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Pattern Throwdown: Undie Edition

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Why yes, it’s time for our next Pattern Throwdown–this time, it’s a Panty Throwdown! (And yes, I’m going to try to work that phrase “panty throwdown” into this post as much as possible.)

Five panty patterns will enter the ring, but only one will emerge victorious! A few things to note about my search for the Perfect Panty Pattern:

  • My shape: I am a rectangle from the front with a bit of a “mom tum”, an apple from the side, and has not-insignificant heart-shaped booty. My mom tum tends to cause bikini-cut undies to roll down under my tummy shelf, which is something that I try to avoid.
  • Current RTW favorite panty: My current go-to RTW panty is the cotton Torrid “hipster” panty in a Torrid size 1. I’ve worn Lane Bryant undies a lot in the past, but their current elastic seems to give out so quickly that I’ve basically given up on them.
  • Fit preferences: Panty fit preference is a very personal thing, as we all know.  For everyday wear, I prefer a mid-rise “hipster brief” that comes up high enough to not roll down under my “mom tum” but don’t come all the way up to my navel. The legs should be cut high enough to not cut into my thigh, but I usually avoid “cheeky” cuts to my booty, as the rear legs seem to tend to get stretched out and give me wedgies after a few hours of wear.
  • Panty throwdown goal: I tried five different panty patterns in hopes of finding one that I’d like as much as the Torrid hipster, but that I can sew up a whole drawer of myself.
  • Panty pics: Some women are brave enough to post photos of themselves in their underwear on the internet. I am not one of those women. However, to give our readers some idea of how these patterns fit, I’ve traced a croquis of my lower body and using iPhone photos, I’ve drawn the various fit pics onto my croquis.
  • Fabric used: I’m a cotton undie girl. For this Panty Throwdown, I sewed each pattern using a 95% cotton/5% lycra blend knit fabric.

For reference, I had the following measurements when I chose my sizing and sewed these patterns:

  • Bust: 49 inches
  • Waist: 42.5 inches
  • Hips: 48.5 inches
  • Bra Size: 40H
  • RTW undie size: Size XL-XXL
  • Usual Sizes Sewn: XL – 2X

The Contenders

I chose my contending patterns for this challenge by going with three undie patterns that seem to be very popular on the CSC Facebook group (the Rad Patterns Lucky Undies and the two Stitch Upon Time patterns), a new-ish pattern from a line that I’ve sewn from a lot (Blank Slate), and a Seamwork pattern, since so many of our readers have Seamwork subscriptions. Note that I paid for all of these patterns out of my own pocket (although the Blank Slate is a free download). Our contenders tonight, in alphabetical order, are:

Blank Slate panties

The Blank Slate panty is a fairly new pattern that Melly of Blank Slate released for Blank Slate newsletter subscribers. The free pattern doesn’t have written construction instructions, but Melly did record a very clear, easy-to-follow video tutorial that walks you through the construction steps. I have to confess that viewing the tutorial video (and seeing how easy it is to sew your own underwear) was what got me started on this quest to begin with.

Blank Slate Panty – as they fit on me – drawn on my croquis

Things I liked:

  • Enclosed crotch gusset: Even though this pattern was “the free pattern”, it was the only pattern that I tested that included a completely enclosed crotch gusset. The video tutorial demonstrates the “burrito method”, which shows how easy it is to get a completely enclosed gusset when your pattern includes the appropriate pieces. I prefer a completely enclosed gusset, as the lining piece of the panty is less prone to getting stretched/distorted on period days, or worse, having a pad or liner shift on you during wear because of an open gusset.
  • Fit: These have a nice, RTW-ish fit and were the least “grandma panties” of the patterns that I tried. I particularly liked the leg cut on this pair.
  • True-to-size: I felt that this pattern ran a bit more true-to-size than the other patterns, which tended to run from slightly big to really huge.
  • Fabric usage: Because of the enclosed crotch gusset, the pattern pieces for this panty are really tiny; you really can make these out of your leftover scraps.

