Leggings that don’t use elastic for the waistband. That’s the dream. I despise elastic waistbands. They are so uncomfortable and unflattering. The fact that it’s a free pattern (at least for the time being) is the icing on the cake.
How difficult was the pattern?
Tracing, grading, and lengthening aside, the pattern is super simple and quick. This is my very first time sewing up a pair of pants. I was slightly leery about where my measurements landed me on the size charts, but I stayed true to it and it turned out wonderfully. That’s a bit of an eye-opener about our self-perceptions. “Surely my legs are longer than that,” you might think after you measure, measure again, and measure again before finally cutting your pattern pieces and thinking they just look too short. “This nearly straight line from mid-thigh to calf has to be wrong. I must have more shape in my legs than that!” Take it from me, when grading and custom-fitting, things might look really weird until you slip on the finished garment. The true shape of your own body compared to how you perceive it will probably surprise you.
What I Changed & Notes for the Future
- Length. I added 1.5 inches to the legs. I could probably reduce that to 1 inch next time.
- The rise: In the future, I might add 1/4″ to the front rise. It’s not objectionably short on this pair, but I’d like to see the effect a little more room in that area has.
- The knee/calf. I might grade this outward a bit next time for a little more room. As I go through the day, I think the snug fit around these areas is tugging the pant downward.
Project Settings
Presser Foot |
Stitch# |
Width |
Length |
Needle |
Top Thread Tension |
Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
standard zig-zag (A) |
5 |
1.0 |
3.5 |
blue tip |
5 |
seams |
applique (F) |
5 |
1.0 |
3.5 |
blue tip |
5 |
hem |
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