How to Make Girls Leggings From a T-Shirt
Leggings are an essential part of any little girl's wardrobe. They are versatile and can be worn with a shirt or under short skirts. They are available in both solid colors as well as a wide variety of patterned fabrics. Although they are widely available in most children's clothing stores they can be quite expensive. Sewing your own leggings at home can amount to substantial savings, especially if you use fabric recycled from an inexpensive T-Shirt.
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Things You'll Need
- T-Shirt
- Pattern for leggings, or old pair of leggings in correct size
- Straight pins
- Scissors
- Tailor's chalk
- Thread
- Sewing machine, with capability to sew knits
- 1-inch wide elastic the length of the child's waist plus 1 inch
- Safety pin
Instructions
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1
Lay the T-shirt flat on a work surface. Align the sides and bottom edge and smooth out any wrinkles. Be careful not to stretch the T-shirt.
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2
Lay the pattern for the leggings on the T-shirt and pin into place or take the old pair of leggings and turn them inside out, with the wrong side facing you. Fold them over so both legs are overlapping each other. Lay them on the T-shirt fabric as if it were a pattern piece. Pin in place.
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3
Cut around the outside lines of the pattern pieces or just outside the raw edges of the seams of the old leggings. If you are using the old leggings, remove the pins and repeat the process for the second leg.
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4
Transfer all pattern markings using the tailor's chalk. Place the two front leg pieces together, one on top of the other. Pin along the front stomach seam. Stitch a narrow seam with the sewing machine set to a zigzag stitch suitable for stretch knit fabrics. Repeat this process with the two back leg pieces.
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5
Lay the front leg section on top of the back leg section with the wrong side facing up and the two right sides facing each other on the inside. Pin into place along the two outer side seams as well as along the inner leg seams. Stitch in place using the zigzag stitch for knits as in Step 4. When sewing the inner seam, start the seam at the bottom edge of one of the legs and sew all the way up one leg. Pivot the needle at the crotch of the leggings, but do not lift the needle out of the fabric. Sew down the inner seam of the other leg. This will ensure a secure seam.
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6
Attach the waistband pattern piece by pinning it in place all the way around the upper edge of the leggings, with the right sides of the fabric facing each other. Sew in place, leaving a 1-inch gap to thread the elastic. If you did not use a pattern, cut a straight strip of T-shirt fabric 2 inches wide. The length of this strip will be determined by measuring the width of the waist on the old leggings when the elastic is stretched out. Add an extra 1 inch for overlap. Attach the band to the leggings, leaving a 1-inch gap.
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7
Turn the leggings right side facing out. Fold over the waistband and sew in place, 1/8-inch from the edge. Insert a safety pin into end short end of the elastic. Insert it into the gap left in the waistband in Step 6. Overlap the ends of the elastic 1/2 inch on each end and stitch in place. Stitch the gap closed.
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8
Fold over a 1/2 inch hem at the bottom edges of the legs. Fold over another 1/2 inch to keep the cut edges tucked inside the seam. Stitch in place.
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Tips & Warnings
Sew some decorative stretch lace around the bottom edges of each leg for a pretty, finished-off look.
Keep all pins and scissors out of reach of small children.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