Things I disliked:

These are super nit-picky, but there were a few things that I’d want to change in future versions:

  • Rise: Off the PDF, the front rise on these were a little low for my liking. This would be a super easy pattern modification to make, though.
  • Elastic lengths: I found the elastic lengths given on the pattern PDF to run a little short, in that the elastic was a little snugger than I like, and I also had to do quite a bit of easing. Again, this is a nitpick, but I think it’ll take some minor trial-and-error to find a length/snugness that I like.

Colette Seamwork Dana mid-rise brief

Seamwork – Dana midrise cheeky briefs

I normally avoid “cheeky bum” cut underwear, as it tends to be wedgie-prone for me, but I somehow missed that bit of the pattern description for these. So, I’ll cut this pattern some slack with that, but this pattern had plenty of other issues… To be blunt, these were my least-favorite undies that I made as part of this project.

Seamwork Dana – as they fit on me – drawn on my croquis

Things I liked:

  • “Cheeky” cut is accurate: I’m having a hard time coming up with something positive to say here. The “cheeky” part of the pattern description is accurate, I guess?
  • PDF layers: This pattern includes “layers” in its PDF so that you can print out only the size(s) that you need.

Things I disliked:

  • Uncomfortable to wear: These were so uncomfortable that I wore them once to try them on and slept in them, then didn’t wear them again until I did the photos/illustrations for this post. They were NOT comfortable. And the leg holes did stretch out and give me a wedgie with that “cheeky bum” cut.
  • Hemmed leg holes: The leg holes on these briefs, as designed, do not have any sort of elastic or banding or anything to keep them from stretching out. They’re just flipped over and hemmed, which means that the leg holes/crotch stretch out terribly after a few hours of wear. I have a RTW pair of undies with the same design flaw, and I have the same problem with them.
  • Non-burrito’ed crotch gusset: I prefer my panty crotches to have a fully enclosed crotch gusset (sewn burrito style). Like most of the patterns I tried, the Dana briefs have the crotch lining attached at the back, and then hanging loose (or top-stitched down) at the front.
  • Rise: Ugh, on what planet are these supposed to be mid-rise briefs?  As you can see from the croquis illustration, these came up a good 2″ over my navel!  I mean, I’m short, but I’m not that short. I can’t see these actually being mid-rise on anyone less than 6 feet tall.

Rad Patterns Lucky Undies hipster brief

Rad Patterns – Lucky Undies

I liked these a lot. My final undies were very comfortable and offered a nice amount of tummy/booty coverage. I liked the fit on the Scrundlewear 2.0 slightly more, but the Lucky Undies include more options. I’ve worn these quite a bit since I’ve made them.

Rad Patterns – Lucky Undies – as they fit on me – drawn on my croquis

Things I liked:

  • Comfort: These were the second most comfortable pair of undies that I tried (right behind the SUAT Scrundlewear 2.0 briefs).
  • Fit: While not particularly sexy, these had enough coverage to cover my tummy without having too high of a rise, and they offered a nice amount of booty coverage in back.
  • Lots of pattern options: While I’m a pretty traditional briefs girl most of the time, if you do like to experiment with different cuts of undies, this pattern will have you covered. The Lucky Undies pattern includes every major “cut” of undies, outside of boyshorts and trunks.
  • PDF layers: This pattern includes “layers” in its PDF so that you can print out only the size(s) that you need. You’ll pretty much need to use the “layers” option because the size lines are color-coded and difficult to distinguish if you print out the pattern in black-and-white.

Things I disliked:

  • Overlayed/stitched down crotch gusset: Yeah, so the crotch gusset isn’t enclosed in ANY seam on these. The crotch liner is a separate pattern piece that you overlay on the front/back (once they’ve been attached at the crotch) and then top-stitched down. Functionally, it was fine to wear (and worked fine on period days), but it just feels a little lazy, I guess.
  • Stretching out: Total nitpick: I’m not entirely sure if it was my fabric or something slightly off with the leg hole cut, but I did find that the Lucky Undies were slightly more prone to having the leg holes stretching out over a long wear than the Scrundlewear 2.0. And that’s the main reason why I give the Scrundlewear 2.0 a slight edge over the Lucky Undies.
  • Color-coded size lines on the pattern PDF: If you forget to set the “layers” for the sizes you want (like I did the first time), the size lines for this pattern are color-coded, making it difficult to distinguish between sizes if you print out in black-and-white like most of us.

