Midnights DIY Garter Guide
This customizable garter design features elastic covered in spandex fabric exterior sequin trim. This guide provides instructions for measuring for your custom size, drafting your size, and assembling the garter.
A sewing machine and beginner sewing machine knowledge is required for this garter. It may be possible to sew this by hand, but I do not recommend that.
Materials:
For this project you will need:
¼ yard (or meter) of spandex fabric
the fabric must have at least 100% stretch so I recommend a spandex knit (athleisure wear fabric)
Note: you can only get full yards on amazon so it will be cheaper to go to your local fabric store and buy a smaller cut.
1 yard (or meter) of 3 row/ 3 cm width of stretchy sequin trim
Note: you can only get bulk lengths on amazon. At many craft stores, you can buy sequin trim by the yard which will be cheaper. You can also buy cheaper 2 yard cuts on sites like Temu, though minimum order pricing may apply.
Paper to draw your paper on.
Printer paper is fine, I also recommend gift wrapping paper with inch width grids on the back.
3/4 inch elastic: Braided or woven elastic is fine, as well as any color, since it will be covered by the spandex.
Matching color thread
Glue for embellishing the garter (I use E6000).
Ruler (or straight edge)
Tape measure
sewing pins
Optional Materials:
Rhinestones
30mm in Crystal
Fabric marker (I just use kids washable markers!)
Tailors chalk
Sewing clips or Pins
Measuring Instructions
How to measure for your custom size:
Determine where on your thigh where you would like to wear the garter.
With your knee at a 90 degree angle (knee bent), use a tape measure to measure the circumference (all the way around) your thigh.
If you do not have a tape measure, you can use a piece of string or ribbon to measure the length, then line the string up with a ruler, yard stick, or measuring tape to determine the circumference of your thigh.
This number is what you will use to make your pattern so write it down:)
Either centimeters or inches is fine– just use your preference. For this guide, I’ll use inches primarily, but I’ll include conversions.
I recommend using only whole centimeters or no smaller than half inches. I recommend rounding down if you are between measurements.
Drafting your Custom Pattern
To draft your pattern, you will need paper, pencil, tape, a ruler.
For this example, I am using my custom measurement of 19 inches.
Draw a rectangle with a width of 2.5 inches (6.4cm) and a length of your thigh measurement. My rectangle is 19x2.5 inches.
-The 2.5 width includes a ⅜ inch or 1 cm seam allowance. Do not add a seam allowance to the length.
You may need to tape a couple pieces of printer paper end to end to make your length long enough.
At one end of your rectangle, draw a line 3 inches from the end, and another line 1 inch from the end.
The 3 inch line marks your elastic length & the 1 inch line marks your sequin trim length.
Cut out your rectangle! That's your custom pattern!
Garter Construction Instructions
To sew your garter, you will need matching thread, a sewing machine, a universal sewing needle, sewing clips or pins, fabric scissors, and a beginner sewing machine knowledge.
Cutting your materials:
Make sure your spandex fabric is wrinkle free.
-You can run it in the dryer under your dewrinkle setting, iron on low heat, or gently steam.
Lay your spandex fabric out, and place your pattern on top of it. Make sure your pattern is parallel to the selvedge.
Place pattern weights on top of the pattern or pin it down so it does not move.
Now you can cut the fabric around the pattern, or you can trace the pattern on the fabric with a washable marker or tailor’s chalk, remove the paper pattern, then cut the pattern out this way. Either works.
Line your elastic up with the pattern and measure it to the line you marked at -3 inches. Here is where you will cut your elastic, so your elastic is 3 inches shorter than the spandex you cut out.
Line your sequin trim up with the pattern and measure it to the line you marked at -1 inch. This is where you will cut your sequin trim, so that your sequin trim is 1 inch shorter than the spandex you cut.
Now all of your pieces are cut out and ready to sew!
Instructions for Sewing the Garter:
*For sewing the garter, use a ⅜ inch (1cm) seam allowance for all steps, unless otherwise noted.
*also use a 2.5 mm stitch size for all steps.
Fold the spandex fabric in half long ways (hot dog style) and pin or clip. Make sure the sides are lined up as closely as possible.
-Do not skip pinning because spandex can be difficult to sew since it is very slippery.
Sew a straight stitch down the long way of the spandex on the machine.
-Gently pull the fabric while you sew so that the fabric stretches. DO NOT pull the fabric. Let the feed dogs guide the fabric as you stretch. Pulling the fabric will break your needles.
-DO NOT sew over the pins. Remove them before reaching that part. Sewing over pins will break your needle.
Trim your seam allowance by about half.
Either with a loop turner or by threading a safety pin, turn your fabric right side out so that the seam and seam allowance is hidden inside of the fabric.
Take your elastic and thread it through the fabric with that same loop turner or safety pin. Make sure both ends of your elastic is sticking out on each side.
place one edge of the elastic over the other edge so it overlaps and forms a loop. Using a zigzag stitch, sew the two sides together (use a lot of back and forth for security)
Take the raw edges of your fabric and fold one over the other edge so there are no showing raw edges and straight stich or zigzag that closed.
Now take your sequin trim and put the two ends together right to right. Sew together with about 1/4 of an inch seam allowance. Trim the excess ends.
Take the fabric and elastic loop and match it up with the sequin loop so that the fabric loop is on the inside. Pin them together in multiple spots, stretching the fabric loop to match the same size as the sequin loop while you pin (I find it easiest to put the loops on my thigh and match them up that way.)
With your widest zigzag stitch at the 2.5 stitch length, zigzag the two loops together on your sewing machine.
There it is! The sewing part is done and now we get to bedazzle!
I use SS30 rhinestones with E6000 glue for my rhinestones, but at this point, you can add what ever embellishments you want either by gluing or hand sewing.
And that’s all! You’re done! You may find you need to alter your pattern slightly, but this method is what works for me 95% of the time.
If you make one of these garters, please tag me in your posts! I love to see what you all make!
