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DIY Extra Long Leggings – Virginia Leggings pattern review

September 7, 2016 Beth – Sew DIY
DIY Extra Long Leggings | A review of the Virginia Leggings pattern by Megan Nielsen | Sew DIY

I’ve made leggings a few times before using a pattern that I drafted myself. They are great but not perfect. I learned some things from those makes. Firstly, that leggings are very, very quick to sew. Second, that it’s really important to have fabric with a lot of stretch. This time around I used the Virginia Leggings pattern by Megan Nielsen. I’m happy to say that this latest pair is my favorite.

DIY Extra Long Leggings | A review of the Virginia Leggings pattern by Megan Nielsen | Sew DIY

I made these leggings right before my trip to Europe in June and I was so glad to have them with me. There were a few chilly days while I was there and I was very happy to have these as an extra layer.

DIY Extra Long Leggings | A review of the Virginia Leggings pattern by Megan Nielsen | Sew DIY

I’ve had really good experiences with Megan Nielsen patterns in the past and was excited to try this one too. I made version which is designed to sit at the natural waist and has an extra long inseam that creates a rushed effect at the ankle. A few of my previous pairs of leggings were made too short (my fault!) so I was happy to have these be extra long. The inseam for  version 1 is 35 inches. Even though I’m 5’11” I carry a lot of my height in my torso so this was a great length for me.

DIY Extra Long Leggings, pattern review of Virginia Leggings by Megan Nielsen | Sew DIY

I made either a size S or M as my measurements are between the two – waist=28, hips=39. (I’m not with my pattern stash right now but I’ll try to update later.) The fit is really good for me and the pattern went together really easily. Leggings are seriously one of the easiest things to sew. You just sew up the inseam, the crotch, then the waistband and hem.

The fabric is a 4-way stretch from Joann’s. It’s pretty basic, lots of stretch and thick enough to not have any show through. I learned from my previous experiences making leggings, it’s important to have lots of stretch. The more stretch there is the more comfy they’ll be.

DIY Extra Long Leggings, pattern review of Virginia Leggings by Megan Nielsen | Sew DIY

I finished the hem and waistband using a zig zag stitch and surprisingly some of the stitches have popped. Most of the time when I sew knits, I use a twin needle to topstitch (check out my twin needle topstitching tips here) but as these are black and the waistband is usually covered up, I wasn’t worried about how it would look. I’m not really sure why some stitches popped. Maybe I should have stretched it a little bit while sewing? Or maybe I should have used wooly nylon in the bobbin. But no big deal. If it starts really coming apart, I’ll redo it. I used the serger for all the seams and those are all fine.

DIY Extra Long Leggings, pattern review of Virginia Leggings by Megan Nielsen | Sew DIY

I’m kind of set in the leggings department right now but next time I need another pair, I will definitely use this pattern again. If you’ve never sewn leggings I highly recommend trying it out. I haven’t worn these very much since returning from Europe because it’s been too darn hot in LA but as the temps cool I expect to be getting a lot of wear out of the this winter. For ultimate coziness, I’ll likely be wearing them with a Lou Box Top (as seen here :) and my Catrin Sweatshirt. Have you tried this pattern? Have you sewn leggings before?

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In sewing Tags leggings, megan nielsen
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About SewDIY

about sew diy

Welcome to Sew DIY. My name is Beth and this blog is dedicated to sharing inspiration, sewing tips and tutorials for creating your own DIY life. Email me at sewdiyblog [@] gmail [.com]

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Did you see the photos of snow in LA yesterday? ❄️😱 I'm not acclimated to this kind of weather and it doesn't help that I kon-mari'd most of my winter clothes a few years ago. 🤣 I'll be semi-patiently waiting for spring to arrive and looking forward to wearing all of the seasonally inappropriate things I've been making lately. ✂️⠀
One garment at the top of the list is this #judithjumpsuit hack. It's been sadly hanging in the closet just waiting for its debut. For more info on this jumpsuit, I have a full post over on the blog. ⠀
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#youcanhackit #imakefashion #sewcialists #sewing #isew #ilovesewing #ilovetosew #sewersgonnasew #diyfashion #makersgonnamake #makeitsewcial #handmade #sewingproject #instasew #sewistsofinstagram #happysewing
Have you seen this AHMAZING hack of the #nitawrapskirt by @mariefleurine ? 💙🌈😍 It's seriously inspiring and reminded me of how much potential this pattern has. ✨ This pattern is available in my shop in sizes 00-22 (hips 33-50" / 84-127 cm). Link in profile to the shop and make sure to go read @mariefleurine 's blog post for all the details on how she hacked the pattern. ✂️ .
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#youcanhackit #indiesewingpattern #indiesewing #handmadewardrobe #diyfashion
Today on the blog, I’m very pleased to be sharing my #calyerpants designed by @frenchnavynow_ ✨💙😍 I love that these pants are super comfy but still look really sophisticated. I did not make a muslin but my standard adjustments worked perfectly. 👊🙌 Now I just need some slightly warmer weather so that I can start wearing these every. single. day.⁣ ⠀
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Head over to the blog to read all the details, including my #sewingtall modifications. ⁣⠀
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Fabric is linen/viscose slub in navy from @blackbirdfabrics⁣ I would definitely use this fabric again. It's perfect for trousers patterns that need some drape. 🌈⠀
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#memadeeveryday #diyfashion #memadewardrobe #indiesewing #blackbirdfabrics #ilovesewing #happysewing
Getting help organizing scraps from my favorite tiger. 🐯💙✂️ #sewingwithcats

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Some of the links on this site are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products or services I personally own or genuinely like. If a post or giveaway is sponsored, I will clearly state so in the body of a post.

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DIY Pleated Pants – Review of the Calyer Pants pattern by French Navy
DIY Pleated Pants – Review of the Calyer Pants pattern by French Navy
about 4 days ago

Most of the year, trousers or jeans are part of my everyday wardrobe. My favorite style of trousers are a loose fit with a tapered leg. Two of my favorite me-made versions are the Alexandria Trousers and the Arenite Pants. I have worn both of these patterns a ton. So when I saw the Calyer Pants, I knew immediately that they’d be a good fit for me.