Having found two pieces of remnants in an ice-cream pink, lightweight knit and then a pattern for leggings with ruching, I set out to make these leggings, only to discover the colour was an exact match for a tropical shirt I’d made a few years previous. Initially, I wanted to use my new rotary cutter but now I wouldn’t recommend that for knits. I also discovered I knew little about ruching and was a little stumped by the pattern’s directions, so sought out some instruction from the internet, only to not actually find any. I studied the pattern for quite some time, finally reaching that “ah – ha” moment.

Cut the pattern as directed. Cut the interfacing that will go on the inside of the lower leg of the garment as directed. Hem the pants first, then hem the interfacing, creating a seam of 1/2 inch on each piece. Place wrong side to wrong side according to the pattern’s markings, aligning the hems. The pattern says baste, but I just used pins. Stitch the length of the interfacing up the middle first, then stitch on either side a good 1/2 inch, so that you’ve created three columns of stitching attaching the interfacing to the lower leg. I later found paratrooper cording, it’s called, at a craft store and threaded that through the columns, starting at the bottom of the hems and turning the cord around at the top joining pieces. A bodkin wouldn’t catch, so I just used a safety pin. I then gathered the cord to create a bit of the ruching effect, with sufficient cording left over to tie a bow. This particular cord tended to fray, so I then applied Fray-Check to the ends and let dry for a few hours. The leggings fit really well, are super comfortable, and go nicely with the tropical shirt, intended for a Caribbean Festival later this summer. However, I think when my young nieces and their friends see these, I might be a little busy making a few more pair.

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