6

This super fast and simple pattern can be made in

about 15 minutes with very little fabric. This is a great
pattern for beginners and will be used often to
complete your outfits!

Fabric Requirements (in yards)

Size

Sizes

5/8

2/3

3/4

7/8

10

12

1 1/8

1 1/4

1 1/4

1 3/8

*Fabric requirements based on 60 wide fabric.

Suggested fabrics: Designed for stretch knits

only with 25% stretch across the grain such as
jersey, interlock, matte jersey, double knit.
Notions: Universal or Ball-point needle,
Polyester thread, 1 package 1/4 elastic.

Quick Measure

OPTIONAL: Wooly Nylon or Maxilock Stretch

Thread

Leggings
Web: www.ellieinspired.com

ellieinspired@juno.com

Sizes 1-12
Designed by Laura Johnson February 2013

CUTTING OUT THE PATTERN

Leggings

Cut out TWO pants pieces on the fold. (See last

pattern page).

by Laura Johnson
Please read through all directions before beginning.
GLOSSARY
Finishing seam edges Knits do not fray or ravel
so a finished seam is not necessary. However,
there are two ways to achieve a professional
seam inside your garment with this pattern:
1. Use a serger when stitching the seams.
2. Use an overlock stitch or a zig-zag stitch
on your sewing machine when stitching
the seam.

IMPORTANT: All seams, unless otherwise marked are .

FINISHED GARMENT MEASUREMENTS
Size

Size 1

Size 2

Size 3

Size 4

Size 5

Inseam

10

12

14

16

18

Shaded areas in diagram In all of the diagrams

in this pattern, the shaded areas are the wrong
side of the garment.

Waist

17

18

19

20

21

Size 6

Size 7

Size 8

Size 10

Size 12

Stretch Ratio Stretch ratio is the maximum

percentage a fabric will stretch. Most knits range
from 18-100%.

Inseam

20

22

24

26

28

Waist

22

23

24

25

26

Stretch Memory The amount a knit will return to

its original shape after being fully stretched.

February 2013 Laura Johnson

Ellie Inspired

Pressing Knits: It is not necessary to press knits while

TIPS FOR SEWING WITH KNITS

constructing the garment since they do not take a sharp

crease. However, the garment can be blocked when

Types of Knits:

finished to shape it, make the hems lie flat, and relax

1. Stable Knits Knits with 18-25% stretch ratio. Example:

stitching and elastic.

polar fleece and sweat fabrics.

2. Moderate Knits - Knits with 26-50% stretch ratio.
Example: T-shirt fabric, interlocks, jerseys, double-knits.
3. Stretchy Knits - Knits with 51-75% stretch ratio. Example:
velour, stretch terry, some T-shirt fabrics.
4. Super-Stretch Knits - Knits with 76-100% stretch ratio.

Interfacing: Interfacing should be used very sparingly with

knits because it will prevent the knit from stretching. If
interfacing must be used, use tricot interfacing which has a
cross-wise stretch. It will not bubble or pucker like Pellon or
woven fusing. Stabilizers such as twill tape, seam binding,

Example: spandex, nylon spandex, cotton spandex,

or a piece of woven selvage can be used to reinforce

jumbo spandex.

shoulder seams and prevent the garment from stretching

5. Rib Knits - Knits with up to 100% stretch ratio. Rib knits

out of shape.

are created by alternating vertical stripes of stockinette

stitch with vertical stripes of reverse stockinette stitch.

Machine Stitches:

1x1 Ribs stretch more than 2x2 or 3x3 ribs. Example: cuff

1. Stretch Stitch The stretch stitch looks like a lightning

ribbing, waistband ribbing, crew neck collars.

6. Sweater Knits - Knits with 18-50% stretch ratio. Example:
sweaters and sweater dresses.
7. Stretch Wovens - Knits with less than 18% stretch ratio.
Stretch wovens are created by weaving lycra within

bolt on the sewing machine. It is a great choice to cut

down on skipped and broken stitches.
2. Zig-Zag Stitch: A stitch that goes one way (zig), then the
other (zag), which gives the fabric more room to
stretch.

fabric.
February 2013 Laura Johnson

Ellie Inspired

3. Three-Step Zig-Zag Stitch: A variation of the traditional

4. Walking Foot - A walking foot is optional but it will help

zig-zag stitch which works better with tightly knitted

greatly in diminishing puckering in the seams. It helps to

fabrics to prevent skipped stitches and bunching under

grip the top of fabric so that the top and bottom pass

the needle.

through under the needle evenly.

