Abstract: An improved technique for automatically producing a reinforced, peripherally contoured fabric blank adapted to be folded over and sewn to form a finished panty is described. A plurality of fabric segments to the central portion of which an underlying reinforcing strip is sewn is advanced along a conveyor and into a first one of a plurality of work stations distributed around a turret that is rotatably carried on a fixed support. A plurality of magnetically-actuable fabric holders are rotatably supported on the outer ends of corresponding spider arms that extend toward the work stations from the turret. Each holder has a contoured periphery corresponding to that of the panty blank, and after receiving the fabric segment from the conveyor indexes it successively into a plurality of second work stations each equipped with a contour sewing machine.