Leggings Pattern Attempt
Alrighty! So I make my own clothes patterns. Right now I am teaching myself to make patterns for fabrics that stretch. I want to make tee shirts, leggings, etc. Making patterns for stretch clothes is a whole new ballgame. I have started with making leggings. I figured out that when I hold a pair of leggings up, they look like a baby doll should be wearing them and when I actually put them on it stretches out and fits my legs nice and snug. So here is what I've come up with so far.
*I measured my:
- Low Waist (where I want my pants to sit)
- High Thigh circumference (where the crotch & leg meet)
- Mid Thigh circumference
- Calf circumference
- Ankle circumference
- Side length (start from side of waist where I want pants to sit & measure down to where I want the leggings to hit my ankle)
- Inseam (start at inside crotch and measure down inside leg to ankle)
- Front crotch measurement (measure from mid crotch up the front to the point where I want your pants to sit.)
- Back crotch measurement (measure from mid crotch up the back to the point where I want your pants to sit.)
*I drafted the pattern using my measurements
*I cut a cheap test fabric to make sure I didn't end up with saggy wrinkled elephant legs.
*I ended up with saggy wrinkled elephant legs, I didn't account for the stretch in the fabric.
*My fabric has about 40% to 50% of comfortable stretch so I have to account for that on my pattern and reduce the size so it will stretch out to a snugger fit.
Download Knit info and Stretch ruler
*I went back to my pattern and reduced the entire pattern about 10% less on the waist, crotch, length, and high thigh. So like my waist is 29", I made the pattern a 26" waist because I want a super snug fit and my fabric will stretch out to the 29"
*I reduced the Mid thigh & calf measurements 20% less. The ankle I took it in about 1/2 an inch.
*I tested the pattern with cheap fabric and I've got a nice snug fit.
*I will cut and sew my nice fabric and hopefully I've got a perfect fit. Update Coming as soon as I finish!
Test leg with the cheap fabric. It looks longer than the pattern because I added to the hem. I want to add some gathering at the ankle.
