A tummy control panel
is easy to add to any pants or shorts pattern.
Whether plus-sized or not, many of us deal with the reality of a little tummy bulge. To comfortably control it, you can use a tummy control panel, also called a front stay, which is sometimes found in plus-size ready-to-wear. On flat-front or darted pants, the stay helps prevent fabric distortion or "bagging" from excess stress and helps smooth out and control lumps and bumps. A front stay in pleated pants encourages pleats to hang nicely in their intended folds rather than spreading.
Cut the front stay from a firmly woven cotton blend for light control or from mediumweight, girdle-like power net fabric for firm control. Power net is available in different weights, which each have a different firmness for varying degrees of control. Look for power net in your local fabric store's lingerie department, or contact one of the mail-order sources listed at the end of this article.
Back- or Side-zip Pants
Use this front stay on pants or shorts with a center-back or side-seam zipper.
Cut out the pants according to the pattern guidesheet.
Pin out the darts or pleats in the pants front pattern. To make a front stay pattern, trace the pants pattern's side and upper edges as well as the center front seamline. Draw the horizontal lower edge of the stay at the fullest part of the hips. Using the pattern, cut one stay, placing the center front seamline of the pattern on the fold. Serge the lower edge or finish with a zigzag stitch on a conventional machine.
Note: If desired, trim a small amount from each side edge of the stay, so the stay is just slightly narrower than the pattern. The stay will be just a bit more snug across the tummy than the pants, providing a little more control. Don't make the stay so tight it's uncomfortable or ends up pulling the pants back to the front at the waist.
Sew the darts or tucks in the pants front, and sew the center front seam down to the beginning of the crotch curve. With the pants front wrong side up, place the stay on the pants and baste the side and upper raw edges to the pants (1).
Complete the pants construction following the pattern guidesheet. To keep the stay's lower edge from rolling up when you sit down, hand tack the stay to the pants center front seam allowance.
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