I never expected to wear my store-bought Old Navy leggings as much as I did, but they turned into my go-to lounge-around-the-house to the point they’ve become threadbare around the knees and butt. I was also never a huge fan of the criss-cross detail around the ankles; looked cool, but I always had to find long socks to wear beneath to stay warm.
Well, for far too long I’ve had it in my mind to reverse engineer them. Finally got some black cotton spandex and went for it.
About the Fabric
10oz black cotton spandex from Boho Fabrics (3 yard last-cut)
- Horizontal Stretch: 125%
- Vertical Stretch: 75%
- Weight: 10 oz
- Width of Fabric: 60″
- Contents: 95% Cotton, 5% Spandex
With three yards of this stuff, I can probably make three pairs of these. You’ll notice all the fuzz they like to collect, but I don’t really care that much since these are literally for bumming around the house. 10oz isn’t an overly substantial bottom weight; I would ideally like something a little heavier, but this fabric is definitely comfortable enough for what I was going for.
About the Pattern
Patterns for Pirates: Peg Legs
- size: grading between XXL and Plus1X
- front rise: XXL
- back rise: Plus1X
- knee: XXL
- ankle: Plus1X
- Self-drafted my own waistband.
- pattern piece 17″ wide at waist seam, 16.5″ at top of waist, 8.5″ high, 0.25″ seam allowance
- Sewed two darts along the back for shaping.
This is the basic Peg Legs pattern—no side panels or patch pockets (I might add those on a following version since I landed the comfort I wanted on this pair.)
How I Copied My Old Navy Pair
- Measured my Old Navy leggings:
- front and back crotch rises
- circumference at ankles, knees, and waist seam
- waistband height
- waistband circumference
- Measured the pattern to find the sizes that matched my measurements above and graded between the waistband, knee, and ankle points.
I was expecting a little disaster when I cut and sewed these up, especially because I was in a bit of a rush the night before flying east for Thanksgiving. But, wonder of wonders, they turned out totally wearable. Yes, they’re a little loose in some spots, but they stay up and they’re not restrictive in any areas, and that’s the most important thing I was going for.
Notes for Next Time
- add side panels and patch pockets
- tweak some of the looser areas
- hunt down a heavier cotton spandex
- could do 15.5″ at top of waistband instead of sewing darts
Project Settings
Sewing Machine vs. Serger
| Sewing Machine | Serger |
|---|---|
|
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Sewing Machine Settings
| Presser Foot | Stitch# | Stitch Width | Stitch Length | Needle | Top Thread Tension | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| standard zig-zag (A) | 5 | 1.0 | 4 | blue tip | 4 | seams |
Serger Settings
| Stitch Name | 4-thread overlock |
|---|---|
| Needles | R, L |
| Finger | B |
| Threads | 4 |
| Tension Left Needle | 4 |
| Tension Right Needle | 4 |
| Tension Upper Looper | 4 |
| Tension Lower Looper | 4 |
| Cut Width | 6 |
| Stitch Length | 2.5 |
| Differential | 1.0 |
| Application | seams |
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