Leggings are a wardrobe staple, something comfortable and cute that can be worn with billowing blouses or dresses. I like versatility in my wardrobe and the Lotus Legging delivers. Perfect for a brisk walk through the Village or a leisurely stroll around the park, these functional bottoms feature flattering seaming and panels, leaving a ton of room to make this pattern your own. Paired with Mood’s UV Protective Stretch Ultra Suede, these leggings will keep you safe from the sun, whether you’re working on your fitness or fashion!
Fabrics & materials used:
- 2 yards UV Protective Stretch Ultra Suede
- 6″ Black Metal Zipper with Gold Teeth
- Heavy Duty Thread
- MDF0339 – The Lotus Legging Sewing Pattern (free download below!)
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The front of these leggings are made up of two thigh panels, a knee panel, and the lower shin piece. You can use these for some easy color blocking or switch up your fabric types. For mine, I decided to pintuck my fabric for some ribbing along the lower thigh panel.
Before cutting out my pattern, I took a large swath of the faux suede I was using (about 3 times longer than the panel would eventually be, just to be safe), and began adding the pintucks. Since the fabric is both stretchy and a bit on the thicker side, I didn’t want to risk messing it up with a pintuck foot, so I kept the walking foot on my machine.
I aligned the edge of each rib with the edge of the foot and had the needle positioned all the way to the left, like you can see above. Be sure to pull your fabric just slightly while sewing so you don’t loose any of the stretch. Once I had about 30 pintucks, the lower thigh pattern piece fit easily on top and I cut out all of my pattern pieces.
The lower thigh and upper thigh attach like the above photo, fabric faces together, and then I folded the seam allowance upward and edge-stitched along the upper panel.
Add the darts on to either side of the knee panels and attach them to the bottom of the lower thigh panels, stitching down the seam allowance again. Repeat with the lower front pieces at the lower edge of the knee panels.
Fabric faces together again, sew the front of your leggings to their respective back panels at the outer seam, leaving the lower 7″ open for a zipper later on.
Sew the two back panels together at the pant rise, and repeat with the two front rises, before stitching the inseam. Fold the waistband panel in half horizontally and sew along the shorter edge to create the center back seam. Fold the waistband in half again, this time so it’s half the height, and attach it at the top of your leggings. For some extra support, you could also add elastic into the waistband, but I found it wasn’t totally necessary with the fabric I chose.
Lastly, take the open ends of your leggings and fold back the raw edges. Pin a zipper into place and top-stitch around. Fold up the hem of the pant legs and zig-zag stitch to finish.
I can’t wait to see how many outfits I can make with these. They’re perfect for a pant substitution in the spring, and this fall I could layer them under tunics or dresses alike. I’ll probably be making more with something metallic next! What kind of fabric are you considering for yours?
Pssst! …I made this jacket too! Download The Kalimeris Moto for free here!
1 comment
Love these leggings! The pleat details are super fun. Well made pattern – thanks for sharing!