Color-Blocked CLARA Leggings

As soon as we posted the first photos of our COCO sports bra, people started asking what that new leggings pattern was.

The jade/blush/black color combo was achieved with a rather simple hack of our popular CLARA leggings pattern. In this post, we will show you how to create the new pattern pieces and sew the leggings, step by step.
 

PREPPING THE PATTERN

On piece A, trace a line, parallel to the "cut here View A" line, about 2.5 cm (1'') above it. Make sure you transfer the notch (triangle) onto the new sewing line (this notch indicated the side of the leggings). 
On piece B, trace a line 2.5 cm (1'') from bottom edge, transferring the notch.
Cut on the lines and put the cutouts aside. You will not need them for this project:
Starting about halfway between the side notch and center front, draw an angled line that reaches the center back edge (about halfway between the top edge and double notch). You can freestyle this one, depending on the shape you want for your yoke.
Trace this shape onto another piece of paper. Your yoke piece is taking shape!
On this triangle piece, add a seam allowance by tracing a line 6 mm (1/4'') from the longest edge of your triangle. Along the short edge, trace a line 6 mm (1/4'') from the edge to create a fold line. The original pattern has a seam at center back but you want your yoke to be one, continuous piece.
Cut your yoke piece on those new lines:
On piece A, add a seam allowance 6 mm (1/4'') above the angled line and cut your piece on that new line. Your front/back piece is now ready to be cut in fabric!
Before cutting your fabric, add a double notch on the yoke and main piece, at about 1/3 of the seam. This will help you keep everything nice and straight when you assemble the garment.
Three pieces, ready to be cut, all on the fold of the fabric:
Very important: MARK CENTERS (fold) on all pieces. This mark will help align things when you pin and sew.

ASSEMBLY

You can skip this section if you have already made the Clara leggings and master the gusset application. If you did not want to sew these leggings because you were afraid of inserting a gusset, fear no more! These photos will walk you each step.
On the front piece, sew a guide seam 6 mm (1/4'') from edge and clip the curve up to the thread, but without cutting it:
Sew the gusset to one back edge (the edge where you see a double notch). The triangle notch on the gusset should point towards the inseam: 
Bring the other back edge, right sides together with the other long edge of the gusset. Pin the back to the gusset and the backs together above the gusset, matching the double notches, and stitch:
Topstitch the gusset seam allowance with a zigzag stitch. Then, pin the inseam, from one hem to the other, matching the center back seam with the gusset notch:
The clipping at center front will allow you to "unroll" the curve so it adapts to the shape of the back inseam edge. Start by sewing the section where you have a guide seam. Check on the right side to make sure you did not pinch your fabric. When you are happy with the way it looks, keep stitching from one hem to the other.
If you carefully stitch on the guide seam, it should not be visible on the right side when you are done:
Fold each waistband piece right sides together, pin and stitch across the end to form two loops:
Turn one of the waistband pieces right side out and insert it into the other one, matching seams and the half mark. Stitch along the top edge (edge without notches):
Stitch elastic ends together to form a loop and divide into fourths with pins.
Pin elastic on the SEAM ALLOWANCE, matching pins and sew with a zigzag stitch:
Bring the elastic towards one of the pieces and topstitch with zigzag, going through the fabric and elastic:
Bring waistband pieces wrong sides together and baste bottom edges together with a zigzag:

YOKE AND FINISHING

On the front/back piece, mark where the yoke starts:
Because the fabric we are using for the yoke is thinner we cut two pieces and join them, wrong sides together, with a zigzag to create a new, thicker yoke that will be more opaque:
At center back, on the legging piece, sew a guide seam 6 m (1/4'') from the edge, as shown below. Then, clip at center back without cutting the guide seam thread:
Pin yoke to the right side of the leggings, matching double notches start marks and centers. The clip at center back will help "open" the piece to match the yoke edge:
Stitch along the top edge, bring the yoke upwards and turn the garment wrong side out:
Insert the waistband into the leggings, the side without zigzag against the right side of the fabric, matching notches and centers and stitch. 
On the bottom photo, you can see the waistband, sewn and brought back upwards, in its "final" position:
All you need to do now is hem (fold to wrong side and topstitch with a zigzag and cover stitch) and you are done! Your Clara 2.0 are ready for a workout or cocooning :)
We want to thank FunkiFabrics for the printed spandex they provided for this tutorial.
Happy sewing!

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