How to Make Leggings Tighter at the Ankle (DIY Tips)

Leggings are a great way to show off your personality and style. They are comfortable and versatile. So they can be worn on a wide variety of occasions.  There’s nothing like the feeling of a well-fitted legging, and it’s a great way to show off your personality and explore your style in a practical everyday context. But sometimes, the perfect legging just doesn’t exist.

Either they’re too short or too long, or they seem to shrink every time you wash them, leaving you with ill-fitting pants. Leggings should be tighter at the ankle to make them look more fitting and also complement your appearance. One common way to customize a pair of leggings is through the ankles and in this piece, you will learn about how to make leggings tighter at the ankle.

If you’re tired of your leggings bunching up around your ankles or slipping down your legs, then it might be time to tighten them at the ankle. This will help prevent bunching and keep your leggings from slipping down your legs while also giving them a more streamlined look. You can do this with a sewing machine or hand sewing. Here are some ways on how to make leggings tighter at the ankle. 

How to Make Leggings Tighter at the Ankle Using a Sewing Machine

It’s easy to think that leggings are a simple garment, but there can be a lot of variation in style and shape. From the length of the leggings to the thickness of the fabric, there are many ways in which a pair of leggings can be customized. 

All these customizations are towards one end, and the end is to make your leggings fit. If your leggings ankle are too loose, here are helpful guides to making your leggings tighter at the ankle (saving you money and time)

If you will be tightening your leggings ankle with a sewing machine, you can do the following:

1. Measure your legs

Measure your legs and if they are more comprehensive than average, make sure to get a bigger size of legging in order for it not to fit too tight on the waist.

2. Get an elastic band

Get an elastic band shorter than your leg width with some allowance for shrinking when you start sewing it onto your legging.

3. Insert the elastic band

Sew up some parts of the legging before inserting the elastic band into it so that it doesn’t come out from its place when you begin using them again and is less likely to be seen by others as well, especially because this process will leave behind a large stitch on them which may or may not be visible depending on their color and other factors like that.

4. Start sewing

Start sewing along one side of what will become your new legs until you reach where they need tightening; then sew across both edges simultaneously until all sides meet up back together again. This should leave enough room for any remaining excess material hanging off each side while still keeping things nice-looking on top with no bulges or clumps anywhere else either.  Just smooth lines everywhere else too. 

How to Make Leggings Tighter at the Ankle Using a Hand Sewing Machine

The sewing machine is not the only tool you can use to tighten your leggings. If you have no access to a sewing machine, you can also make it tight by using hand sewing. Making leggings tighter is easy once you know how to do it. Here are step-by-step guides for tightening your favorite pair of leggings at the ankle. 

1. Get the tools needed

You’ll need a couple of things to hem pants by hand. Find a thread that matches your leggings. A sewing needle and sharp scissors will also come in handy. If you don’t have any heavy-duty thread, you should be able to manage with regular thread; it might take a little longer.

2. Fold the fabrics

Once everything is gathered, fold the material up to the length you want your new leggings to be, and pin it firmly into place with one or two pins depending on how tight the fold is (the tighter, the more pins). Then cut away any excess fabric that is sticking out past the fold using your scissors and discard it or save it for another DIY project if you’re feeling thrifty.

3. Stitch with your needle

Now comes the fun part: stitching. Use your needle, or even better yet, use an old needle from an eyedropper or something similar. We’re not picky and begin making tiny stitches along the edge where you folded over your leggings’ ankles, so they stay nice. Also, you can secure the sewing after being cut off at their new length by following these simple steps below:

• Threading:  Pull both ends of thread through until they meet evenly in half length-wise before attaching one end securely onto what will become our first stitch
• Stitching:  Make sure that this first stitch goes through both layers (front/back); otherwise, when we pull tight, later on, everything will unravel quickly
• Unpicking: Turn both pieces of fabric with their respective threads hanging down from them towards each other like so: Insert the needle directly under where our last “stitch” was made, then carefully pull back through until there’s no slack left between them the layers. We’re done unpicking. 

Can I Make My Leggings Tighter at the Ankle Without Sewing?

Can I make my leggings tighter at the ankle without sewing? Absolutely yes. You can tighten your leggings at the ankle without sewing. There are ways to make your leggings tighter at the ankles without using a sewing machine or hand sewing. All you need is to pick up some simple rubber bands like the ones you’d use in another DIY project or tie your hair into pigtails when you were five years old. They’ll do the trick just as well here.

ALSO READ: Why Are My Leggings Itchy?

How to Make Your Leggings Tighter at the Ankle Without Sewing

1. Put on your leggings

First, put on a pair of leggings too loose around your ankles and stand tall with a confident stance.

2. Tie a rubber band around one ankle

Next, take one of those rubber bands and tie it tight around one ankle. Make sure that it’s pulled snug enough that there’s no extra fabric left hanging loosely (you don’t want any wrinkles) but not so tight that it pinches or hurts. Stand back up and test out how it feels.

3. Repeat the same step with the other ankle

If it feels okay, repeat this step with your other ankle but with a different elastic band. It doesn’t have to be the same color or size as before; that choice is totally up to you. 

Why Should You Make Leggings Tighter at the Ankle? 

It’s easy to think that leggings are a simple garment, but there can be a lot of variation in style and shape. From the length of the leggings to the thickness of the fabric, there are many ways in which a pair of leggings can be customized.

One common way to customize a pair of leggings is through the ankles. The ankles aren’t typically given much thought, but they play an essential role in how your leggings fit.

If you’re tired of your leggings bunching up around your ankles or slipping down your legs, then it might be time to tighten the ankle. This will help prevent bunching and keep your leggings from slipping down your legs while also giving them a more streamlined look.

How Should Leggings Fit at the Ankle?

Leggings should fit comfortably on your ankle. They’re form-fitting fitted, so they’re meant to hug your legs. They should be snug enough to stay up but still comfortable. They are definitely too tight if they’re cutting into your skin. Leggings that hit the ankle can be worn with boots or sneakers, giving a flattering look and allowing for a variety of looks depending on what footwear. 

Most leggings are full-length, which means that they cover your feet and ankles, but you can also find cropped leggings that end in various sizes. Ankle-length leggings, which come down to the ankle or just below it, are an excellent choice because they can be worn with sneakers and boots. If you have a pair of leggings that are too long, simply roll them up once (or twice) to create a cuff effect.

If your leggings are too loose around your ankles, it may mean they’re not fitted enough in general. In this case, you might consider buying a new pair instead of trying to fix them at home.

ALSO READ: Why Do Leggings Make Me Look Fat?

Conclusion

Now you know how to make leggings tighter at the ankle. If you’ve got some old or ill-fitting leggings and want to give them a new look, this is a great way to get some wear out of them without it costing you anything. Whether you do it yourself or take your leggings to a tailor, there’s no reason not to try it now that you know how easy this is.

Also, you can keep your leggings at their proper length, which is ankle-length, by hemming them. Hemming your leggings can be done with a sewing machine or by hand and should be done within a few minutes to ensure that they don’t fray. Determine how much of the fabric you want to trim off so you can sew them at the right length, then pin the fabric or cut the excess material off as needed.