Bell Bottom Hack

Spring is in full swing here so the mornings are still chilly but the afternoons are warm.  I’ve had a really hard time finding some lightweight clothing that she can wear outside that will keep her cool and still protect her from the sun. 

Tricot is one of my favorite summer fabrics. It’s  great for swim but it’s also good for just tops, pants, underwear, sports bras, and workout tops. It feels cool to the touch, which I love on a hot day. It’s perfect for playing in the water because it dries so quick. The tricot from Phee Fabrics is very high quality and super easy to work with. Using high quality fabric makes my projects go so much smoother and they end up looking better. If you’re wondering what the heck is tricot, it’s a type of nylon spandex that is knitted in such a way to make it abrasion resistant. It’s moisture wicking, antimicrobial, and very breathable.

The bottoms I used the cerise tricot and omg! It’s sooo pretty!  On the top I used the light pink with cerise bands.

While she needs to be protected from the sun, this diva also needs to be stylish. I’m not sure where she gets this from because I usually look like I’m homeless. Atleast one of us has to look good, right?!   My friend found these super cute bell bottoms for her and I knew I had to make her some for summer. Plus I need a nice tricot shirt to throw on her when she heads outdoors.

To hack leggings into bell bottoms, it’s super easy. But the outcome is so freaking adorable. I used the Bonny leggings from Made for Mermaids, but you could use any legging pattern. The Bonny’s are a free pattern. Now if you’re toddler is like mine, you can measure a pair of pants instead of the toddler. It’s so much easier. I compared the measurements of a pair of well fitting leggings to the pattern. It has a cut line for shorties. I added 1.5” of length to that. The little flares that come out from the side for the hem line on the Bonny pattern, I just cut off.

So you construct the leggings but don’t hem the legs. Then you’re going to cut two pieces of fabric. I did 26” wide x 8.5” long.   The length I compared with her jeans. I should’ve added another inch to them so that she could wear them longer. They are   the perfect length for bare feet now.  The width, I guessed at. I would Atleast double the width of  Math is not my subject. Sew the right sides together and I went ahead and hemmed here because I hate hemming. Then you’re going to find the quarter points of those pieces. Match up the seam with the seam on the legs. The other half matches the other side. So you’re left with all this excess fabric in the middle of those points. I put that extra material into a pleat on the front and on the back. Then I serged the pieces to the legs. Super easy!!

For the top, I just made a Stella (Made for Mermaids also) and just left the bottom band off And hemmed. I also did 3” arm bands. I can’t remember what the pattern calls for. 

If you’re looking for a super fun project, this is it!  And it’s super cute! Thanks for reading!

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