4. Twin-Needle Stitching - A twin needle will sew two

parallel lines of stitches on the top of a piece of fabric,
and a single zig-zag stitch underneath, making the
seam decorative and stretchy

Fold-Over Elastic, Bindings, and Ribbed Finishes:

1. Fold-Over Elastic: This can be used to bind edges. It is a
stretchy trim with a knitted-in foldline. It stretches,
comes in different widths, shiny, matte, or picot-edged.

Notions:

2. Self-Fabric Bindings: Use a knit with a high stretch ratio.

1. Ball-point needles Sharp needles pierce the fabric and

3. Ribbed Finishes: When cutting rib knit for cuffs or

cut the fibers. Ballpoint needles have rounded tips and

neckline, stretch the fabric when cutting.

are designed to glide through the loops instead so that

the fabric is not harmed.
2. Polyester thread - Polyester thread has more elasticity
and can stretch a little with the fabric. Use polyester
thread in the needle to create stable seams.
3. Wooly Nylon or Maxilock Stretch thread These threads
create seams that recover after being stretched, which
is a great benefit when sewing knit fabrics. Use this
thread in the upper looper of the serger and in the
bobbin of the sewing machine. It also offers great
coverage when stitching rolled hems.

February 2013 Laura Johnson

Ellie Inspired

SEWING THE LEGGINGS

Stitching the Front to the Back:
1. Place the two pants
pattern pieces right
sides together. Stitch
the curved
center back and
center front

3. Open out the pants and

place them right sides
together so that the
center back and center
front seams that were
just stitched are now in
the centers and match
at the crotch. Stitch the
front to the back along the inseam.

sections only.
Finishing the Waist:
1. If possible, measure the waist of the child and subtract
1. If child is not available for measuring, use the
2. Hem the bottom of each leg by turning it to the inside

following chart as a guideline for average

1/2 twice, enclosing the raw edges. Stitch close to the

measurements. Cut a length of elastic the correct

folded edge.

length.
Size
Elastic

Elastic

February 2013 Laura Johnson

Size 1

Size 2

Size 3

Size 4

Size 5

17

18

19

20

21

Size 6

Size 7

Size 8

Size 10

Size 12

22

23

24

25

26

Ellie Inspired

2. Join the elastic in a circle by overlapping and stitch

the ends together. This seam will be the center back.

Leggings
3. Find the center front and the marks around the
elastic for the two sides. Mark these four spots or place
a pin in them. Place over the top of the WRONG side of
the leggings, matching up all the points.

By Laura Johnson. For personal use only. All rights reserved.

Copyright February 2013. No part of this pattern may be
reproduced or copied without permission in writing from the
author. To see more patterns by Laura Johnson go to
www.ellieinspired.com.
Special thanks to my wonderful pattern testers and wonderful
customers. I hope you enjoy this gift from me to you!

Fair use of this pattern are subject to the following conditions:

4. Stitch with a seam, s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g the elastic to fit

the top of the leggings.
5. Fold the elastic down on the inside of the leggings.

Leggings is a special thank-you gift for my amazing

customers and is available for FREE! It is only available on my
website: www.ellieinspired.com. Please do NOT re-post this
pattern in its entirety. A link may be provided back to my site.
If you sell garments made using this pattern, in consideration of
the many hours spent on the design, please always give credit
to Ellie Inspired as the designer (i.e. Leggings pattern by Ellie
Inspired, www.ellieinspired.com). No mass production is
permitted using this pattern.

Stitch in place , close to the raw edge, s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g

again to fit and using a
zig-zag stitch to finish the
edges.

February 2013 Laura Johnson

For questions on sewing patterns by Ellie Inspired, visit the

discussion forums on our website: www.ellieinspired.com

Ellie Inspired

Instructions for cutting out pattern:

The pattern pieces for the leggings are on pages 9-13 and should be taped together as seen below.
(Page 13 is only for sizes 8-12). Use the black rectangles to match up the pieces of paper and check 1
square to make sure the pieces printed at 100%

February 2013 Laura Johnson

Ellie Inspired

Place on Fold

Stretch

ELLIE INSPIRED
Pants
Cut 2 on Fold of Fabric

Leggings

Designed by Laura Johnson

Copyright February 2013
www.ellieinspired.com

10

12

Designed by Laura Johnson

Copyright February 2013
www.ellieinspired.com

Designed by Laura Johnson

Copyright February 2013
www.ellieinspired.com

Designed by Laura Johnson

Copyright February 2013
www.ellieinspired.com

12

10

Designed by Laura Johnson

Copyright February 2013
www.ellieinspired.com