Leggings

Leggings Party

I’ve wanted to write a leggings comparison blog for FOREVER. I recently had my daughter and knew I wanted to wait until she was out of me to hopefully get the best fit for my post partum body. I used Phee supplex for all of them and 6 different leggings patterns.

https://pheefabrics.com/supplex/

I compiled some info to compare all of the patterns. The calf and thigh circumference are of the pattern pieces and the thigh measurement is taken from 6 inches down the inseam. The waistband height is of the pattern piece minus seam allowances and the width is taken from the center of the pattern pieces.

DIBY Anything But Basic Leggings

Stretch Required: 50%

Size made: 12 + 2.5 inches based on thigh placement

Drafted Height: 5’5

Calf Circumference: 11-3/4

Thigh Circumference: 16-1/4

Waistband Height: Tall: 3-1/8 Short: 2-1/8

Waistband Width: 27-1/4

Pocket Size: No pocket

Extra Options: None

Types of Waistbands: Short/Tall

Dislikes: Crotch and butt curve really flat/wide hip/minimal options

Size Range: 34-67 inch hip

Gusset: None

Comments: There is a very pronounced hip curve that after wearing caused some rippling the waistband also constantly rolled down. If someone had more around their hips I would recommend using this pattern and then using a waistband from another pattern. The ease throughout the legs is really comfortable and DIBY does have the most expansive size range.

Apostrophe My Fit Leggings

Stretch Required: You pick

Size made: Side pocket panel, 24 inch inseam, contour waistband, snug fit

Drafted Height: Custom

Calf Circumference: 14-3/8

Thigh Circumference: 21-1/8

Waistband Height: Contour: 3-1/2

Waistband Width: 25

Pocket Size: 6-1/4×3-1/2

Extra Options: Ruched side/Side panels/pocket/waistband pocket/different waistbands/completely customizable

Types of Waistbands: Elastic/Yoga/Contour/Back pocket

Dislikes: There isn’t a % of ease given for your measurements so mine didn’t turn out how I like

Size Range: All

Gusset: None

Comments: The directions for how to find your measurements are great and I really appreciated that but I was initially frustrated that the ease isn’t given for the different fits. I chose the snug fit and they are very large around my knees and calves with about a 1:1 ratio. They have a lot of potential and are completely customizable but I don’t know if I have the patience to work them out.

Greenstyle Strides Updated

Stretch Required: 50%

Size made: L cropped length, high rise

Drafted Height: 5’8

Calf Circumference: 9-3/4 in (capri line)

Thigh Circumference: 15-5/8

Waistband Height: High: 5 in Mid: 3-3/4

Waistband Width: 28-1/4

Pocket Size: 7-1/2×4

Extra Options: Cross Cuff/Waistband pocket/5 lengths

Types of Waistbands: Mid/High

Dislikes: No thigh/calf measurements. I would add a little calf ease next time.

Size Range: Hip 32-50 sizes are being expanded

Gusset: Oval

Comments: Strides have always been my go to I love the accent piece on the back. Through trying all the different patterns and seeing the different amounts of ease throughout the strides are a pair that I would wear for working out but would pick something a little more relaxed for everyday wear. I do think the back on these is the most flattering especially for those with long butt problems like me LOL.

P4P Peg Legs

Stretch Required: 50%

Size made: XL waist L hip low rise, 1″ longer than capri length, contour waistband

Drafted Height: 5’6

Calf Circumference: 10-1/2

Thigh Circumference: 17-1/8

Waistband Height: Contour front: 7 in Regular: 3-1/2 in

Waistband Width: 25-1/4

Pocket Size: 6×4

Extra Options: Side pocket/colorblocking/waistband pocket/4 lengths

Types of Waistbands: Mid/High/Contoured

Dislikes: No print layout

Size Range: Hip: 33-58

Gusset: Oval with more pronounced oval on one side

Comments: Overall this pattern has some amazing options for being a free pattern. Lots of people really love the contoured waistband and choose to add that on to their legs of choice. I don’t love how the contour waistband goes down so far in the front, possibly from pregnancy being so fresh, I think it accentuates that part of me. This pattern did provide the best front crotch curve for my body and the back is pretty flattering too. For anyone’s first pair of leggings I think this is a great starting point and it’s FREE.

5004 Ninjas

Stretch Required: 50%

Size made: S->M waist L hip mid rise ankle length

Drafted Height: Based on inseam for lengths

Calf Circumference: 11

Thigh Circumference: 17-3/4

Waistband Height: 2

Waistband Width: 28

Pocket Size: Waistband pocket 2-1/4×3-3/4

Extra Options: 4 rise options/7 lengths/key waistband pocket

Types of Waistbands: Fabric or exposed elastic

Dislikes: No waistband options

Size Range: Hip: 34-61

Gusset: Diamond

Comments: I love these pants. They don’t move around AT ALL. I wore them for a really long run and they didn’t chafe or move around at all. I also really enjoy that they have no side seam I think it makes them look more seamless. I would wear these to run everyday, the minimalness of the waistband makes them super easy to wear under my running vest. If I was going to wear them for everyday I would look into adding a contour waistband probably from the strides. This is my second 5004 pattern and I’m not sure why I haven’t made more I love these just as much as the jessie!

