Do you bit for the planet and economic downturn: make knickers!

If you're a bit of a lingerie lover, you'll probably have picked up on the fact that underwear seems to have become more cheaply produced in recent years than many other products, using poor quality, mass produced fabrics you'll be hard pressed to do anything with but junk at the end of their lifespan. I know I have: all shop-bought knickers seem to look exactly the same and shrink in the wash.

It's probably no coincidence then, that I've seen loads of classes and tutorials for knicker-making recently, as so many others are clearly drawn to hand-made, sustainable undies.

Follow the jump for a cheeky list of knicker-making patterns and classes!

Classes and kits

• The Make Lounge runs its Knock Out Knickers classes once a month, held by independent lingerie and accessories designer Ruka Johnson, who also runs the fabulous burlesque boutique, Sugarlesque. For £49, you'll learn how to make thongs, briefs or boy shorts (your choice), plus take home patterns and instructions to stitch the others!

• You can buy a fabulous knicker-making kit for $12 on Etsy. Put together at home by Paintergirl, it contains all you need to make sexy and unusual undies.

Online tutorials

• The Intimite Guide lingerie blog has an easy peasy tutorial here that involves drawing round your existing frillies.

• Supernaturale has a fantastic idea here for making panties out of "those T-shirts that are, for various reasons, both unwearable and indispensable". If you incorporate the t-shirts designs, they make for some amazing and unique undies!

• If you'd like to try a pair of old-fashioned bloomers, knitty has a fun pattern for 'long unmentionables' here.

• Burda Style's Jane underwear pattern results in some really lovely, 50s-style shorties that look great in all kinds of fabrics, but silky works best.

• Sewing lingerie has the basic patterns for all manner of undies - from the 'smoothie pantie' to yoga pants.

• Craftster has a pattern for some really cute lacy hipster knickers here

• This pattern for a knitted thong and suspenders has to be seen to be believed. Believe it, below!

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