How to Make a Thong Out of Regular Underwear

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Thong underwear -- you either hate it or love it. There is one thing we can all agree on, though, nobody likes it when their underwear lines show. Using a pair of regular cotton underwear, you can make the perfect underwear for date night by sewing your own thong. All you need is a pair of scissors, some fold-over elastic, basic sewing skills, and you can be underwear-line free in no time. After all, finding a comfortable thong in the right fabric can be hard, especially when you are hard pressed for time!

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Image Credit: Jess Abbott

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Things You'll Need

  • Regular underwear

  • 1 yard fold-over elastic

  • Rotary cutter / scissors

  • Ball point sewing needle

  • Coordinating thread

  • Pins

  • Sewing machine

Image Credit: Jess Abbott

Step 1: Cut Out Leg Holes to Create Thong Shape

Lay your underwear down matching up the leg holes so that the back of the underwear is folded together and laying flat. You want to be sure that everything is lined up exactly, so that when you do cut, it is even all around on both sides.

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Image Credit: Jess Abbott

Carefully start to cut around the upper portion of the leg (closest to the waistband), cutting off the binding of each leg hole. Continue in a straight line towards the back center of your underwear. Stop when you are approximately 2 inches from the back center.

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Image Credit: Jess Abbott

Curve your rotary cutter down towards the bottom of your underwear, giving you a nice triangle shape toward the top. As you cut, taper closer to the back center of your underwear, stopping when you are just 1/2 inch away from the center. Continue cutting down and around, until you reach just past where the underwear lining begins. Work your way up towards the front of the underwear, cutting off just the binding, until you reach the upper edge.

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Image Credit: Jess Abbott

Remove the old leg hole entirely, giving you the new thong underwear shape. Technically, you can stop here and wear your underwear for one night only. The thong will not fray, as it is made out of knit fabric, but it will also not stand the test of time. This would be more of a 1-night-only pair of underwear. It will suffice in a pinch, though. For underwear that lasts, continue to the next step.

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Image Credit: Jess Abbott

Step 2: Cut and Pin Fold Over Elastic to New Leg Holes

Measure around your new leg hole with the fold-over elastic. You want the elastic to be 1 1/2 inch shorter than your actual leg hole. Cut 2 pieces of elastic this length, 1 for each leg hole.

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Fold elastic right sides together, pin and sew the raw edge using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Make sure to use a ball point sewing needle, recommended for knit fabrics and a nice straight stitch.

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Tip

It can be tricky trying to determine the 'right' vs. 'wrong' side of fold-over elastic. The right side typically has a satin, shiny appearance with a specific line down the center, with the wrong side having a more matte look.

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Pin the fold-over elastic to one leg hole, on opposite sides, right sides together matching up the top edge. The elastic is slightly shorter than the leg hole opening, so you will need to make sure you stretch the elastic to fit evenly.

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Image Credit: Jess Abbott

Pin the fold-over elastic in the center, on opposite sides, once again stretching the elastic slightly so that it is evenly pinned.

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Image Credit: Jess Abbott

Step 3: Sew Fold-Over Elastic to Leg Hole

Using a stretch stitch on your machine (a small zig zag stitch, stretch stitch, or overlock stitch), sew using a 1/4 inch seam allowance close to the raw edge. Stretch the underwear as you sew, so that it is the same length as your elastic.

Image Credit: Jess Abbott

Fold the elastic over towards the inside of the underwear, covering up the exposed seam inside. Pin the elastic in place on the right side of the underwear. Sew using a small zig zag stitch to secure 1/2 inch away from edge.

Image Credit: Jess Abbott

Step 4: Repeat for Other Leg Hole

Repeat steps 2 & 3 for other leg opening and fold-over elastic. Lightly press with an iron on low setting to finish and enjoy!

Image Credit: Jess Abbott
Image Credit: Jess Abbott

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