Dirty Hems DIY! Leather Panel Leggings.

I have wanted a pair of leather paneled leggings for awhile now. And there are several beautiful options out there, but they are all a bit pricey for me at the moment. I love the above the knee panel look, especially with real leather because when worn with knee-high black boots it almost gives the OTK boot look for a lot less cash, y'know?

Anyway, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Above is the final result and below are instructions for you to make your very own with very very very little cost.



You will need (1) a pair of black leggings and (2) leather. Now, the best way to get your hands on some high-grade leather is to hit up a thrift store. I used an XL leather skirt I found at Goodwill for $6.99. You could also use old leather jackets or pants. Make sure the leather is soft and pliable.



Using a seam ripper, rip out the hems and side-seams to the mid-thigh of your leggings.



Cut the panels from your leather. Measure from where you want your panels to hit on the leg to where your leggings hit your ankles. Make sure to give yourself seam-allowances for the sewing! I added about 1/2 an inch on each side. I used a pair of my skinniest skinny jeans to help me get the right shape for the thigh area. I also measured around the front half of my calf to make sure the leather would be tight against my leg.



Cut the front lower part of your leggings. I just cut the front half away, didn't use any measurement on that part. Make sure the height of the cut matches your panels and don't forget seam allowances!



The fun part! Sew the panel to the leggings. This was a lot of trial-and-error for me. I sewed the panel onto the legging, put them on, re-sewed, put-them on, re-sewed, etc etc etc. I used a jersey ballpoint needle, which worked very well with the thin leather. A leather needle will tear the knit of the leggings. Use a longer stitch. If you have a serger, lucky you!



Once you get the panels sewn in and fit to your liking, hem the bottoms.



And voila! Mine are definitely not perfect but they do the trick! I've already worn them out once, with my flat buckle-wrapped Topshop boots, and I love the way they look:



Happy DIYing!