As with the other Mini Patterns I’m so happy to be sharing with you a little more about Mini Virginia today! If you want to read about the development of Mini Tania click here and if you’d like to read more about Mini Briar click here.
These are a total wardrobe staple and both my girls absolutely live in them. If you have any questions let me know in the comments!
// Inspiration //
I believe in letting kids be active and comfortable. That’s really the idea behind these leggings. I think leggings are a fantastic foundation piece for a little girls wardrobe. I wanted to create a pattern that was not only cute and comfortable from a child’s perspective but also stylish and good value for parents.
// Development //
This was a fun pattern to develop with some interesting obstacles! One of the things i’ve loved about getting into kids patterns is the learning curve. With this pattern one of the things that took the longest to get right is the rise. The grade isn’t uniform like with women’s clothing. I spent a lot of time working with little girls and their mothers and found some interesting things. Older girls prefer a lower rise whereas in the very youngest size some toddlers are still wearing nappys / diapers so they need a higher rise to cover it. I love that now we’ve creating something that makes everyone happy.
Another thing i found really enjoyable was coming up with the different variations and knee patch templates. The cat knee patches and one of the other variations contain ideas from our pattern testers. This is one of the many reasons why i love the testing process – so many great ideas come out of it, and i feel like the end pattern is so much better after all the feedback and tweaks.
// Variation Potential //
There are so many ways to vary this pattern. There are 3 varitions: V1 is a simple legging with knee patches (4 included knee patch designs), V2 is a legging with separate waistband and cuffs, and V3 is a shortie for layering.
But that’s really not the end of it – these are basics that you can add on to! Some of our testers added lace and trims to the hemline, others added skirts to the waistband!
Personally one of my upcoming projects is a pair of swim shorties for Bunny! I can’t wait to share those!
// Fit //
These leggings are intended to be close fitting. They have negative ease (which means that flat they measure smaller than body size) which means that you must pay careful attention to the fabric requirements and use a fabric with at least 30% stretch. If you need some help calculating stretch percentage, then check out this post and download my free guide.
// Alterations //
Since these leggings are close fitting, if your child is between two sizes i always recommend sizing up and adjusting the waistband elastic to your childs preferences. This way they can grow into them!
If your child is tall i recommend making the next size up or simply extending the length at the ankle. If your child is short i recommend making the size that is closest to their waist and age, and then shortening the length at the ankle, or leaving as is and allowing them to grow into them.
// Styling //
These are so fun to style! The shorties are fantastic for wearing under skirts and dresses (my Bunny uses them under her school uniform!). The leggings are perfect for cold days and even as pajamas. I love the leggings paired with a Mini Briar sweater or tee, but they work equally well as a warm layer with a dress or skirt. I often use this pattern as a base for costumes i make for my kids!
// Thoughts //
So tell me what you think?! Do you love it as much as i do? The Mini Virginia is available now in store in both paper format and PDF format, and don’t forget to check out the#MNminivirginia tag on Instagram for inspiration from other sewers!
If you have any questions at all about this new pattern let me know in the comments!
[ SHOP MINI VIRGINIA SEWING PATTERN]
