Waste Not, Want Not.

Floral & Lace Leggings Refashion Ensemble

Last year, I bought a really pretty pair of floral leggings from NoMoreRack.com.  Normally, I don't care for flowery prints and what-not; but, I really liked the "autumny" colours.  However, I've been on refashion mode for a while, and thought these leggings would look much better at ballet-length.  Not wanting to waste any part of the pretty fabric, I turned the cut-off bottoms into matching, lace-trimmed fingerless gloves.  Ta Da! They're truly new designer label-worthy: Hooda Thunkitt ;oP


This refashion was REALLY simple! I LOVE simple! Below are the super easy steps:

1. Turn leggings inside out.
2. On a smooth, clean surface, neatly lay out leggings with the outside leg on top (facing you).
3. Measure from bottom hem of leg to figure out how short you want them; then, add an inch.
4. Mark that point on the material with a pen.
5. Create a dotted line from the mark to help make sure the leggings will be even all the way around when cut.
6. Cut along dotted line.
7. Cut the bottom off the other leg, using the previously cut leg on top as the length guide.
8. Set both of the cut-off ends aside - to be used for the matching fingerless gloves later.
9. Using 1/2-inch seam allowance, double hem the bottoms of both of the shortened legs for a tidier finish.  Pin in place.
10. Next slip one of the legs over the free-arm of the sewing machine and sew as close to the top of the hem as possible, using a "lingerie" or "zigzag" stitch to allow for the stretchiness of the fabric.
11. Do the same with the other leg.
12. Turn the cropped leggings right-side out for the finishing touches...
13. Using the straightness of the new hem as a guide, pin lace around the bottom leg opening - it may need to be hand-sewn if the leg openings are too small for the free-arm.
14. Once sewn in place, cut off excess ends of lace.
15. Hand-sew on decorative buttons - 3 on the side of each leg on each lace band.
16. Try on your refashioned fancy leggings.  Strut your stuff! 

Funky-Glam Floral & Lace Fingerless Gloves

Now for the Funky-Glam, Floral & Lace Fingerless Gloves!

CLOSER VIEW of Fingerless Gloves

1. Take one of the previously cut-off legging-ends.
2. Fold down neatly all the way around until the cut-end lines up with the naturally, pre-existing hem of the leggings - the floral pattern should show on both the outside as well as the inside of the wide tube.
3. Create a 1/2-inch hem with the scissor-cut ends; pin in place.
4. Line up the 1/2-inch hem with the existing leggings hem, and hand-sew closed.  Be sure to hide the stitches between both layers as well as possible.
5. Hand-sew on the lace around the cuff-ends to hide the hand-sewn seam.  [The folded end is the fully visible part showing across the hands; the hand-sewn, seamed end becomes the cuff.]
6. To create the opening for my thumbs, I tried on the lace-trimmed tube, and marked with a pin where I wanted to create the separate opening for the thumb.
7. Using the pin as the marker, sew together to create the separate thumb opening.
8. Try on the "fingerless-glove" periodically to check for fit.
9. Lastly, add a black button to hide the stitches at the separate thumb opening.
10. Repeat all the steps above with the second cut-off legging end to create the other fingerless glove.

Floral & Lace Complete Set

Not a single bit of the original leggings was wasted in this refashion project! I'm so pleased with how my Floral & Lace Leggings and Funky-Glam Floral & Lace Fingerless Gloves Ensemble turned out! In these frugal times, few people, (including me!), can afford to ignore the old saying:

Waste Not, Want Not!

CLOSER VIEW of Completed Refashion Project