How to Make Underwear for Men

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Things You'll Need

  • Men’s store-bought bikini brief

  • Scissors or seam ripper

  • Parchment paper

  • Pencil

  • Permanent marker

  • 1/2-yard jersey knit fabric or old T-shirt

  • Sewing pins

  • Thread

  • Sewing machine

  • 1 package 1/4-inch elastic

  • 1 package 1/2-inch elastic

Don't settle for store bought underwear when you can make your own.
Image Credit: khvost/iStock/Getty Images

Leave the store-bought tighty-whities on the shelf, and create your own men's bikini brief underwear in your favorite colors or prints. Handmade underwear is simple to sew and even easier to wear. You can create your own men's underwear starting with a deconstructed pair of men's bikini briefs and jersey knit fabric. From start to finish this project takes less than an hour to complete.

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Step 1

Deconstruct a comfortable pair of men's store-bought bikini briefs to create a pattern in a size that fits the intended wearer. Cut through the center of the seams -- or rip the seams with a seam ripper -- and lay each piece to the side. Cut away the elastic waistband and leg elastics, as you will need these. Depending on the bikini brief you took apart, you may have two or three pattern pieces for the main underwear and two leg and one waist elastic bands.

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Step 2

Set the pieces onto parchment paper and trace around them with a pencil, adding an 1/4 inch around each pattern piece for a seam allowance. Cut the pattern out and label each pattern piece with a permanent marker.

Step 3

Place a piece of jersey knit or an old T-shirt onto a flat surface. Arrange the pattern onto the fabric and pin it in place. Cut the pieces out.

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Step 4

Align the front and back pieces together with the right sides facing each other. Sew the sides together with a zigzag stitch at each side seam with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

Step 5

Sew the bottom center seam together if there are only two pattern pieces. For patterns with a center gusset, pin the gusset to the front and back of the underwear pieces, wrong-side of the fabric facing out. Sew the gusset in place using a zigzag stitch and a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

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Step 6

Cut the leg elastic using the original leg elastic as a pattern from 1/4 inch elastic. Add 1/2 inch to its length, and sew the ends together to form a band. Align the new elastic band against the leg opening and pin it in place, gently stretching the elastic as you pin it. Repeat this process for the other leg. Sew the elastic bands to the leg openings with a zigzag stitch, unless your machine has the stretch stitch option.

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Step 7

Add the elastic waist. Cut the waist elastic the same length as the elastic waist pattern, adding 1/2 inch for the seam allowance. Sew the ends of the elastic together. With the underwear right sides facing together pin the elastic waist to the underwear. Verify that the bottom of the waist elastic slightly overlaps the underwear. Sew the elastic in place with the zigzag or stretch stitch.

Tip

Sew the elastic bands on the outside or inside of the fabric as desired. Choose an elastic of a contrasting color if sewing to the outside.

Remove the sewing pins that hold the pattern pieces or the elastic as you sew to prevent the sewing machine needle from breaking.

Reverse the machine stitches at the end of a seam to lock the stitches and prevent the seams from unraveling. Cut loose threads away.

Warning

Keep fingers away from the sewing machine needle when sewing.

Prewash fabric to preshrink it and to ensure its color does not bleed.

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