September 30, 2025 • Updated June 1, 2026

How to Make Baby and Toddler Leggings

What’s adorable and easy to sew in under an hour? These knit baby leggings! We can’t get over them. They are as easy to make as they are cute (and they’re really cute). Join Spoonflower friend and contributor Anda Corrie as she walks you through these DIY knit leggings, available in sizes 6 months – 5T. Save this free pattern and tutorial–you’ll definitely want to make more than one pair.

DIY-baby-hat-and-leggings-Spoonflower-edited

Baby and toddler legging fabric collection

Let’s make baby leggings! First, you want a stretchy fabric. I’m obsessed with Spoonflower’s Organic Cotton Knit—it’s super soft, a little thicker than many jersey knits and it makes awesome baby clothes. The free pattern has sizing for 6M to 5T. With one fat quarter, you can make a great pair for a newborn to 6 months. Get a yard of your favorite design to make sizes 2T-5T!

Free Baby And Toddler Legging Sewing Pattern

Materials to Make Baby Leggings

Leggings pattern
Organic Cotton Knit — one fat quarter for size 6 months, one yard for sizes 2T-5T
Matching thread
17.5” of ¾” wide elastic
Scissors
Pins or clips
Sewing machine

Steps to Make Baby and Toddler Leggings

https://www.youtube.com/embed/s9swm3WUMgw?feature=oembed

Step 1: Cut Out Your Pattern

Spoonflower - Knit Baby Leggings Pattern - LaidOut

Lay the fabric out and fold each end inwards. Pin the pattern piece in place along the fold and cut out our fabric. Repeat for the other side of the fabric.

Step 2: Cut Out Rectangles for Cuffs

SF Knit Baby Leggings Tutorial - Middle Section

From the remaining fabric in the center, cut two rectangles. The stretch of your fabric should be going across the width of your cuff and your rectangle should be 6.25” wide and 4” tall.

Step 3: Pin and Sew the Pieces Together

Open up the pattern pieces and place the right sides of the fabric together. The wider edge is the waistband. Pin from sides of waist to where the fabric makes a point. Sew together with a straight stitch and a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Step 4: Flip, Pin and Sew the Inseam

SF Knit Baby Leggings Pattern - Legs pinned

Next, open up the pants so the seams you’ve just sewn are now in the center instead of on the sides. They should resemble baby leggings at this point! Line up the legs as shown, pin and sew along the inseam.

Step 5: Stitch the Waistband

Turn leggings right side out. Fold about ¼ – ½” of the waistband over and straight stitch around the top.

Step 6: Add the Elastic

SF- Knit Baby Leggings Tutorial - Waistband creation

I like to stitch the elastic directly to the back of the leggings to keep it in place. After doing this, fold over about 1” of fabric around the elastic and stitch. Be careful not to catch the elastic as you go!

Step 7: Sew the Cuffs

Straight stitch along the short end of each 4″ x 6.25” rectangle, making two little tubes. Fold them in half and then put them over the bottom of each pant leg, with raw seams all together. You can also skip the cuffs and just finish the bottoms with a rolled hem!