The Search for the Perfect Leggings Pattern: ABB vs. Peg Legs

It seems every PDF pattern designer has a free leggings pattern, which makes you think, Tried one, tried ’em all.

Nope. That’s wrong.

The Peg Leg Gallery

 

Not all legging patterns are created equal.

Having tried a whole 2 leggings patterns by different designers, I have amassed the minimal amount of wisdom to draw this conclusion. Those patterns were the Anything But Basic Leggings (DIBY Club) and Peg Legs (Patterns for Pirates.) Here’s what I learned.

Differences in Construction

How many ways can there be to make a stupid pair of leggings? you might ask. Well, there’s at least two. Some of the differences are minor–such as hem length and seam allowance, and some are more substantial.

• The ABB Leggings are made using 4 pieces for the legs, which means you end up with outer side seams.
• Peg Legs only uses 2 pieces for the legs, so the inseam is the only seam you end up with on the legs. Not a big deal, unless you’re a seam-hater.

Extra Options

• The ABB Leggings are, ironically, pretty basic. They range in size from 00 to 20…and that’s about it.
• Peg Legs have high-rise and low-rise options. They also have a whole bunch of add-ons (via extra patterns, which are still free) including maternity, Side Panel, Color Blocked Side Panel, Side Panel Pocket, Waistband Pocket, Contoured Wasitband, and Gusset. There’s also a stirrup pant hack on the blog.

Differences in Fit

• The [ironic] basicness of the ABB Leggings means you end up with a pretty generic fit. Yes, you can grade between sizes, but unless you want to hack it on your own for a higher/lower rise (or any of the other add-ons that already exist for Peg Legs), then you’re going to get a pretty basic fit. I also haven’t been able to land on the right shape to keep my ABBs from creeping downward throughout the day.
• Peg Legs win it for me as far as fit goes. I love a low-rise waist; I find it more comfortable and flattering. Although it seems like it took more time for me to find the right shape with my Peg Legs, that’s probably a fallacy since I simply refused to re-draw my ABB pattern a million times or make a million different pairs until they stopped creeping south. I kept working at the Peg Legs until I found the right fit.

Pattern Instructions

• ABB instructions take the cake here thanks to a bunch of extra info on troubleshooting fit, plus more helpful markings on the pattern. The graphic designer in me appreciates the much cleaner design and visual hierarchy on DIBY Club instructions, too.
• On the Peg Legs, I found myself searching for markings on the pattern that noted where the high hip vs low hip was so I could better choose where I fell on the size chart. Alas, there be no markings like that, which is why I now have like 4 pairs of these things from searching for the right fit. I also hate almost everything about the design/layout/formatting/typesetting: their logo, the font choices, the big fat stroked boxes with the overlapping photo edges (yes, I’m nitpicking), no bullets/indents, underlining (*twitch*)…

In the end, fit wins.

My go-to leggings pattern is officially Peg Legs.