Making Practical Pretty

Here in the northeast, we need warm clothes! Fleece is a must! I was thinking of some ways to prettify some basic fleece pants up a bit....and I love them!

I did learn a little lesson though.
I'd been planning on folding over the ruffle rather than sewing a hem, but then it was just too bulky, so I decided against it. What I didn't factor in was that this ruffle was now rather lengthy. As in, get totally and completely muddy, brown and gross the very first time you wear them outside after we got some snow kind of lengthy.
Ugh.
Lesson learned, or observed anyway. Much better with the right size ruffle!

I also did something I've never done in all my years of sewing pants...

It occurred to me that it would be way easier to add the ruffle this way, then sew up the seam from top to bottom. And it WAS! Normally I add the ruffle after the pants are already sewn together. Perhaps I am only just discovering what everyone else already knows!  =)

And now for some pretty polka dot rick rack...

The ends got stitched right into the seam- perfect!!  Now Isabelle has warm fleece pants that are practical and purty!

Linking up here today!