Stitch Upon Time Bunzies high-rise full-booty-coverage brief

Stitch Upon Time – Bunzies

I know that some people love these undies; I did not. I thought that I had a large booty, but my booty came nowhere close to filling out the “full booty coverage” option on these. I suspect that this pattern probably works really well for some figure types; it’s not a bad pattern, but it didn’t work for me. If you don’t want “full booty coverage”, there’s also a “booty” (i.e. “cheeky”) and a “super booty” (i.e. “super cheeky”) option for booty options.

Here’s how they looked on me:

SUAT Bunzies – as they fit on me – drawn on my croquis

Things I liked:

  • Booty coverage options: I did really like seeing the different booty coverage options, even if I wanted to avoid a “cheeky” cut and discovered that my booty doesn’t fill out the “full coverage” option here.
  • PDF layers: This pattern includes “layers” in its PDF so that you can print out only the size(s) that you need.

Things I disliked:

  • Fit: The fit on these just really wasn’t for me. I thought that these would be my worst-fitting undies out of this batch of patterns until I tried the Seamwork Dana briefs.
  • Lack of mid-rise option: This pattern includes two rises: Low and High. I tried the high rise, thinking that would work better for me than “low”, which I feared would be bikini-low…but the high was just too high for me.
  • Color-coded rise/cut lines: The options for the different rise/cut lines are color-coded, which can be confusing when you print in black-and-white, like I do.

Stitch Upon Time Scrundlewear 2.0 mid-rise brief

Stitch Upon Time – Scrundlewear 2.0

If I had to pick a “winner” out of this batch, the Scrundlewear 2.o would be it. Like the Rad Patterns Lucky Undies, the Scrundlewear 2.0 briefs are very comfortable…as in, “every wash cycle” comfortable. In fact, I like the fit of the Scrundlewear 2.0 very slightly more than the Lucky Undies, so that’s what pushes them over the top.

SUAT – Scrundlewear 2.0 drawn on my croquise

Things I liked:

  • Fit: These had my goldilocks fit of having a high enough, but not too high rise, and an adequate but not overwhelming amount of booty coverage.
  • Comfort: These were the most comfortable undies that I tried. I reached for this pattern immediately when I needed a “palate cleanser” between more complicated sewing projects.
  • PDF layers: This pattern includes “layers” in its PDF so that you can print out only the size(s) that you need.

Things I disliked:

  • Color-coded rise/cut lines: The options for the different rise/cut lines are color-coded, which can be confusing when you print in black-and-white, like I do.

Final Thoughts

When I went to make a few more pairs of undies, the two patterns that I reached for were the Scrundlewear 2.0 and the Blank Slate undies, although I did add 1″ to the front and back rises of the Blank Slates. I wanted the variety of having the super comfortable option of the Scrundlewear and the option of the RTW and more minimal feel of the Blank Slates.

As a side note, I was so happy with the Scrundlewear 2.0 undies that I purchased the kids’ version of Scrundlewear and have since sewed up a pair for my 6-year-old, and she and I were both very impressed with the comfort and fit of those briefs on her, too.

Have any of you tried sewing your own underwear? What’s your favorite undie pattern and why do you love it?

Comments

  2. Hi Michelle,
    Loved your post! I was wondering what fabric you liked the best with all that testing. I have the Scrundlewear pattern. I sewed it with cotton95%/lycra5% and found that the waistband stretched out whenever I wore it. Otherwise I too love this pattern. I may use a polyester/Lycra fabric next time.

  3. Hi Michelle,
    Loved your post! I was wondering what fabric you liked the best with all that testing. I have the Scrundlewear pattern. I sewed it with cotton95%/lycra5% and found that the waistband stretched out whenever I wore it. Otherwise I too love this pattern. I may use a polyester/Lycra fabric next time.

