From: kparker%asylum.cs.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Kenneth Parker)
Subject: Not alt.fashion
Date: 14 Dec 92 22:48:48 MST
Organization: University of Utah CS Dept

Recently, someone ask about thongs; I replied; several people seemed
to pick up on the phrase ``Leather Thong'' and wrote me anomalously
with several questions each.  When I replied, the anomalous server
sent me an anomalous ID (which seemed weird).  But than when one the
inquirers send me a second copy of his inquiry, I decided that my
replies must not be getting through.  So I'm posting replies to
inquires about leather thongs, even though it's REALLY stretching the
topic of this group.  I'll try not to make it a habit.

If you're here for alt.fashion.nothing.else skip to the next article
now.
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Did you make them yourself or buy them?

  I bought them in a good lingerie store for $40.  This particular
  store sold matching men's and women's leather thongs.  They turned
  out to be remarkably wearable.

How are they held around the waist, with elastic or some kind of hook
or buckle?

  Thin elastic sewed into a hem in the leather with a special stretch
  stitch for elastic.

Are these some sort of a bondage outfit?

  No.  Those exist too (if you can imagen it and if it can be designed
  without a computer, someone else already sells it).  We where
  talking about wearableity, not sex.  The construction is very much
  like a cotton thong?  The leather is supple, not stiff.

How did you came by all of your experience?

  I own two thongs, one leather, one not, and I occasionally ware
  them.  All but one of my girlfriends have occasionally worn thongs,
  some of them exclusively or nearly so.  It's not like we're talking
  something secret ... Seriously, you just have to try, learn, and
  live ...

Where do you buy them?

  I don't really know of any U.S. mail order place.  In most big
  cities there exist a store or two that sell them.  In London there's
  Skin-Two and there are a couple such stores in Amsterdam, so that's
  probably true outside the U.S too.  Post this question to one of the
  alt.sex groups.

-----------------------------------
How do I make them?

  Start your pattern with a non-leather thong.

  Buy 1.5 oz to 2.0 oz leather (i.e. .6 mm to .8 mm thick for the rest
  of the world).  Pig skin or dear skin is most supple (and come in
  smaller pieces), but cow skin will work.  In the U.S. Tandy Leather,
  Inc sells about 0.6 m^2 pieces of 1.5 oz pig skin for under $15.  You
  can also buy scraps by the pound, but if you do this take a
  poster-board stencil of you pattern to the store.

  Leather can be cut with sewing shears, but rotary cutting tools for
  flat cutting work much better (try a good office supply store).  Use
  a normal sewing machine with nylon thread, upholstery thread is not
  elastic enough.  If you can't find nylon, polyester coated cotton
  will do, but the seams will not wear as well.  Sew like sewing a
  non-leather thong, except that you should not use pins.  Instead
  hold pieces together with rubber cement (i.e., before sewing).

  As with any type of lingerie, the hardest thing is to get the
  elastic right.  If you're not good at this you can tack by hand at
  each, then laying the material flat match the center of the curve
  with the center of the elastic and tack again.  Repeat (i.e.,
  bisecting each interval) until the tack are about the distance apart
  equal to length of you machines foot.  Sew the length of the curve,
  and remove the tacks.  With a great deal of practice it possible to
  do this without tacking, but better safe than sorry.  When sewing
  elastic it's best to use a special stitch that will stretch without
  breaking, there are many variants of this, but the following design
  is representative (though simplifies).

   --\  /--\  /--\  /--\  /--\  /--\  /--\  /--\  /--\  /--\  /--\
     /  \  /  \  /  \  /  \  /  \  /  \  /  \  /  \  /  \  /  \  /
     \--/  \--/  \--/  \--/  \--/  \--/  \--/  \--/  \--/  \--/  \--

  A wide double zig-zag will do, but I've not had any luck with single
  zig-zags.

  Remember that thong patterns are more sensitive to crotch length
  than most things you might sew, and men typically have shorter
  crotch lengths than women.  I've have sewed leather and lingerie,
  but not leather lingerie, so there might be unforseen pitfalls.
  Though I really expect that it's not that hard, if you sew.
-----------------------------------
Ken

P.S. Again, I'm sorry for the extent of the digression from the theme.

P.S.S. Seems like I forgot a question or two ... sorry.
Newsgroups: alt.fashion,alt.sex