How to Sew Leggings

Leggings offer comfort and modesty for fashionable ensembles.

Leggings are a festive alternative to tights in the winter months. They can be paired with a tunic top, a simple dress or a pair of boots to create fashion-forward, comfortable outfits. These wardrobe staples come in a variety of colors, from neon greens to simple blacks and grays. A comfortable stretch cotton and elastic blend is the ideal fabric combination when sewing your own pair of leggings.

Things You'll Need

• 2 yards of cotton/elastic blend fabric
• Measuring tape
• Fabric marker
• Scissors
• Fabric pins
• 1 yard of 1/2 inch wide elastic
• Sewing machine
• Sewing notions

Instructions

1. Measure the circumference of your waist around the area where your hip bones jut out at the front. Divide this measurement in half and make a note of the amount in inches. Measure the distance from your hip bone down to your ankle. Measure the circumference of your ankle around the area you want the leggings to hit on your body. Also measure from just underneath your belly button to the center of your crotch, to ascertain the amount of fabric you need in the rise of the leggings.

2. Fold the two yards of cotton and elastic blend fabric in half lengthwise and lay on a flat, even surface with the folded side of the fabric furthest away from you, and the open, raw edges closest to you. Mark the half waist measurement onto the raw edges of the fabric closest to you. Place the measuring tape on the fabric and make a dot on each end of the waist measurement using a fabric marker. Mark the leg length measurement on the fabric starting from the waist measurement and going toward the fold furthest away from you. Mark the crotch depth in the middle of the waist measurement, where the crotch would hit in relation to the waist. Draw two leg shapes utilizing these three initial measurements as guidelines. Each leg should start from the waist and narrow down to the ankle bone, coming back up to hit the crotch marking. The shape should mimic the shape of your legs.

3. Place pins along the outline you just drew. Cut out the shape of the leggings following along the fabric markings.

4. Sew the leggings together using a sewing machine. Sew along the outer leg line seam and the inner leg line seam, leaving open the top waistband and the ankle openings.

5. Cut out a piece of elastic to fit snugly to your waist. Place the elastic along the top waistband area of the leggings. Fold over the top 1/2 inch of fabric along the waistband to encase the elastic. Sew the folded over fabric in place, keeping the elastic in the tubing, using the sewing machine. Fold up the fabric around the ankle openings using a 1/4 inch of fabric. Sew into place to hide the raw edges. Turn the leggings right side out.

References

• Sew What's New: How to Make Leggings
• Threadbanger: Celebrity DIY Style: Leggings