I made leather knee-patch leggings for Gwen for Valentines, but I didn’t take pictures so I thought I’d quickly do another pair so I could share it with you all! I apologize for the bad pics; I started this project weeks ago and then got distracted by rearranging/painting my apartment so it’s all kind of last-minute, plus it’s really hard to take a picture of yourself ironing things!
Supplies:
• cotton leggings
• a scrap of suede (or leather) big enough for two knee patches
• iron-on adhesive that is suitable for use on suede
• a template for the patches (I used a cookie cutter)
• pen
• scissors
• masking tape
• iron & ironing board (not pictured, obviously)
Directions:
1. Wash and dry the leggings AND the suede scrap (yes, right in the machine, trust me it’ll be fine).
2. Following the directions on the iron-on adhesive, attach the adhesive to the back of the suede. For mine I placed the adhesive on the suede, paper-backing side up, and using an iron on medium heat, held it on the paper backing for about 3 seconds. Your adhesive may have different directions than mine so please follow them to ensure your project is a success.
3. Once the suede and adhesive have cooled, trace your template onto the paper backing of the adhesive and cut out you patches.
4. Peel the paper backing off the patches and place them on the leggings. Try to get them as even on the legs as possible at approximately baby knee-height. When you are happy with the placement, tape the patches in place with masking tape.
5. Flip the leggings over and iron the back of the legs where the patches are for about ten seconds (again, refer to the directions on your adhesive for guidance). Once the leggings have cooled, carefully (very carefully!) peel off the masking tape. Check to make sure the patches are securely ironed on; if there are any places where they aren’t attached properly, flip the leggings over and iron the back of those places.
6. Dress your baby up super cool in her (or his) fancy new leggings!
Tips:
The leather or suede will probably bleed dye when washed. For this reason I recommend washing it with old towels and NOT for example your brand new white t-shirt, and using a leather similar in colour to the leggings since it may continue to bleed dye on subsequent washes: the leather on Gwen’s heart-patch legging bled a tan colour onto the light grey of the leggings, which is why I used BLACK leggings for this second pair.
The iron-on adhesive I used is a no-sew adhesive, and it doesn’t seem to be 100% SUPER permanent. After I washed Gwen’s heart leggings I noticed the patches were peeling a tiny bit, so I re-ironed them and they were fine. But I mean, even if these don’t last forever, who cares? It’s not like your baby is going to fit into them for more than a few months anyway. They just grow up so fast (SOB)
Very cute, and very stylin’ : )