How to Make a Child's Leggings From an Old Sweater

Make a small pair of leggings from an old sweater.

Children's clothes are perfect candidates for repurposed adult clothing. Making a child's leggings from an old sweater is just one project that allows you to use an article of clothing that doesn't fit or is outdated. With a sewing machine and an old sweater, you'll have an adorable pair of leggings in a short time.

Things You'll Need

• Old sweater
• Leggings that fit your child for a pattern
• Straight pins
• Scissors
• Sewing machine with stretch and zigzag stitches
• Coordinating thread
• 30 inches of 1/2-inch elastic

Instructions

1. 

   If you don't have an old sweater, buy one at a thrift store.

   Locate an old sweater, and then wash and dry the item before measuring.

2. Lay the sweater on a flat surface, smoothing out any wrinkles or kinks in the sweater material at the seams.

3. 

   Use sharp scissors for clean cuts on the sweater.

   Use a pair of leggings that fit your child as a pattern. Fold the leggings in half lengthwise and lay them flat on the sweater. Match the long, straight side of the folded leggings to the long side seam of the sweater, from the armpit down with the bottom edge of the leggings, meeting the finished bottom edge of the sweater. Use straight pins to secure the leggings to the sweater. Using the leggings as a guide, cut the sweater with scissors, leaving a ¼-inch seam allowance along the side and a ¾-inch seam allowance along the top waist edge. Cut a matching piece from the other side of the sweater.

4. Unfold the two cut pieces, lay them flat with one piece on top of the other with the right side of the sweater on the inside of the pieces. Secure with straight pins for sewing. Using a stretch stitch on your sewing machine, sew one of the short seams from the waist to the crotch with a ¼-inch seam allowance. Repeat for the other short seam.

5. Prepare the long leg seam by securing it with straight pins for sewing. Pin from the bottom of one leg all the way to the bottom of the other leg. Using a stretch stitch on your machine, sew one continuous seam with a ¼-inch seam allowance.

6. 

   Use a zigzag stitch to allow the material to give around the waist.

   Measure a length of ½-inch elastic, wrapping it snugly around your child's waist and cutting to size. Secure the elastic to the waist of the leggings with straight pins. Sew the elastic ¾ inch from the waist top, using a zigzag stitch while slightly pulling the elastic to stretch to fit. Fold the waist over to cover the elastic and pin. Finish by sewing just below the elastic with a zigzag stitch -- again slightly pulling to stretch the elastic as you sew.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't have an old sweater in your closet, shop thrift stores for a sweater to convert into small leggings.

• Measure elastic at your child's waist snugly, do not stretch tight. A proper fit only needs to be snug enough to hold up the leggings.

References

• Crafting a Green World; Tutorial: Adult Sweater to Child Leggings; Julie Finn
• Sewing Answers; How Do You Add an Elastic Waistline?; Donna Trumble

Resources

• Crafting a Green World; Clothing Remade: Sew a Child's Skirt from an Adult T-Shirt; Julie Finn
• Daily Motion: How to Make a Caplet from an Old Sweater