Jalie Claras

Stretch Required: 60%

Size made: X ankle length

Drafted Height: Trunk height per size

Calf Circumference: 10-1/4

Thigh Circumference: 15-7/8

Waistband Height: Elastic: 3/4 in Fabric: 2-3/4 in

Waistband Width: 29-1/2

Pocket Size: None

Extra Options: 3 lengths

Types of Waistbands: Elastic or fabric

Dislikes: None

Size Range: Hip: 22-53

Gusset: Triangle

Comments: I love that it includes kids and adults sizes and that there is only one seam in the waistband. Not having any outer leg seam or front seam. The inseam sits forward though because of no front seam. These are SUPER fast to work up and I will definitely be wearing them again.

We all need to take a minute to giggle at my posture in all these side pics sometime’s I’m up straight sometimes I’m still pregnant LOL.

Review

My favorite pants for running were the 5004 Ninjas, I went for a 9 mile run and didn’t have to adjust them at all. I like how the waistband on these is really minimal so when wearing under my running vest I didn’t have any bulkiness. Although I love these for running I wouldn’t wear them for everyday as I don’t think they’re the most flattering. I am curious how they’d look adding the strides waistband too them and if that would help them be ‘cuter’. For my next pair I would like to do the pegs crotch curve, it looks like it fits me the best with the back of the strides. I am really tall and have been pregnant for three years (actually) so my booty is more deflated than it used to be. I think the accent piece on the strides give me the most flattering backside.

The Jalie Claras have a higher required stretch than the other patterns which is something to note and are the only pair that don’t have a from crotch seam. If you find that point usually is irritating for you then definitely try these. They are really comfortable and I will be wearing them again.

Negative ease: When the garment is finished smaller than your body measurement. With the supplex the garment is much smaller than your body measurements because it has such great stretch and recovery. This is a list of the patterns from least to most negative ease so the patterns at the top stretch less to fit you (aren’t as tight) as the patterns towards the end of the list.

Waistband Width Negative Ease Least -> Most

Jalie – 29

Strides – 28-1/4

Ninjas – 28

DIBY – 27-1/4

Pegs – 25-1/4

MyFit – 25

Thigh Negative Ease Least -> Most

MyFit – 21-1/8

Ninjas – 17-3/4

Pegs – 17-1/8

DIBY – 16-1/4

Claras -15-7/8

Strides -15-5/8

Calf Circumference Negative Ease Least -> Most

MyFit – 14-3/8

DIBY – 11-1/4

Ninjas – 11

Pegs – 10-1/2

Claras -10-1/4

Strides – 9-3/4

I hope this helps!

-Whit

September 11, 2019June 15, 2020 by Phee Fabrics Categories: SupplexTags: 5004, Activewear, apostrophe, diby, Leggings, myfit leggings, Patterns for Pirates, Pegs, Strides, Supplex, Women 2 Comments

Tween Capsule

My daughter has come into the size range where it’s hard to find patterns that are sized for her, this age range is known as the tween ages. Being a tween is when you’re no longer an age that is a single digit, but also not yet a teen. You’re probably thinking, yeah, I already know that. The other definition of tween is between, and in the PDF pattern world, there are only a fraction of the patterns available for between child and adult sizes.

When searching for designers, I found a lot that said they were tween, but many really only went up to size 12, which in my eyes doesn’t quite make it to adult size. For those who do, there aren’t a ton of different designs available. And with all honesty, if I’m going to buy a pattern for my daughter, I don’t want her to be at the top of the size chart, I want to be able to use the same pattern for a few different sizes.

With my daughter’s clothing she weighs in on these three things equally:

How does it (the fabric) feel? She loves anything soft, everything from Phee checks this box, so I never have to worry.
Do I like it? Sometimes I’ll show her patterns to see if she likes them, other times Pinterest when I see something cute. As long as she likes it, this box gets checked. I also like just going my idea, and seeing what happens, this works most of the time.
Is it comfortable? She refuses to wear anything that isn’t comfortable. I don’t blame her.

When working on her capsule I knew that she needed basics that she could mix and match together as well with any prints that she has. One things she lacks is solids, so adding these solids that don’t look basic are perfect for her.