  4. I love making my own undies. Most satisfying home sewing project ever.

    My first pattern was a now OOP Kwik Sew, and I moved on to another pattern that I can’t remember.

    Then I took Beverly Johnson’s panty course on Craftsy. Which I loved, but finding elastic locally is a nightmare, and IMHO adds to the cost, sometimes elastic is more than the fabric!

    Then I found Bunzies. I love them. I laughed when I read that you didn’t have enough booty to fill them out, I had to add to mine! For me they are absolutely perfect, they stay where you put them, they don’t crawl up my a$$ and they are fast and cheap to make. Perfection.

    PS-I always use the burrito method for the crotch gusset.

  5. Thank you for your review. I used Kwik Sew years ago and they fit great-when I was a size 8 🙂 Now I have to trace a much larger size and am experimenting again (with old T shirts) and they still fit well. Happy here

  6. Honestly, I swear by self-drafted undies. Beverly Johnson’s panty-making class on Craftsy walks you through every step. I have a master pattern for 50% stretch fabrics (like cotton lycra) & one for 30% stretch (like tricot), & even one for non-stretch wovens (like shorty bloomers–no negative ease). I’ve customized them for fold-over elastic, stretch lace bands, & traditional panty elastic. So my entire udies drawer has been drafted specifically for my measurements (large waist, narrow hips, no ass) & every pair is fully customized. I like to use scraps from garment-making to make matching bras & panties. I think it’s fun to know that I’m not just wearing, say, a strawberry print dress. My bra & panties are strawberry print too!

    • I, too, swear by Beverly Johnson’s Craftsy class. For someone with wide hips and a protruding tummy and bum, it’s been amazing to have underwear that actually fits. 50% of my underwear is self-drafted and it’s really the only ones I wear with any regularity. I use fold-over elastic that I order in bulk and it’s so comfy.

    • I will never buy or try another pre-made pattern. I agree with Ciara and Sue – Beverly’s Craftsy class on underwear is great. I made underwear that completely fits my body – no tugs, no gaps, no tightness, no drooping. I have coverage where I want it, and less coverage where I don’t want it. I now have a whole collection of cotton hipsters for sleeping and lounging, and higher-waist nylon and mesh ones for wearing under fitted clothing. The only caveat about the Craftsy class is that IMO crotch/gusset is too short as suggested in the course and I just made it a little bit longer and narrower, as I prefer. It was an easy fix.

      For those who question cost–even with the cost of elastic, making my own underwear is cost effective because, after some practice, it is higher quality than low-end RTW. Cotton ones can be made from scraps of other projects. I can also add features (like lace and mesh panels) that would be much more pricey if I bought them, Plus, RTW simply doesn’t fit as well. Once you go custom, there’s no going back!

  7. I love the pattern throwdowns, and funnily enough, this one coincided perfectly with a recent underwear obsession! I have a few of these patterns in my “to try” queue, and have made both the Bunzies and the Scrundlewear with mixed results.

  8. You do realize you can do a burrito on every pattern, don’t you? Yes it’s better if you get instructions, for first-time panty makers. But once you know it’s possible and you have seen a demo, you can just do it on every pair you make. I usually do the front seam first, marking the seam line on the body for accuracy, but once that’s done it’s all the same

    • Not every pattern is drafted for a fully enclosed gusset, though. Of the patterns I tried, one was drafted for a fully enclosed gusset, three were drafted for a liner attached only at the back (and leg holes) and free in the front, and one simply had the liner sitting on top and stitched down. To convert the ones without the gusset drafted to be enclosed, you’ll need to do some pattern hacking, and I’m not going to bother hacking a simple panty pattern until I know whether or not it has the potential fit and comfort-wise for me to want to make it again.

  9. I had success with the Bunzies, cheeky cut with a 1/2″ flat butt adjustment. I also decreased the elastic down two inches from recommended. I’ve found fabric matters SO much for the fit. The pairs I wear most were made out of Elvelyckan scraps or 240 gsm jersey (via L’oiseau Fabrics.) Anything less stiff stretches out and bunches up quickly. I don’t really see a difference in comfort between lingerie/swim elastic/FOE. My perfect pair has a jersey waistband and elastic legs.

