FabricLady: April 2017

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Pacific Leggings - Quick and Easy!

With the weather changing, my thoughts are turning to working out more! We have been collecting some wonderful nylon/lycra and cotton/lycra knits for leggings, activewear, and swimsuits.

One of these had my name all over it! Our Sewaholic Pacific Leggings are just the ticket! The panel at the waist hugs my belly in just the right way and stays up where I need it to.

This pattern has a lot of options, but we decided to keep it simple. You can make them long or short, and there's a lot of fun to be had with colorblocking. There's also the option to put a zippered pocket in the back of the waistband. Great for storing your phone or keys while running!

Shown here with another activewear pattern from Sewaholic, the Dunbar Top.

When choosing a fabric, make sure you look for four-way stretch. Sometimes these kinds of knits are also advertised as activewear, dancewear, or swimwear. All knits will stretch in at least one direction, usually crosswise. A four-way knit stretches both crosswise and along the selvage. These kinds of knits are necessary for activewear and swimwear, where garments require a tighter fit than regular street clothes.

You can sew them with a serger or your regular sewing machine! Easy to get done in about an hour! Just make sure you have a ballpoint needle in your regular machine. It will make your life so much easier.

As you can see in the picture on the right, there is a small piece of elastic sewn onto the top of the waistband. This gives a smooth, flat finish. Laurel used a zig zag to attach this, which is a stitch that will stretch with the elastic.

Love the fit of these! Not too tight, not too loose. Sewing your own activewear may be intimidating to some, but you can get a great pair of leggings that fit just the way you like it. And when you compare the cost to some brands of RTW out there...we'd much rather make them ourselves!