Jumper and Basic Tee

Violette Field Threads Maddie Jumper in Black Stretch Twill and Hey June City Park Tee in White Rayon Spandex

She said she wanted overalls, but I kept seeing really cute jumpers/pinafores all over, so I really wanted to make one. I chose Phee’s stretch twill (black) because it’s durable and super easy to wash. It also doesn’t wrinkle, so she can change for PE if needed throw it in her locker and when she puts it back on, it won’t look like a mess.

Basic tees were definitely needed, and the City Park Tee was a perfect patch to Phee’s 13oz Rayon Spandex. She will definitely outgrow this t-shirt well before it shows any signs of wear. I love that the fabric is easy to sew because of its thickness, is super soft (which she loves), and doesn’t pill after repeated washings.

Joggers and Basic Tee

Hey June City Park Tee in Turquoise Rayon Spandex and Sofilantjes Domi Sweat Pants in Black Rayon Spandex

Surprise another City Park Tee in you guessed it, rayon spandex. Seriously, the best part of this outfit is these joggers. She put these on and couldn’t get over how soft and comfortable they were! And her favorite part is the pockets. I chose to use some scraps from my leftover tee to bring some color to the joggers.

Overalls and Fancy Top

Abby’s Overalls by The Wolf and the Tree in Charcoal Supplex and Sew a Little Seam Brynn Top in Orchid Rayon Spandex

She got her overalls, but she won’t be wearing these for much longer. Don’t forget to double check measurements before cutting your fabric and sewing. I thought I was using the correct size, but I actually cut out the pattern that I had from months ago. I promised her that I’ll be making her a bigger size though, because they are too cute and she’s not off the chart for these yet.

Phee’s supplex is my favorite when it comes to making bottoms for my daughter. I don’t have to worry about holes, as the fabric is super strong yet really soft.

When the Brynn Top was first released I was excited for all the different options. When we were on a flight I was looking at the pattern and she started oooing and ahhing at the different tester pics. I knew one way to let this pattern showcase itself was to use Phee’s solid rayon spandex and let the design speak for itself. I just love the way these sleeves drape.

Leggings and Knotted Top

Jalie Clara Leggings in Black 18oz Supplex and Sew a Little Seam Brynn Top in Light Heathered Gray Rayon Spandex, with Orchid Rayon Spandex trim

This girl loves leggings from Phee’s supplex, I think because it’s just like the Ivivva (Lululemon’s brand for girls) leggings she has. This also isn’t her first pair of Clara leggings, and I love how fast these are to sew since they don’t have a center front seam.

Another Brynn Top, as she had other feature requests which were too many to do all in one shirt, so I opted for two. I used some leftover of the orchid rayon spandex which works beautifully with this light heathered gray. If you can’t tell I also used it as a contrast on the side knot and the hem facing, which adds a pop of color.

Bonus Sweatshirt

Sinclair Patterns Demi (one of my favorites) in Oatmeal Cozy French Terry, Oatmeal Rayon Spandex, and Medium Pink 2.5″ Stretch Lace Trim

She’s finally in the size chart for Sinclair Patterns! I used the Petite size and shorted all pieces even more in multiple places throughout to get a pattern just right. I couldn’t be happier!

This sweatshirt was a labor of love for me. It all started with a Pinterest picture and I instantly knew I had to make it for her. The new Cozy French Terry is so soft and fluffy, so it was perfect for her list. The oatmeal cozy French terry and the medium pink lace look sooo good together!

There’s a few hacks I made to the Demi, I didn’t just add lace to the sleeves, I cut away part of the fabric from underneath the lace. I used a narrow zig zag to attach the lace while the sleeve was flat.

I also added thumb cuffs, because I know she loves them. I had some oatmeal rayon spandex in my stash, so I opted for that on the neckband, thumb cuffs, and bottom band. I’m so happy with the way this turned out.

Her Favorites

We all have our own favorites, but I just had to ask her what her favorite item was. She couldn’t give me a straight up answer, I think it’s because she likes everything so much. Instead, this is what she said:

Outfit: Jumper and Basic Tee
Top: Orchid Brynn Top
Pants: Rayon Spandex Domi Joggers

If you stuck with me this far, please let me know what your favorite outfit or item is. I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links to products. All opinions and thoughts are my own. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

August 24, 2019June 15, 2020 by Stephanie Categories: Rayon Spandex, Stretch TwillTags: capsule wardrobe, Cozy French Terry, Girls, Hack, Jalie, joggers, Kid's Bottoms, Kid's Tops, Lace Trim, Leggings, Raglan, Rayon Spandex, Sinclair, Stretch Twill, Supplex, tween 1 Comment

Bonny Leggings Ruffle Hack SAL

August 5, 2018August 9, 2018 by whitneydecker Categories: Kid's BottomsTags: Bonny, Hack, Leggings, Ruffle, Tricot Leave a comment

The Magic of a New Outfit

Ahhhh, summertime! The perfect time to sit back, relax, have a few pool or boat drinks and take a break from “the grind.” This all sounds so magical, but alas, an entire summer without a workout would mean 9 months of gym lock down! So how do you stay motivated or find some extra motivation during these lazy summer months?

