Search

Home » DIY Tutorials » DIY Sewing » Sewing: Clothing » Baby Clothing » 2 Legging Styles: Attached Skirt & Ruffle Bum

2 Legging Styles: Attached Skirt & Ruffle Bum

 

Okay, so I couldn’t  just stop with plain ‘ol leggings from the last post.  I had to perk them up……just a bit.

 

I can’t leave anything alone.  I know.

 

So I added a little skirt to a pair of leggings……that’s completely attached

(try different colors for the skirt and leggings. Cute!)

and some ruffles to the bum of another pair. 

 

 

So there you go, in case you need another excuse to make more leggings like I did.  And with my stash of knit that I have at my house, I couldn’t help myself. 

(See husband?  Buying random remnants of sale fabric is always a good idea. ;)  It comes in handy.)

 

 

 (Oh, and you little boys out there…….I don’t have a baby boy to dress up but if I did, I was thinking of adding patches to the knees of a pair, pockets on the bum of another, or different colored cuffs at the ankles for another pair.  You really could spruce them up for the fellas too.  SO, get to work! Ha.)

 

 

By adding a little extra to your leggings, there’s no need to put a skirt over them.  They’re cute and ruffly all by themselves.

(And yep, I used the double needle again like I did here.  Makes all those edges look nice and fancy……and still allows the knit to stretch.)

 

 

Remember how ruffles on a bum will instantly put a smile on your face?  See?

 

 

Now smile Baby Girl and show us those ruffles……..

“Wow, that sun is bright Mom!”

 

 

 

“Ack, it’s getting brighter…….but I’ll smile anyway!” 

Ha.  Poor baby!  (She looks like my husband at night, after his contacts are out.)

 

 

 

And you know, there is nothing quite as comfortable as putting soft knits on your baby.  So make them fun.

 

 

And no worries, these ruffled leggings don’t take much time at all.  And are worth every minute of time spent.

 

 

 

Would you like to make your own?

 

First of all…….the double needle made this project worth my time.  Seriously, don’t skip out on this needle.  It helps things look nice but it also allows for a really great stretch while working with knits……because the back looks like a zig-zag.  But then the front double stitchlooks so nice and clean.  As long as your machine can do a zig-zag, a double needle should fit on your machine.  And for only a couple of dollars, you will fall in love.  Read more about double needles here.

 

And remember, you can buy some knit at the fabric store or you can cut up some old Tshirts (make sure they’re stretchy), old stretchy pants of your own, skirts, dresses, etc.  As long as there is some stretch to it, they will work great!

 

 

To begin, you’ll be making the leggings just like the tutorial here……but we’ll add a few things.

 

 

To make the ruffle bum leggings…….put your leggings together, except for sewing up the crotch area.  And don’t add the elastic to the waist yet.  Then, cut out 3 long strips that are twice as wide as the back side of the leggings (where the bum goes).  And depending on what size of leggings you’re making will determine the width of each strip.  Mine were about 1.5 inches wide.  You can serge or zig-zag the edges of your strips or just leave them raw.  Remember, your knit won’t fray.

 

Then, sew a basting stitch (with your regular needle) a 1/4 inch from the edge of one of the long edges of each strip.  Now gather each strip up.  (Need help with gathering?  Click here.)

 

Then pin each strip right to the back of the leggings, making sure to keep each row even.

 

Overlap the rows by just a bit.

 

Then slide your pants onto your machine (through the crotch area you left open) and use your double needle to secure each ruffle to the leggings.  If you don’t have a double needle, use a zig-zag stitch so that the bum area can still stretch.)  Lift the other rows out of the way to sew each row on.  (Or you can pin one row on and sew it, then pin on the next and sew it, etc.)

**If sewing is stretching your knit fabric too much (common problem with sewing on knit fabric, no worries)…….increase your stitch length so that it jumps over the fabric with bigger stitches.  This should help.  Practice on some scrap fabric if needed.

 

 

After the rows are all sewn on.

 

 

Now, finish the seam along the inner legs and put the elastic in at the top.  And that’s it.

 

 

Now, onto the leggings with the attached skirt.  You will start will you basic leggings, just like you did above……but this time, you’ll cut an inch off the top of the pants.  Then, you’ll cut a strip of fabric for the waistband that is the same length as the top of the pants (add and inch for the seam allowance) and 3 inches tall (if you’re using 3/4 inch elastic for the waist).  Then fold it in half and sew along the short ends, using a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  (Mine looks wider because it’s inside out and the seam allowance is making it wider.  Once it’s turned right side out, it’s the same width.)  And then cut a strip for the skirt section that is twice as wide as the width of the pants so that it will gather nicely and then make it as tall as the top of the leggings (without the waistband) down to the crotch.

 

 

Now, for the waistband.  Fold the strip in half  down into itself, with right sides of the fabric out.  Then sew your piece of 3/4 inch elastic into a circle.

 

Slide the elastic into the fold of the waistband. (It won’t fit perfectly because your elastic will probably be smaller than the casing.)

 

And then slide this under the sewing machine needle.  Sew the two edges closed, using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  (You’ll use a 1/2 inch seam allowance later when attaching this to the pants, which will hide this seam.)  You’ll have to pull and adjust the elastic as you’re sewing around the whole circle.

 

This is what it should look like when you’re done.

 

Now, sew the two short ends of the skirt section together.  Then hem the bottom edge of the skirt.

 

 

Now, place a basting stitch along the front half of the skirt and another one on the back half of the skirt…….a 1/4 inch from the top edge.  Making the 2 sections of basting stitches just makes it easier to gather evenly.  (Need help with gathering?  Click here.)  Pin this skirt section to the top of the leggings, matching up the top edges.

 

Now sew in place, using your double needle (or serger or zig-zag stitch).

 

Now, with the waistband upside down (raw edges up), slide the waistband over the top of the skirt, matching up the raw edges.  Pin in place.

 

And then sew in place with a 1/2 inch seam allowance, using your double needle (or serger or zig-zag stitch).  Trim off any extra material.

 

Then iron and steam this sewn edge down, towards the inside of the pant legs of the leggings.

 

And that it.  Both pairs are equally fun and equally as cozy.

 

 

Ashley Johnston

Administrator at Make It & Love It
Ashley Johnston is a professional DIY costume maker, sewist, crafter, and owner of Make It & Love It. She is a mom of 5 and a wife to a very patient (with the craft clutter) husband. In case you’re wondering, she always chooses crafting/sewing/designing over mopping/dusting/wiping base boards……but bathrooms/laundry/full bellies are always attended to. Whew!

  • Save

Hi, I'm Ashley

Hi, I’m Ashley—the DIY-enthusiast behind this crazy blog!

Back to Top
571 Shares
Share via
Copy link