Thursday, November 18, 2010

Fold-Over-Elastic Tutorial: Cuddle Bug Legwarmers


Everyone & their grandma has seen or heard of the baby legwarmers you can make from knee socks.  I've made a few myself & while they are cute there are some limitations.  I've noticed ours have snagged threads after they've been crawled around in.  Or the sewn-on cuff part gets stretched out too easily and won't stay up.  And making them for older kids isn't really an option.  And my last "gripe", they aren't really that warm. So I came up with this Cuddle Bug Legwarmer tutorial:


By ditching the socks & using FOE they would:

- Be the exact size & length desired
- Use whatever fabric you want (including minky, fleece & ultra cuddle)
- Keep little legs as toasty as wearing pants
- Have extra support & cuteness from using FOE

Here's how you can too:

You'll Need:
1/4 - 1/2yd fabric or less (depending on length desired)
1-2yds of Fold-Over-Elastic - I get mine from FOE Your Diaper
Sewing machine & notions (thread, scissors, measuring tape, ruler)

First take some leg measurements.  Measure around the upper thigh and add 1.5", next measure around the ankle and add 1.5".  Then measure from thigh to ankle to determine length.  For my 14 mos old, I ended up with 11" thigh, 9.5" ankle and 11" long.

For cutting, make sure the stretch of the fabric is widthwise, so the long sides of your pieces will be parallel to the fabric selvedges.  Cut two pieces so they will look like this:


Quick tip: For the super soft leg warmers shown, I used ultra cuddle fabric, so they would be marshmallow soft inside & out.  This fabric gives off a lot of fluff when cut, so I always put it in the dryer for about 10 min on air dry to remove the flyway bits.

Next cut the FOE.  Cut a piece for each thigh & ankle that is the measurement taken without the 1.5" added:


Now to sew the FOE on.  Fold it over the raw edge and start to stitch on using the triple-stitch zig-zag set at 5.0 wide by 2.0 long, making sure the stitching edges very close to the open edge of the FOE (so it won't curl upward with wear), like this:


The key is to stretch FOE towards you as you stitch, so that it's taut (you can see how big the snowflakes look because they are stretched out):  


When done it will look like this:


Now fold lengthwise, right sides facing and stitch together:


Trim seam allowance down and turn right side out.  Repeat with other leg warmer.  Ta-da!  Super cute, cuddlyy & legwarmers that actually keep legs warm!


I used some snowflake print FOE for the blue ones & made another pair with some green and this cute Ooga Monster FOE:



Aren't these little guys cute?


Tomorrow's tutorial will show to make super easy & super cute matching FOE headbands.



Sharing this with my FAVE LINK PARTIES too so check them out HERE!

10 comments:

  1. These are really cute and I'm definitely going to buy some FOE, but one question is bothering me now for a while. Why would I want to use babylegs in stead of pants?

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  2. I always thought that too, so I never used any for my older boys. Some people like the easier diaper changes or that they can make cheap "outfits" with just a onesie & colorful legwarmers (and then knees on their pants don't get ravaged).

    Personally I like my cuddle bug style as an alternative to baby tights when my dd wears dresses. They fit for much longer, are easier to get on & off a wriggly baby and don't wear out or stain like the thin tight fabrics do. And they are way warmer on her little legs too.

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  3. I like these a lot, I'm going to alter them a little and make them for my little guy!

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  4. That elastic is genius! Thanks for the great (and giftable!) idea, I'll be linking.

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  5. Now that is some adorable FOE! How does it hold up after several washings? Does it pill much?

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  6. Also, the FOE Your Diaper site can make a thrifty alternative to Joann pre-packaged FOE. It's adorable, but it's so very pricey. I sure hope this stuff can perform!

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  7. It holds up really well to normal wear - just keep it away from velcro to avoid pilling. FOE Your DIaper has much better selection & pricing than Joanns and they had it long before! Added bonus of supporting a small business too:)

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  8. I love the small business support! I'll be ordering some today. Thanks for commenting on the quality.

    I was in a pinch, so I had to get some from Joann's. Not again! We use snaps, so I see this FOE having a full, happy life. Great find, Cheryl! I love those leg warmers, too. I'm inspired.

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  9. I love the small business support! I'll be ordering some today. Thanks for commenting on the quality.

    I was in a pinch, so I had to get some from Joann's. Not again! We use snaps, so I see this FOE having a full, happy life. Great find, Cheryl! I love those leg warmers, too. I'm inspired.

    ReplyDelete

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