicate white picot elastic edge were the start to my lingerie journey.
I don't think I appreciated just how important mastering this technique would be. It become the go to for finishing edges on everything from bras to knickers and sleep shorts to suspender belts. But learning this basic technique was fraught with difficulties; how do you sew in a straight line while stretching? How much do you stretch? How do you know how much elastic you need? How big should my stitches be? Unfortunately a lot of the answers to these questions come down practice and personal preference.
Once you have learnt how to attach elastic then it is easy to practice and looks effective even if your sewing is a bit wonky!
Some things to bare in mind:
Practicing on scraps and straight edges is a good place to start! Then move onto curves and more delicate fabrics once you start to master the technique.
Elastic stretch can vary significantly. It is important to test out new elastic before sewing to your final garment. Firmer elastics will need to be cut to a longer length than super soft, stretchy ones.
You want to try and stretch the elastic evenly the whole way around an edge; to help do this you can quarter and mark your garment edge and piece of elastic. That way you can stretch the elastic to each quarter mark instead of blindly pulling and hoping for the best!
It is important not to overstretch or under-stretch. Stretching too much will make your edge too small and tight. Under-stretching will make the garment loose and give the edge a wave effect when finished.
The plush (soft) side of the elastic should always sit against the skin when worn.
The first row of stitches should always be a one-step zigzag, but the second, topstitching row can be either a one-step or a three-step zigzag. This is mostly more a matter of personal preference, but for wider, firmer elastics a three-step may be more suitable.
Attaching Plush Back Elastic
1. Assemble your garment following your chosen pattern. For this example, I used our classic tanga pattern.
2. Divide your edge into quarters and mark with pins, then do the same with your elastic. Once you are more experienced it is possible to skip this step, but it does help you be more accurate.
3. Position the elastic to the right side of garment edge with the plush side facing upwards. If using an elastic with a picot edge, then the picot should face inwards, away from the garment edge. Stitch using a zigzag stitch close to the inside edge of the elastic. Stretch as you sew, using the quarter marks as reference. *Pay attention to the pattern's seam allowance. Usually, elastic edges will have a 0.6cm seam allowance meaning where you stitch your first row of stitches should be 0.6cm from the garment edge.*
4. Fold the elastic to the inside of the garment and sew along the bottom edge of the elastic using a zigzag stitch. Either increase the size of your one-step zigzag or change to a three-step zigzag stitch.
Bonus technique
For this pair of knickers, I wanted to use a contrast elastic binding (or fold over elastic). To do this I removed the 0.6cm seam allowance from my pattern before starting.
To attach the elastic I quartered the waist edge and the elastic piece. Then I folded the elastic over the garment edge and began with a few zigzag stitches to hold the elastic in place, before I then started stretching and sewing next to the elastic edge.
*Alternatively, stitch a row of basting zigzag stitches to attach the elastic to the inside of the garment, stitching only on one side of the elastic. Then fold the elastic over to the front encompassing the raw edge, then sew along the elastic edge to secure the front of the fold over elastic.*
Both of these techniques are very useful to have in your arsenal. Most intimate garments will have some sort of elasticated edge so this technique can be applied to a wide range of styles, even masks! The more you practice the better you will become and the more adventurous you can be with your designs!
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