Positive Pants

Chin up everyone, it’s time to pull on your Positive Pants. We’ve all been there, in need of some self-belief and a little encouragement as we navigate life’s many ups and downs. Whilst this may be all too relatable, Carolyn Letten has the crafty solution: positive pants! Whether you use them to adorn a greeting card, keyring, or brooch, these uplifting undergarments will let your loved ones know they have a supportive stitcher in their corner.

Essentials

Fabric: plain: turquoise, orange, yellow, peach; patterned: caramel ditsy floral, white check, navy star, navy letter; faux leather, silver; lace, cream
Lightweight iron-on interfacing
Felt, silver glitter
Pom pom trim, aqua
Split ring
Greeting card blank, 18cm
Acid-free glue stick
Brooch back
Ribbon: turquoise chevron, teal grosgrain

Make a card

Download and print the templates from sewmag.co.uk. Using an acid-free glue stick, cover the front of the card blank in turquoise, allowing for a 2.5cm overlap over the spine onto the back. Cut a 12.5cm diameter circle from caramel ditsy floral, back with iron-on interfacing, then stitch it directly onto the card front using orange thread. Using the template provided, snip out the back of the pants from plain orange and the front of the pants from peach floral. Back both pieces with interfacing, then stitch the back of the pants onto the caramel floral circle.
Trace the words onto white tissue. Secure the tissue in place, sew over the words twice in navy thread, then tear the tissue away. Stitch lengths of cotton lace trim across the top and around the legs, tucking the raw ends over onto the reverse. Using a coordinating thread, stitch the finished pant front in place on the card. Trace the ‘you can do this’ onto tissue, secure in place across the bottom of the card, leaving space for the pompom trim. Sew over it twice in navy thread.
Use acid-free glue to secure a length of aqua pom-pom trim around the caramel floral circle, making sure the ends meet at the top left of the pants. Cut out five felt stars from glittery silver. Position, then sew in place.

Stitch a keyring

Download and print the templates from sewmag.co.uk. Cut a plain yellow 8.5cm circle and use acid-free glue to stick it to the middle of the slightly larger leatherette circle. Sew once around the yellow circle using teal thread. Use the templates to cut out the boxer shorts from navy letter print and the middle section from star print. Stick them in place in the middle of the circle with acid-free glue. Secure the edges with bright orange thread. Sew a piece of chevron stripe ribbon across the top of the shorts. Use the tissue method to stitch ‘think positive’ and ‘lucky pants’.
Sew a length of turquoise ribbon down the middle of a length of wider chevron ribbon. Trim the excess leatherette with pinking shears close to the inner circle. Place it right side up onto a second piece of wrong side up leatherette. Sew over the original line of stitching to secure, inserting the raw ends of the ribbon loop you have made with a split ring in place into the top. Trim to finish.

Sew a brooch

Download and print the templates from sewmag.co.uk. Use pinking shears to cut out an 8.5cm diameter circle from turquoise square print. Use bright orange thread to stitch it to a slightly larger circle of silver faux leather. Cut out the back of the pants from plain peach and the front of the pants from caramel floral. Stick them in the middle of the circle. Take a length of frilly lace and gather it so it fits across the top of the pants, sew to secure.
Using the tissue paper method, use navy thread to sew the words in place. Place it right side up onto the wrong side of a circle of silver faux leather. Sew around the original line of bright orange stitching, then trim off the excess to leave a small border of silver. Stitch a small silver glitter star in place and attach a brooch back to finish.