Serger Pepper Basic Leggings Pattern Review

I was lucky, this week, to get to try out a new (to me) sewing pattern for leggings. My two girls love leggings so this is a wardrobe staple for us. My oldest daughter, who is 11 but wears a size 12 or 14, told me that she needs new summer pajamas and asked me to make her some tank tops and short leggings.  How could I refuse!  So, I took my new pattern, Serger Pepper's Basic Leggings Pattern, and made the shorts you see above. 

Serger Pepper is owned by MamaNene (aka Irene) who is also a contributor to Sew McCool blog, along with me.  This is how we "met" each other, online. Irene is a very sweet and talented lady who lives in Italy with her five year old daughter and husband. She has a fun blog and writes a lot of great patterns. This is the first one I have tried but I will be back for more. She did give me the pattern for free but only as friends.  This pattern review is 100% honest. You can expect that from me!  

Serger Pepper Basic Leggings

The first thing I noticed about this pattern is that it is perfect for beginners, requires no hemming, and has size adjustments for long legs and has higher back waist.  These are all important considerations when making knit pants. The pattern comes in a WIDE range of sizes, from US size 3 (Euro 98) to US size 14 (euro 164) which makes it perfect for anyone who can read an English-language pattern. And it has seam allowances. (some Euro patterns do not)   The pictures are clear and the directions are simple to understand. There are lots of tips for making the process simple. You can use a serger or  you can not, the directions show you both ways. There is a pattern for making cuffs for your leggings. She also shows you how to lengthen the crotch if you need a longer waist.

Now, the pattern does not show you how to turn it into shorts but it is pretty simple. So, what I did is measure where I wanted the shorts to fall on my child, added an inch, and cut.  The inch became the seam allowance. Voila. Shorts.  My girls don't like to call them biker shorts (but between you and me, that is what they are).  They are great for summer pajama bottoms.  

My oldest does not like the feel of waistbands and loves a yoga waist so I altered the pattern a smidge to add the yoga waist band you see in the picture.  I use the Sew Mama Sew yoga skirt tutorial for directions on how to do it.

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This is a great pattern! I highly recommend you try it if you are in the market for a leggings pattern.  Please come back tomorrow to read an interview with Irene!!