So I lovelovelove leggings (and I wear them as pants, so sue me) and am especially obsessed with unique leggings. Anything destroyed, with slashes, cut outs, bows, cool graphics etc. Bandage leggings are some of my favourites right now, they look amazing layered over pantyhose & are amazing attention-getters. So I've thrown together a really quick tutorial of how I made my own pair from some old leggings!
here's what you'll need:
- a pair of leggings (i'm using a super worn out pair of metallic black ones that have lost their shine in places :( )
- chalk
- measuring tape
- fabric scissors
- pins
- a serger or sewing machine
Flip your leggings inside out & lay them out flat. Then decide how high up your leg you want the cut-outs to start. This is important cause it determines the level of skankiness-- i'm going for high. lol.
From there, measure out where you will be cutting the "strips". I decided to make each strip 2 inches wide and made sure that there would be an EVEN number of strips to criss-cross (I made 12 strips, so 24 inches in total).
Then cut across the top line & the bottom line you've drawn (along the front layer of the leggings only). And cut the entire inside seam from the top to bottom slits so that your leggings open like the photo shown above.
cut the other leg in the same way! (measure carefully so that both are cut evenly)
Now fold the leggings in half with the "flaps" still open. Your chalk marks from the beginning should still be there on one leg ;)
Both layers should be matched up precisely so that you can cut both layers at the same time (why do the same thing twice, right?!). Grab your scissors and cut each of the 2 inch strips, being careful to cut them perfectly parallel.
Now take each of the strips & cross them over each other. You can keep them in pairs like I did or you can choose to randomize them a bit.
Pin all of the strips in place & sew or serge along the entire inseam to keep them in place! & you're all done!
After completing them with the strips in pairs, I decided that this look was a bit too 'orderly' for me. I wanted to go for a more bandage-wrapped effect & that failed because of how uniform these x's were. So I took another stab at it & alternated the strips differently and came up with this:
hooray! my new favourite leggings :)
these will be permanently on my legs for the next little while.
& they look fab layered over dark pantyhose, bright leggings or even patterned ones :)
that wasn't too hard right?
now do it yourself fool.
xoxo
Then decide how high up your leg you want the cut-outs to start. This is important cause it determines the level of skankiness-- i'm going for high. lol.
ReplyDeletehaha! I laughed so hard at these lines, I don't know why. :P
I'm definitely going to have to try this out! Thanks so much for sharing this turotial, Syl. xo
bahahahah Katrina! My friends always laugh at me cause I have no sense of what is too-short & what isn't. I think it's probably just that I'm desensitized or something... or maybe it was that rule in high school that kilts had to fall below your finger tips that caused me to rebel. lol
ReplyDeleteGood luck & show us how it turns out! :D
I know I'm going to have to try this, screw the winter weather in California :D!
ReplyDeleteThat's my take on it, Mai! It's snowing & -20C here, but I'll still be wearing them over top of another pair of leggings ;)
ReplyDeleteFashion comes first, right?! haha
This is awesome! If I end up doing a pair of these, I'd definitely wear lace leggings underneath :P I'm too much of a prude to go all the way and wear them with bare legs!
ReplyDeleteWow. Very impressed! Blue Peter gone trendy ;) Extremely cool x
ReplyDeletethis is awesomeeeeeeee!
ReplyDeletei was so disappointed when i couldnt find the mesh cut out leggings i wanted but these are even better!!!!!
this is sooo coool!!!! i will try this with my old legging that i bought a size up soo its too big now =[!! thx youuuu =]
ReplyDeleteThese are sweet. Definitely going to have to try this. Thanks for posting this!
ReplyDeletethis is sooo coool!!!! i will try this with my old legging that i bought a size up soo its too big now =[!! thx youuuu =]
ReplyDeleteThese are sweet. Definitely going to have to try this. Thanks for posting this!
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome! If I end up doing a pair of these, I'd definitely wear lace leggings underneath :P I'm too much of a prude to go all the way and wear them with bare legs!
ReplyDeleteI know I'm going to have to try this, screw the winter weather in California :D!
ReplyDeleteAm like in love with them I Gona make a few thanks for the idea
ReplyDeletethese turned out great. I wouldnt have thought they would be so easy. I always liked them too, inspired to make a pair now :) thanks
ReplyDeleteI love these!!!! What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteGreat tutorial. Bookmarking! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHey there! I used the tutorial (and only managed to get one leg down because of time but they came out great). Thank you for this awesome and easy to follow tutorial :)
ReplyDeleteHere's the post: http://christinaalexia.blogspot.com/2012/12/lady-gaga-born-this-way-ball-soccer.html
I used your tutorial for these awesome leggings in my recent OOTD video! :) Thank you for the great idea ^^
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrpRv3NYu1M&feature=share&list=UUDTbycJcA7iseJGO69leWXg
Very cute, but scary! I'd be terrified that they'd split open :0, especially when out dancing haha.
ReplyDelete