Patterned velvet leggings with a bat fabric waistband

These are really just my usual basic leggings pattern made up in a very nice (quite large!) scrap of much loved stashed fabric.

 

Possibly not shown to their best here when worn with my comfy blue top. But this is a REAL photo after all. This is how I actually tend to dress.

They do look better for the blog without the blue top:

The basic red vest is a dress I made yonks ago and I cut off the bottom a couple of years later. I do wear it much more now though. The fact I made that dress back in the summer of 2017 kind of proves this blog is not just about making fast fashion though. I tend to keep most items until they are either worn out or I hate them in which case they get donated to charity.

 

The waistband is just a scrap of bat fabric left over from the bat bikini. I am currently looking for some fabric to make a longer version of this bikini. I want to go swimming at the local baths and prefer a more covered costume for that. I wear the bat bikini under my wetsuit when we are surfing in Cornwall, so modesty is no issue there. May be its my age, but I do not feel confident about my body right now and prefer a more covered up look at the moment.

 

I decided the swim suit offcut would work better than using velvet because the leggings made with velvet waistbands last year were much more bulky than this is and as it happens I am happy how these have turned out so its something to do next time I make velvet trousers of any kind.  Though you can only just see the bats but never mind its working well as a waistband. And I get to see the inside of the waistband too, and it makes me happy. Small things!

The velvet has lycra which should keep them in shape. I have found the usual polyester stretch velvet is not very good for leggings (and flares as well) because the knees go baggy very quickly, though makes acceptable ( and much cheaper) baggy trousers. Eg the Cerena pattern worked well in cheapo ( non-lycra) velvet - I must make a new pair of them at some point in fact!

I seem to wear the Cerena loads now I changed them to seperates - or the trousers part get worn loads anyway. I cannot remember when I last wore the top. It needs to be bra-less or worn with a very small strapless bra and I do not really want that look. I am just too old now to carry it off well. But the Cerena pants have become part of my everyday lounge wear. Next time making them though I really must add the pockets.

I think  these leggings will be the last item in velvet for this winter / spring. I have actually packed away my remaining bits of velvet fabrics until next winter. Even though my fabric stash has diminished loads, I still have far too much ( useful and wanted) fabric so I bought some heavy duty and rodent proof storage boxes. 

I don't think my shed currently has rodents but its well known that if you stick fabric in a shed the rats and mice move into it so this is going to be stored in a nice dry shed in black strong storage boxes. I have done this before in summer and its worked well for me. Not that I reccommend sticking fabric outside in any environment but where I live we simply have not enough space so its the only way to organise my life ( and my fabric). In fact we really need to move to a bigger place. Thats something we are currently considering because its very expensive where we live right now and just a mile up the road we can get a much better house for less money and thats still in a nice area. 

So I digress - leggings: The pattern used is McCalls 6173. They are all one piece - well two legs but no side seams. Very, very easy to make so long as you cut them on straight grain else the side seams will twist. I found out the hard way! 

But generally if you line the SG arrow on the pattern up to the edge of the fabric ( use a tape measure or ruler or even a stick with a line drawn on it) then they will be brilliant and being just two seams plus crutch seam they are fast to make up. Oh and waistband and hems of course but really with stretch fabrics you could even just miss off the hem and go for a raw edge and they will work. Very easy. In fact the pattern actually has a fold over waistband so is one piece with the rest but I find this is too short for me, so I add the extra waistband from the jeggings pattern which is included in McCalls 6173. I have never yet tried the jeggings pattern out. 

There is really not much else to say about these because they are just another pair of leggings from a basic pattern but so far since adding the waistband - they stayed half made for about 6 months! - I have worn every week at least once for about a month so these are a big success. 

In fact, the fact is I like my most basic clothing and therefore the basic patterns I use, over much more interesting designs ( and makes)  which does kind of make me ask myself why do I keep making other items? 

But then there is that fact that if you never experiment you never discover that latest much loved new pattern so I suppose its fine to re-use the best patterns a few times every year. At least I know those clothes will be worn.

Now though its time to start to think of summer clothes. I am thinking of lots of terry jersey I bought back in January and Tshirt cottons and such. Terry because its not as warm as full on sweatshirting but is warmer than Tshirt weight jersey and yes its spring here but to be perfectly honest its really cold here right now. Not at all the weather to cast off your woollens. My Granny used to say " Cast naer a clout till May is out" - or dont go putting your cold weather clothes away till May is fiished with here because we even sometimes get snow and often get frosts at the end of May. 

It does also make it very hard to grow tomatoes early in this country unless you have a greenhouse ( heated) or similar and have the space for them to grow. I am thinking though its time I sowed some now inside and they will be big and strong to be planted out at the end of May / early June.

And also I would like to make a few nice original items for our latest familly baby. I have been enjoying the odd small baby item I have made over the last few months. I am thinking maybe make stuff for when he gets to the 9-12 months bit to give me time to get it together to find patterns etc and get them made before he outgrows them.

So have a great weekend, take care

Bracken