Jalie exercise skirt 2796 with Fehr Trade Steeplechase leggings

I made these exercise clothes just before the weather got too hot here to wear an exercise skirt with inbuilt leggings and promptly forgot to write about them, but yesterday, when I got out my clothing for colder weather, these went into my wardrobe too, so I thought I'd give them a mention.

The outside skirt is the terrific Jalie running skirt, made to the length of the largest size, because I have middle aged legs.
However, although I've made several of these skirts (mostly for my daughters), I've never been content with the inner shorts.
Previous skirt here  .
I don't seem to have mentioned the three or four other skirts, but they exist!

 The included Jalie  shorts pattern is only one piece, with no outer seam, and quite frankly, for my build, they are incredibly uncomfortable for running. My daughters are not big fans of this particular exercise shorts pattern either. Having no outer leg seam gives a lot of work to both the centre body seam and the inner leg seam, neither of which are in places that cope well with severe pulling during vigorous activity.

Melissa's Steeplechase leggings to the rescue.
These leggings have no outer leg seam either, but they do have other seams, into which one can insert some backside room, and best of all, no inner leg seam, so no chafing!

I've raved  written about these leggings previously, at some length, so I won't repeat myself.
Just so you know, I don't use any other leggings patterns for running anymore.
I attached the leggings, with an appropriate amount of the upper edge removed, to the skirt using the instructions in the Jalie pattern. The waistband is from the Jalie pattern.

 

The main fabric is strechtex titanium, a technical knit, (sourced directly from the manufacturer, Stretchtex) and the contrast fabric is a knit supplex.
 The top is another of Melissa's patterns, the VNA top, previously mentioned here

No inseam! Steeplechase exercise leggings

I pattern test for Melissa at Fehr Trade.That's my disclaimer about these exercise bottoms, as my testing pattern was free to me.

A good thing about pattern testing, is that it makes you sew,. You might have noticed that there has been a long blogging pause here. I have sewn a bit over the past few months, but increasing time demands in my real life have led to blog writing neglect and also blog reading and commenting neglect. Thank you to the lovely people who sent blog-missing messages. I hope to post more regularly again now, things have calmed down elsewhere!

 Melissa has a 10% off coupon at her post about these. Excuse me for gushing, but her latest pattern is possibly my favourite yet (although I have a soft spot for the VNA top, more about the new ones later)
There is no inseam in these leggings.
Not only does this completely eliminate chafing (for me, in running, your mileage may vary), but there is very flattering curvy seaming everywhere else.
There are only minor fitting changes for these for my daughters (an XXS and an XS).
My main problem was working out how to draw attention to the very cool, curvy seaming.

One  pair has contrasting coverstitch (the pair in the top photo). This looks fine, but not sufficiently bold for my taste in exercise gear.

This pair has stretch knit "piping" (I just folded over the fabric, no cord) in red cotton knit with lycra, and I was so pleased with the effect that I made the next pair just the same, but with purple. I had to hand baste the crotch seam where the "piping" meets to have it line up nicely, but otherwise this was an easy addition to the pattern.

All of the pairs for daughters are taken in at the waist - for one daughter by actually doing some fitting changes, which were included in the pattern instructions, and for the other by just having a smaller elastic circumference at the waist.
I also made myself 2 pairs (S). My pair needed enlargement at the backside and taking in at the waist, but no surprises there, this is what I usually do for trousers - usually more painfully.
All the versions I made are at the capri length. There is a "biker" length above the knee, and a full length version also included in the pattern.
I used a heavy supplex woven called "Titanium" for all the leggings. I bought it at Stretchtex. I used a walking foot and a stretch needle in construction on my conventional machine, with a narrow 3 step zigzag.
Steeplechase Leggings

 This is a unique and interesting pattern,that was quick to sew, providing beautifully practical and, of their type,flattering garments, and making these has really fired up my sewing mojo. What more can you ask from a pattern?