How To Sew Lace Leggings for Toddlers

Sewing lace leggings is a quick way to add to your toddlers wardrobe.

Leggings cover the legs under short skirts. Leggings differ from tights. Tights cover the foot and legs, while leggings stop at the ankle. Some leggings are simple tubes of fabric. They cover the leg from thigh to ankle. But other leggings rise to the waist and are more like fitted pants. Toddler leggings do double duty when they rise to the waist. They cover the diaper while keeping the legs warm. Lace leggings add a feminine touch to short dresses and smocks.

Things You'll Need

• Leggings pattern
• Scissors
• Pins
• Stretch lace
• Sewing machine
• Matching thread
• 3/8-inch wide elastic, 1 yard
• 2 safety pins

Instructions

1. Read the instructions for your pattern. Cut out the front and back legging pattern pieces from the paper.

2. Fold the fabric in half with the selvage edges together. If your fabric has a decorative edge, fold the fabric in half so that the decorative edges line up. Pin the edges together to hold them secure.

3. Lay the pattern pieces on the fabric so that the arrows on the pattern piece are parallel to the selvage. Because stretch lace isn't woven, you can lay the pattern out so that the arrows on the pattern are perpendicular to the selvage. So, if your lace has a decorative edge along the selvage, you can lay the pattern out so that the bottom edge of the leggings uses the decorative edge.

4. Cut out the pattern pieces.

5. Sew the center front seam of the leggings with a stretch stitch. If your machine doesn't have a stretch stitch, use a zigzag stitch. Stretch the seam while sewing. This puts some "give" in the seam, allowing it to stretch. Repeat for the center back seam.

6. Pin the right sides of the front and back of the leggings together between the legs. Stitch with a stretch stitch or zigzag stitch. Hem the bottom of the legging if needed. If you are using a decorative edge for your bottom hem, your hem is finished.

7. Sew the left side seam with right sides together.

8. Fold over the top 3/4-inch of the waistband. Fold the raw edge inside and stitch just inside the folded raw edge. This holds the raw edge inside and creates a casing at the top of the leggings.

9. Place a pin in one side of the elastic. Push the pin through the casing at the top of the leggings. Pin the loose end of the elastic to the side of the leggings to hold the end outside the casing.

10. Stitch the elastic to both ends of the casing.

11. Sew the final side seam with right sides together.

12. Turn your leggings right side out.

Tips & Warnings

• The pattern for toddler leggings is small and simple enough to stack three or four pieces of fabric and cut out several pairs of leggings at once.

References

• Rookie Moms: Make Some Easy Kids Pants
• Emma One Sock: Stretch Lace; Shannon Gifford