  10. Thank you so much got your excellent comparison review. Many years ago I used Kwik Sew patterns to make undies for my children with great success. You have inspired me to try making some for myself!

  11. This is a great comparison! I think I share similar wants and needs as you when it comes to patterns. I love the full coverage of the Bunzies pattern but since they’re loose on you it doesn’t surprise me that you love the Scrundlewear pattern so much- the coverage for that pattern is in between the coverage of Bunzies “Booty” and “Full Coverage”. If you end up wanting to make an elastic leg option then I suggest giving Bunzies another try 🙂 Happy Sewing!

  12. Interesting post as I will probably be making undies soon. I’ve been taking a lot of Craftsy classes and found this course on Craftsy Unlimited. “Lingerie Essentials: Boyshort Panty Styles” by Beverly Johnson https://unlimited.craftsy.com/play?p=11415&e=20646 I intend to draft a pattern for my body and try out these undies.

    The ends of the gusset are not enclosed, but I would just zig zag them down. Johnson does not instruct the sewer to apply elastic to the legs holes but that is minor and any sewer could do that if desired.

  13. This gave me some further ideas. I made a pattern from my old panties. Keep adjusting it each time I make a pair. Maybe one day it will be perfect. I make them out of cotton knit tops like T-shirts. Learned to do the burrito style gusset which is great. Don’t like them as much as my Jockey RTW’s yet.

  14. I have exactly the same fit issues as you do Michelle. I was thinking about making a pattern for the undies from an existing favourite pair. If I could find fabric with similar stretch to the store bought it could work.

    • FWIW, my modified Blank Slate pattern (with the rise heightened slightly) looks awfully similar to my Torrid undies when I overlay them. In general, I liked the Scrundies, Blank Slate, and Rad Luckies all better than most RTW undies.

      The great thing about sewing your own underwear is that you can sew up a pair VERY quickly, so you can try out a few different patterns/options without investing a ton of time.

  15. Thank you so much for this post! I found it very helpful and I think I am ready to take the plunge and make my own! I have made some for my 5 year old but not for my self.

    • You’re welcome! My goal was to write a comparison post that I had wished existed when I started out on my quest to find the Perfect Panty Pattern for myself. There are so many options, but it’s hard to tell what might be right for your own figure/preferences without really digging in.

  16. Awesome idea to use croquis to show fit. : ) Agree that panties are worth it.
    I was too lazy to draft, so I chose the Rad Lucky maternity hipster and brief because of a ‘mothers apron’. I used Bev Johnson’s method of construction for the enclosed gusset, which I altered to get coverage to fit the average panty- liner. Also used Bev’s alteration for the dropped bottom.
    Hate elastic on my skin so opted for a very smooth flat elastic meant for diapers and did a self- fabric turn to encase it for the waistband. Liked the knit binding idea for legs so used that too.
    All in all, I could never find comfort like this, so I digitized my final pattern in 2 versions scaled for stretch factors of 25% & 50%.
    I have old Kwik Sew 2529 that has a ‘short’ I may try next. I did check out Bev’s boy short class, but I really want something with a crotch gusset and some leg length to prevent rub.

    • SUAT has women’s boxer wear that ladies use for chub rub. I have the pattern but haven’t made it yet. It has good reviews.

      • Yes! I loved the Scrundies enough that I bought the SUAT women’s boxer wear, although I haven’t tried them yet. RTW long-inseam boyshort/boxers are my go-to undergarment for under skirt and dresses to avoid chub rub.

        • I have the SUAT women’s boxer pattern and I absolutely love them, pretty much worn through the one’s I’ve made and now need to make a new lot. They are so much more comfortable than the cheap or expensive one’s I’ve bought in the past. If you have an ample bottom you will need to make some adjustments.