Before I began sewing, I always would buy new outfits, well, for just about anything. First day of school, Saturday night out, birthday party, because it’s Tuesday….you get the idea. And now that I sew, not much has changed, in fact I think it may have gotten worse.

One of the first things I ever sewed for myself was a pair of legging. I had basically no idea what I was doing or sewing but my desire to no longer wear ill-fitting athletic wear was fierce and so began the love affair with sewing my own workout wear. While I enjoy my workouts most days, sometimes I just need the extra push and this outfit is the answer!

So here’s my new summer-workout-motivation-outfit

I saw the Teal Tricot and was super excited to try it out. This color is so vibrant in person and to stand out in the gym crowd. It is a bit thinner than I would use for all over leggings, but absolutely perfect for accents and tops, IMO. Luckily I am a fabric hoarder extraordinaire and had this gorgeous spandex that matched (this one’s no longer available, but there are other Nylon Spandex Prints to check out)

IMG_20180629_145527 — Hooray for fabric mail!!!

The leggings are the Fusion Leggings from Petite Stitchery and Co shortened a few inches for a cropped look and the top is the Sapphire Tank hacked to use 2 front pieces for a scooped back to show off some fun sports bras. (afflink)

And not only is this fabric a dream to sew and wear, it is also moisture wicking and antimicrobial, both of which I stressed tested in a class

clone tag: 1038622757342905055 — This outfit screamed for fun cover stitching!

And in the Bahamian heat!!

I hope this inspires you to hit the refresh on your workout wear AND summer workouts

IMG_20180717_073626 — Vacation workout’s are much easier in fancy new clothes

July 27, 2018October 29, 2019 by Elizabeth De Virgilio Categories: UncategorizedTags: Elizabth, fusion leggings, Leggings, Pants, petite stitchery, sapphire tank, teal, Tricot, Women, workout Leave a comment

Pattern Hack with Phee

I am back again with another pattern hack, this time is the Tammy from Annelaine Patterns! I decide to make W a cropped dance top and add a little something extra with the wrap around ties. For the bottoms I used the Deux Leggings from Lil Luxe Collection, I didn’t make any changes on those

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For this set I used Pinkalicious and Black Tricot from Phee Fabrics. I used tricot for a more of an athletic feel to her outfit, since she is only 5 they don’t dance too hard, but it is perfect for anything of the athletic nature, its moisture wicking, anti microbial, and has 4 way stretch. Tricot is a great choice for those older girls needing a cropped Tammy for dance!

Ok, on to hacking the Tammy! You are going to construct your Tammy bodice the same way from the tutorial, just skip cutting or attaching a skirt.

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We are now going to measure the bottom of the top.

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This is where we have to do some math. We are essentially making a band for the bottom of our top. If you know how to do this you can skip ahead, just for reference I make my band 5 inches wide so my finished band would be 2 inches wide.

The bottom of my top laying flat is 12 inches. So from there you want to double that measurement, which makes it 24 inches. From there we want to make the band slightly smaller than the bottom of our top so we will multiply that 24 by 85% or .85

24 * .85 = 20.4

We still need to add in the seam allowance. Which means a 1/4″ on each side of the band or a total of 1/2″

20.4 + .5 = 20.9

When I have an odd measurement like 20.9 I will just round up to 21 to make cutting my band easier. So for the band on my size 5 Tammy I will cut a 5″ by 21″.

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We will also cut our ties. How long the ties are, is up to you. I found that between 30 and 35 inches for W. Her waist is 22 inches and this allowed for them to be wrapped around and tied. You will need to cut 2 ties. So for me I cut 2 ties 5″ by 35″.

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Now we are going to sew our ties. You will fold long edges, right sides together and then sew (with a stretch stitch) the long edge and one of the short edges. I used contrasting thread for the purposes of this tutorial. You will end with one of the short ends left open.

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Turn your straps right side out.

Grab your bottom band and find the middle of the short end and mark with a clip/pin.

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Place your ties on the right side of your bottom band with the seams of the ties towards the middle mark you made on your band.

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Now bring the other short edge of your band and match up the edges, right sides together.

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Your ties should not go all the way to the bottom of the band, this is the seam allowance of where you will be attaching it to your bodice.

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Sew your band and ties, making them one piece. Then fold the band wrong sides together. You should now have a circle with the ties coming out of one end. DO9A2666

Now we are going to quarter your bottom band and your Tammy bodice. The side seams are quarter points so you don’t need to mark those if you don’t want to.

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