How To: Felt Lucky Pants / Underpants / Knickers Badge

I've got three little felt tutorials to share with you guys this week... starting with today's project: making a lucky pair of felt underpants!

These cute felt brooches / badges are quick and easy to sew, and they make fun, silly gifts for people about to sit exams or anything else where they need a bit of extra luck.

To make one of these badges you will need...

- the template sheet at the bottom of this post
- felt in three bright colours
- mini star sequins (approx 6mm)
- matching sewing threads
- a needle & a pin
- sewing scissors (embroidery scissors are ideal for cutting out small shapes)
- a brooch clasp or safety pin

1. Use the template provided to cut out one pants shape (from colour #1), and one oval shape (colour #2) - pinning or holding the paper pattern piece to the felt as you cut around it.

When I used to make these brooches for sale in my Etsy shop (many years ago!), I cut out the oval shapes by hand (which is why the finished brooches in the photos are all slightly different shapes), but you definitely get a neater finish with a template!

2. Place the pants shape in the centre of the oval, and use running stitch and matching sewing thread to sew it in position.

3. Pin or hold the oval shape on another piece of felt (colour #3) and cut around it, leaving a small border of the third colour around the oval. Then use the piece you've just cut out as a template to cut a second matching shape from the same colour.

 

4. Use matching thread and running stitch to sew the oval onto one of the new pieces.

 

5. Then decorate the pants with a trio of small star-shaped sequins, sewing each sequin in place with 5 stitches. You can use thread to match the sequins (e.g. I used white to "match" the silver sequins I used for this brooch) or to match the colour of the pants.

 
If you can't find any small star sequins, you could use one larger star instead.

6. Turn over the remaining felt shape, and sew a brooch clasp or safety pin to the back. If you're adding a brooch clasp (as pictured) use a double-thickness of matching sewing thread to secure the clasp.

If you're using a safety pin, use matching thread to sew a small piece of felt over the fixed bar of the pin, holding it in place.

 

7. Place the front and back of the brooch together, and sew around the edge with running stitch and matching sewing thread (colour #3) - sewing flush with the edge of the central oval. Finish your stitching neatly at the back.

 

Here's some I made earlier! :)

Click here to view the template sheet in another window/tab, and print it at 100%.

This tutorial is for non commercial use only: you can use it to make as many brooches as you want for yourself or as gifts, but please don't make any for sale. You may borrow a few photos if you want to blog about this project, but remember to credit me and link back to the original source, and do not reproduce my tutorial on your site. Thanks!

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