  17. My own answer to fitting problems us elasticated lace. I prefer lower cut undies but due to my own mum tum I find they roll down, and full fit aren’t always what I wasn’t, especially as they can stretch into giving a wedgie especially when wearing jeans. I experimented with RTW at first before using some as a pattern and making my oiwn, and found that the answer is elasticated lace. I use a wide lace, 6″, on the waist and 1″ on the legs. This means the waist actually comes up over the belly button but being elastic seems to make it feel as though they are lower while the wider keg elastic keeps the shape and, so far, has stopped any wedgies. Like you, I prefer the fully sewn in gusset because it looks neater and doesn’t stretch out of shape.

  18. Bunzies, full cheek, bands, and in between the two rises is my happy place. A friend made me a pair as a party favour and they just felt amazing. I have been experimenting with bamboo velour for the gusset and it feels amazing.
    I need to try hacking them for a fully enclosed gusset.

    • Beverly Johnson’s Craftsy class on panty drafting and construction has instructions on how to draft a gusset. It seems like it would be pretty easy to hack a gusset for a pattern that doesn’t already have a fully enclosed one. Once I stop tinkering with the fit on the Scrundies, I’m going to try hacking a fully enclosed gusset onto them.

      BTW–Once I get that figured out, is that something people would be interested in seeing a tutorial for (hacking and sewing a fully enclosed gusset)?

    • This! I made the Luckies, ScrundleWear, boxerwear, Bunzies, and another I don’t recall. Bunzies are my dmfav, Luckies second.

  19. Absolutely Brilliant using your personal croqui…
    At present I am mass producing sets with Megan Nielsen’s Acacia bottoms for my size 4 daughterbut they are size limited. I have been trying to decide whether to draft for myself (and my mom tum/tummy shelf/C-section scar)
    Your review of Scrundlewear 2.o may have convinced me what to do

    • Yeah, Megan Nielsen isn’t exactly known for inclusive sizing. I do think that the Scrundlewear or Rad Luckies will probably give you what you’re looking for without having to self-draft. At the very least, they have a few different cut and rise options you can experiment with for the price of one pattern.

  20. Ahhhh…….. the Throw Down I’ve been hoping would crop up! Very informative Michelle and your artwork shows exactly what it needs to! I’ve never made my own underwear although I do own the SUAT Scrundies pattern. I’ll have to try both that and the Blank Slate one too. Thank you so much.

  21. Thanks for the informative post. I really liked the the scroop patterns wonder unders. More briefs than hipsters, but great bum coverage.

    • I’ve read good things about the Wonder Unders! We’re getting so many other good pattern suggestions in the comments that someone should do a follow-up Panty Throwdown at some point down the line.

  22. Brilliant throw down! I went through a stage where I tried different underwear patterns out of scrap Jersey- which I still collect- and have a favorite pair, but now, as I wanted to give it awhile to see which wore the best – I can’t remember which pattern I used and I didn’t take notes as I usually do!!!!

    • The Rad Luckies and Scrundies are similar enough that at one point, I had to look at the crotch gusset (since the Luckies have just an overlayed gusset) to tell them apart.

  23. I have only tried one pattern, which are the Scrundies original and 2.0 patterns. I make them for my teenage daughters and they love them. Each of my three girls prefers a different fit, so over time I have drafted the exact one each likes, then made three lightweight Pellon patterns so I can pull out the right one and make a perfect pair. One likes hi-rise boy shorts, another a slightly higher-than-bikini brief, and the other likes a hi-rise brief. The third likes FOE and the first two prefer the bands. I think the banded ones are easier to make, although they take up a surprising amount of fabric when you cut out the bands. I sew them on my serger and do not top stitch anything.

