Skip to main content

Faux Leather Leggings

Back in December, The Preacher and I were passing through Chicago and we had time for a quick stop at Vogue Fabrics. We used to live on the south side of Chicago and I made quite a few trips there during those years. Now we pass through Chicago to visit family, but we're usually on a schedule with kids along. This trip was leisurely and without kids! Perfect opportunity.

When I got in the store I was a little torn about what approach to take - look for the best deals or look for fabrics that I wouldn't normally have access to. I ended up doing some of both. One of the unusual fabrics I picked was a black stretch faux leather. They had several nice choices. All of the faux leather at Fabricland feels pretty plastic-y (stiff and shiny) to me. But, this one is a very good imitation of real leather both in appearance and feel. Of course, that's very hard to capture in a photo.


Inspired by this pair of jeans, I sliced and diced a legging pattern that I've used before (Burda 01/2011 #130). All the seams are symmetrical even though it doesn't look like it in the picture. The back of the legs are made from black ponte knit (also purchased at Vogue Fabrics). For the waistband, I made a separate casing from the ponte for 2" wide elastic. It feels substantial and sits smoothly around my middle.


This faux leather was pretty easy to sew. It is pretty thin, soft, and pliable and it has a knit backing. The backing allowed it to move through the machine without any "stickiness" and it also makes the leggings very comfortable to wear. I did have to let out the inseam a bit, but the needle holes disappeared really well. That was a surprise to me, but I think it's because of the thinness and the knit backing.


I doubt that I would have ever purchased a pair of RTW leather leggings, but I really enjoyed the process of making these and like the end product. They're warmer than regular leggings and more comfortable than jeans. And if (when?) I spill anything on them I can just wipe them clean! Perfect.
Labels:

Comments

  1. Sharon SewsFebruary 17, 2014 at 10:48 PM

    I was just thinking today how much I want to sew a pair of faux leather pants (with a ponte back) and then here is your post! I'm having a hard time finding decent faux leather so maybe I'll check out Vogue Fabrics. Love yours by the way!

    ReplyDelete
  2. knitmachinequeen (KMQ)February 18, 2014 at 9:32 AM

    I really like these. They are very "biker chic!"

    ReplyDelete
  3. SewCraftyChemistFebruary 18, 2014 at 10:55 AM

    LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnnetteFebruary 18, 2014 at 12:11 PM

    I've been eying some that are similar and I love your pair! I wonder if I could pull these off.

    ReplyDelete
  5. SEWNFebruary 20, 2014 at 11:39 AM

    These are fabulous. Love them!

    ReplyDelete
  6. AudreyFebruary 22, 2014 at 8:55 AM

    Love these leggings.They look fabulous on you.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burda Skirt Again

I'm not sure what prompted it, but awhile ago I decided that I needed a green skirt. The last time I was at Fabricland I saw this green wide-wale corduroy. I wasn't really looking for the skirt to be corduroy and the color was a little different than I was hoping for, but since I had my eyes peeled for awhile and hadn't seen anything better, I thought I'd try the corduroy. After looking for a suitable pattern, I settled on the Burda 2/2010 skirt that I've already used three times . Because of the weight and bulk of the corduroy, I didn't want to try to mess with too many details. I'll use another skirt pattern soon. Really, I will. One of the things I really like about this pattern is the pockets. This time I made the pocket facings and part of the pocket bag out of a cotton woven solid to reduce bulk. Since I'll be wearing this skirt with tights I added a lining. Adding the lining was really simple except that I cut the lining exactly the sam
14 comments
Read more

Grocery Bags

More gifts! These are just like the still-all-too-ubiquitous plastic grocery bags, but they're fabric.  I followed this tutorial and you actually use a plastic bag as a pattern.  The instructions are very good and include a pocket so that the bag can be folded up and is easy to keep in a purse or a car's glove box. Mostly for the sake of the gift recipients, here's how to fold up the bag.... 1.  Lay the bag pocket side down and fold it length-wise using the edges of the pocket as a guide. 2.  Fold it in half, aligning the top of the handles with the bottom of the bag. 3.  Fold in half again and then reach into pocket with your hand and turn the whole thing (pocket included) inside out. Happy shopping!
3 comments
Read more

Shopping Bags

Most stores in our town charge you a nickel for a plastic bag when you check out. I love this practice and the way that it encourages people to bring their own cloth bags or reuse their plastic ones. My habit of bringing along bags to the grocery store is well established, but I used to find myself stuck at places like the drug store or farmer's market or other impromptu stops. Then I picked up a bag at an upscale kitchen goods store that rolls up quite compactly. Now I keep that in my purse, so I always have a bag with me. I like my bag so much that I wanted to replicate it for the art sale. The final result is a hybrid of the bag I purchased and these that I made last year. The bag is a little bigger than the average plastic grocery bag. The velcro tab is used to keep the bag rolled up, but also can close the top of the bag when it is full. Most of the bag is a single layer of cotton, but the handles are faced. There is a double row of top-stitching around both edges of
12 comments
Read more