Lingerie Made From Everyday Things

It's no secret that, despite its miniscule fabric, lingerie can be quite expensive. To avoid that high price tag, make your own out of everyday things. Right at this very moment, old and unused items that you can upcycle into flirty and sexy lingerie may be sitting in a drawer or closet.

A silky pillowcase can take on a whole new life with a few inexpensive items and a little time. Cut the top seam off of the pillowcase. Measure and mark where you want the armholes, then cut the armholes out of each side. Fold about 1 inch of the fabric over and secure with a zigzag stitch to create a hem where you've cut the top seam off. Do the same for the armholes. It isn't a hard and fast rule that you must sew hems, but doing so helps prevent the fabric from fraying. Sew two satin ribbons at each top corner of the pillowcase for shoulder straps. To embellish, sew a bit of lace at the bottom of the chemise, if desired.

That favorite bra that has become unsupportive can be turned into a sexy baby doll. All you need is elastic, tulle or organza, a measuring tape, needle and thread. Measure your bust line and cut the corresponding amount from the fabric and elastic. Sew the elastic to the fabric with a sewing machine and then hand sew the elastic to the bottom of the bra. Embellish the baby doll by sewing a cute bow on the middle of the bra.

No need to throw away that old-but-comfy T-shirt when you can make a cute chemise out of it. With the shirt spread out flat, cut straight across the front from one armpit to the other. Don't throw away the top portion of the shirt – you will use it to create the bodice portion of the chemise. Use a cami you already own as a template to trace and cut from the top part of the shirt. Sew the bodice onto the bottom portion of the chemise. Fold the fabric into itself and sew down the front side of the shirt to create "tucks" on both sides, if desired. To create the straps, cut strips from any discarded portion of the old T-shirt and sew onto the chemise. If you don't have any remaining fabric, you can use silk ribbon.

You can create pair after pair of panties from T-shirts and other knit fabric. Fold the T-shirt or fabric in half. Lay a pair of folded underwear that fit you well directly on top. Make sure the folds of the T-shirt and underwear are aligned. Use the folded underwear as a template and cut around the flattened parts of the underwear allowing for a 1/4-inch seam. If you cannot get the entire folded underwear cut out of the T-shirt, then you will need to work in pieces. Don't forget to cut a piece of fabric for the panel portion of the underwear. Once all pieces are cut, sew the seams and assemble the pieces using a basic stitch. Sew a piece of elastic with a zigzag stitch around the top part of the panties. If you want to get even more creative, use a shirt or fabric with a different pattern for the back of the panties.