  24. What a great throwdown! I’d been looking at panty patterns for a couple of years, & have been using a self drafted one, but with only ‘meh’ results. I finally bit the bullet & purchased the Barrie Boy Cut Briefs by Kitschy Coo patterns, even though I’m a couple of inches larger than their largest size.
    They also feature no elastic (too irritating to my skin) waist & leg bands, & I want the waistband to sit under my mom tum
    I need more of these in my life! I will raise the leg fronts an inch, & lower the front waist a bit,too. But that’s for my personal fit preferences.
    Now I’m off to check out Melissa’s video for a burrito gusset …

  25. Loved reading your reviews of these! You said you prefer a mid-rise hipster fit, and that’s the type of fit I like too, so I thought I’d mention my favorite pattern, the Free Hipster by MakeBra. It only has 4 size options, but I ended up going down 1 size, and it might not be too hard to grade the pattern up or down if needed. I cut the crotch separately and I do the burrito method. I try them on and then stretch my elastic around myself to decide the elastic lengths because some elastics have more stretch than others. They have the booty coverage I like and don’t ride up. Plus it’s a free pattern (just add seam allowances), so definitely worth checking out. (Google makebra free hipster and then click the blue link under the photo to download). The only other undie pattern I’ve tried is the Free Acacia by Megan Neilsen, which were very cute, bikini style cut, and had Excellent instructions, but not my preferred booty coverage.

  26. Thank you so much for the review. I have thought about making my own undies but my issue is my waist and hips measurements are larger than those on the largest sizing measurements on the pattern. I also cant find a high cut bikini option, I cant wear anything else. Oh well I guess. Thanks again.

    • If it helps, I’m a few (~3) inches larger than the Scrundies and I love them. I use elastic, not bands, brief style, cut 2 gusset pieces about a 1/2″ longer than the pattern piece and do an enclosed gusset. Best fitting undies I’ve ever worn!

  27. Thanks so much for this review! I’ve only ever given a passing thought to sewing my own undies, but I also have a problem with the rolling fronts, which is driving me crazy! Also, thanks for the note on getting the kid’s version! My tall 5 yo is always having problems with her underwear not fitting right. Both the adult and the kid version of the scrundlewear are immediately going in my cart. I feel vindicated for saving every scrap of knit fabric. 🙂

    Also, using the croquis was brilliant!!

    • My 6-year-old is pretty averaged size, and I found the kids’ version ran true to her RTW size, if that proves to be helpful. Also–the thing she really loves about the kids version is the leg bands. She doesn’t like the feeling of binding that the elastic from some undies gives around the groin area, so the bands work great for her.

  28. Great throwdown!

    I’ve sewn my own undies for years. Started with a Kwik Sew pattern, which I modified to narrow the crtoch piece a bit and raise the overall rise a smidge. I’ve also curved out the “cheek” part a little for extra coverage/wedgie-insurance. And a fully enclosed crotch liner is the ONLY way to go.

    • Yeah, I was pretty shocked that the “free” pattern (the Blank Slate) was the only one to include a fully enclosed crotch gusset as drafted. BTW–with the extra height I’ve added to the rise, I REALLY like the fit on the Blank Slates now. Scrundies are still my favorite for comfort (because of the leg bands), but I think that over time, I’m going to end up with a mix of both patterns in my underwear drawer.

  29. Great post Michelle- thanks for sharing! I like the drawings approach. So did you like the banded legs on the scrundlewear? I haven’t tried them yet because I thought it would be bulky and not have as much “staying power” as lingerie elastic or FOE. But is sounds like it worked for you! No complaints? I might have to give this method a try.

    • I did try the leg bands on both the Scrundlewear and the Rad Luckies, which also have the banded leg option. They took a few wears to get used to, but once I did, I found them very comfortable. On the other hand, like you mention, they *are* bulky, so the banded pairs are never going to replace every pair in my drawer–I’ll always need a few sleeker options available.

  30. Great post Michelle- thanks for sharing! So did you like the banded legs on the scrundlewear? I haven’t tried them yet because I thought it would be bulky and not have as much “staying power” as lingerie elastic or FOE. But is sounds like it worked for you! No complaints? I might have to give this method a try.

  33. Oh my gosh, I love this post! Drawing on the croquis was a stroke of brilliance! I wear me-made high raise granny panties, based on a much altered Ohhh Lulu pattern. I made the scundies once, and didn’t like the thick bands, but I did like the overall design!

    • Yeah, I struggled a bit to try to come up with a way to make this post useful, as I felt I needed some visual way to show the fit on these. At the very least, when I was selecting patterns, seeing samples on a curvy body would have been very helpful.

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