easy and quick leggings-tutorial

I couldn’t help it….I got a bit of a jump start on the Kids Clothes Week Challenge….I just HAD to make some baby leggings yesterday…don’t know why really….maybe I’m nesting? I am down to 5 weeks til d-day. (delivery day…ok give or take a few days or weeks)

5 WEEKS people! I at least threw the 0-3 month clothes in the wash yesterday so she’ll have something clean to wear if she makes her appearance soon. The girls had a blast looking at all the tiny onesies and such, and I found both of their teeny tiny hospital shirts that I’d saved. No clue who’s was who’s….but it’s the thought that counts, right?

Anyways. I can’t believe I’ve never made baby leggings before. They’re so durn easy and use barely any fabric. I was super excited to use both of these fabrics up-they have been gathering dust on my shelf waiting to be used but both not big enough to make anything for S or C.

Wanna see how I made them? (btw these could totally be made for any size kiddo…not just babies!)

You’ll need:

*knit fabric-I used some interlock knit (floral) and some stretch denim. They were both pretty sturdy   knits but jersey would probably work too, as long as it wasn’t too flimsy. I’ll have to try some soon….
*ballpoint needle
*matching thread
*fusible webbing tape

(I used my serger for a lot of the seams, but a regular sewing machine zig zag stitch would work fine as well. Knit doesn’t fray so you don’t have to worry about finishing the edges!)

First I used a pair of leggings (ones I had just made, lol) folded in half to make a pattern. The fold in on the left side of this photo. Make sure to add seam allowances and on the top and  bottom, room to hem them up, and on the top, if you’re going to add a casing. (I didn’t on these but you know how to do a casing, right?)

So after I cut out my two pieces, I opened them up to hem the bottom. I used some fusible webbing tape (just fold over the edge and iron), and that gives it some stability when you hem it.

Next I stitched along the bottom, with a small zig zag stitch so there was a little give. Repeat for the other leg.

Next sew the pieces right sides together along the curved edges like so. (serger or zig zag stitch)

Then open up the legs and sew the legs and crotch together like so.

For the waistband, I used another pair of pants to measure how big to make it (for this 3-6 mo size I cut it 2″x14″) Make sure if your fabric is only stretchy one way, to cut it so it stretches the right way (ie lengthways) Then sew the two short edges right sides together like so.

Then fold so the wrong sides are facing and the raw edges are lined up.

Next pin your waistband evenly in four places around your pant top.

The pants will probably be a little bigger than the waistband (aka the little ripples in this pic) but never fear…

When you sew them together (zig zag stitch!), just gently tug the pant fabric so that it matches up with the waistband fabric. Smooth sailing!

Tada!

I also went back and finished that seam off with my serger cause I’m neurotic like that. You could add a little tag too, when you sew in the waistband. Easy peasy!

Wish I had that baby to model them! Soon enough!

Comments

  1. great !! I love leggings 🙂 and I made some a few day ago for my little Gabi 🙂

    here they are http://ce-la-faccio.blogspot.com/2012/09/limonkowe-legginsy.html

    kisses from Poland :*

  2. They are so cute. I’d love a serger.

    Sarabeth
    Life of an Agnostic Sunday School Teacher

  3. Oh my goodness – those are adorable! I wish I had a baby to sew some for… I cannot believe you have only five weeks left; I swear I just read your announcement here yesterday. 😉 xo

  4. These are just terribly cute! They are the tiniest jeggings ever!

  5. Thank you so much for this post. I want to let you know that I posted a link to your blog in Creative Busy Bee Craft Inspirations, under the Page 3 post on Oct. 05, 2012. Thanks again.

  6. Great idea with the fusible tape for the hem! I bet that keeps normal knit from going wonky, too? Is this like stitch witchery or something different?

  7. Very cute! And good luck with the next weeks of pregnancy! I know everything will go perfectly!

  8. How do you get your serving to be so neat? How do you finish the ends? I always get ghastly loopy ends hanging off! :p

    Eleena

  9. I’m making leggings for my baby girl due in time for Christmas 🙂 Yours are so cute! I never would have thought to use fusible webbing for the bottom hem I must try that with the next pair! What I haven’t quite figured out yet is how long of elastic I should use for the waistbands in the 0-3 month size, do you have any suggestions? Every tutorial I’ve seen on making them either it doesn’t say or the baby has already arrived so they measure the baby…
    Bonnie MS

  10. Oh I would love to try these. Do you have any suggestions on making them for a baby wearing cloth diapers? I can’t ever seem to alter things to fit just right.

  11. I love the fusible web tape for hemming trick. Gonna try that! I also like that you didn’t put in an elastic waistband. I’m definitely going to try that next time. You are awesome.

  12. Nice 🙂

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  15. Lynn in Seattle says

    I made leggings for the 18″ doll using the same principle, easy peasy.
    For the doll I also used knee high stockings I found on sale. Use the top for the waist and cut them as long as you want.(Note sew the crotch before cutting it)

  16. These are really cute! I would love to make them but I dont have a pair to get a pattern from. Do you have a pattern for them?

  17. Nadine Johnson says

    Source for buying knit fabric ?

    Thank you
    Nadine

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