Easy Peasy Leggings Tutorial

Yep, you have them too.

Maybe you got rid of the maternity pants, but I bet you have a pair of knit pants

hanging out in the "Donate Me"  pile.

(See finished outfit with tutorial on matching shirt here.)

The more I looked at these, the more I figured that I hated the nice knit to go to waste.

I kept thinking that grey goes with nearly everything...

(Duh...my wardrobe has pants in exactly two colors...black and grey,

with the occasional tan, brown or navy thrown in, but usually black or grey.)

I initially was going to make pants for Maggie, but when Katie seemed interested in the project,

I decided to make them for her.  I took a newer pair of leggings that fit her well and stuffed one leg into

the other leg, so that it is inside out, but easier to use as a pattern.

 I opened up the maternity pants and lined up the outside of the leggings with

the outside of the pants.  Easy Peasy means using as few seams as possible.

You can draw on your fabric, but I decided to wing it.  I gave about an extra 3/4" along

the side that I was cutting.  When you get to the top, leave a little extra because

you will need to fold it down for the elastic casing.

 It is tough to see in the picture, but the cut legging is on top of the uncut legging.

Again, be sure that the folded side is lined up with the outside of the leg.

 Time to serge.  (You can just sew it with a knit stitch or zig zag. 

I just love the finish of the serged seam.)  The leggings are right sides

together and I place a pin at the hem to help the fabric stay in place as

it is fed into the serger.

 Remember when we stuffed the legs inside each other to make a pattern?

Well, that is the easiest way I know to sew legs together, so let's do that again!

Look at me...I pinned!  (So you must realize that it is worth it to pin...haha)

 Open up the leggings so that you are now looking at them from the side.

Use a rotary cutter and straight edge to slightly angle it down in the front. 

This doesn't have to be exact, but I make them roughly an inch lower in the front than the back.

Turn leggings inside out and fold down waist about an inch and sew around the waist.

Leave about an inch opening to thread your elastic.

Threading elastic....

(I just wrapped it around Katie's waist and then subtracted about 2")

After threading through, I overlapped the ends and stiched them well.

Terrible picture, but a shot of the back stitched up.

I had a few bunny tags that I got as a freebie once that

I used to help Katie realize which side is the "back."

Ok...I need to replace this picture, because they look all wonky here but I just

 laid them down quick for a picture when Becky woke up from her nap.

They look much cuter (and even) on Katie, which I unfortuately forgot to take a picture of...

Coming up....

I finally drafted the pattern to the ruffle purse, I just need to upload it!

Next crafty project is the top to go with the leggings. 

Let's face  it...if I repurpose all these clothes I save a trip to Goodwill, right?

If you use this, leave me a comment and let me know!

<