So I made jeans. I surprise myself sometimes. It took me about a week or two to complete these once I cut out the denim. But the Saga of the Jeans is a much longer story.
About 15 years ago, I wanted to recreate pair of Gap jeans I loved. I drafted a pattern and then I proceeded to mock it up repeatedly over the years. I've made at least 3 pairs, two in muslin and one in a hideous red and white denim I got from a Mood sale. I got so close with the hideous red pair; they fit nicely, but before I could make the final tweaks and make them in a nice fabric, I gained weight, lost weight, gained weight, lost weight, and ultimately lost track of what I was doing (where were the most recent pattern pieces?) and generally got stuck.
About 15 years ago, I wanted to recreate pair of Gap jeans I loved. I drafted a pattern and then I proceeded to mock it up repeatedly over the years. I've made at least 3 pairs, two in muslin and one in a hideous red and white denim I got from a Mood sale. I got so close with the hideous red pair; they fit nicely, but before I could make the final tweaks and make them in a nice fabric, I gained weight, lost weight, gained weight, lost weight, and ultimately lost track of what I was doing (where were the most recent pattern pieces?) and generally got stuck.
A month or so ago I thought screw it: Morgan jeans is the closest pattern I know to what I want (mid-rise, nonstretch, relaxed leg), so I will just get it and make it. I made a muslin (size 10) in a week, and it fit really well. It was difficult to figure out the zipper, but it seemed to be okay in the muslin once done. Of course, Morgan comes with a button fly, and you have to look elsewhere for the zipper fly instructions.
So I went ahead with the denim. And I had trouble with the damned zipper. Even though I had already done the muslin, I still needed to watch tutorials over and over, and still I screwed it up three times. The zipper was never in the right place once it was sewn in on both sides (and topstiched, mind you).
I watched 3 main sewalongs: one for Ginger jeans, which shows a zipper fly construction that can be essentially "copy pasted" into the Morgan construction in place of the button fly. But it was not super clear, and it didn't work for me. There's another really nicely explained tutorial for a cut-on fly, and that should have worked, but it didn't. The third tutorial was a sewalong for the Morgans, which covers only the button fly but it was extremely well done and helpful on everything but the fly; I wish she would add an addendum with zipper fly instructions!
Finally, I just eyeballed where it should be once sewn in and winged it from there. A royal PIA. Why is it so fucking hard to explain?
Aside from wonky topstitching, especially along the fly, these turned out pretty well, and I'm pleased. They are very comfortable though a smidge tight in the knees of all places.
So I went ahead with the denim. And I had trouble with the damned zipper. Even though I had already done the muslin, I still needed to watch tutorials over and over, and still I screwed it up three times. The zipper was never in the right place once it was sewn in on both sides (and topstiched, mind you).
I watched 3 main sewalongs: one for Ginger jeans, which shows a zipper fly construction that can be essentially "copy pasted" into the Morgan construction in place of the button fly. But it was not super clear, and it didn't work for me. There's another really nicely explained tutorial for a cut-on fly, and that should have worked, but it didn't. The third tutorial was a sewalong for the Morgans, which covers only the button fly but it was extremely well done and helpful on everything but the fly; I wish she would add an addendum with zipper fly instructions!
Finally, I just eyeballed where it should be once sewn in and winged it from there. A royal PIA. Why is it so fucking hard to explain?
Aside from wonky topstitching, especially along the fly, these turned out pretty well, and I'm pleased. They are very comfortable though a smidge tight in the knees of all places.
Final Jeans. Not Too Bad.
One other thing that is kind of wonky is the back waistband. The original waistband fit well but it came up high on my back. Lots of pants do that on me. But my husband suggested the pants would look better with it lowered, so I did that after all the pieces were cut out (and basted on). I'm not sure how you'd do it for reals, but I just trimmed a scoop out of the waistband and facing. I probably went a little overboard.
Topstitching is okay in most places. Really a pain to have just one sewing machine. So midproject I went and got a used Pfaff. But it didn't end up helping on this project. It either doesn't handle topstitching thread or I haven't found the magic combination of tension settings.
Oh, and I handstitched that button hole. My machine wasn't having it. At all.
Oh, and I handstitched that button hole. My machine wasn't having it. At all.
Belt Loops?
Oh, yeah. PS, no belt loops.
I did cut them out and prep them for sewing, but as I was getting ready to sew, I realized it was going to be a shit show to sew them on. Is it my machine? Is it the topstitching thread? Is it the needle? I don't know but the needle struggles to go through that many thicknesses of fabric, the thread routinely breaks off in those areas, and the needle broke a few times (though sometimes that was because it hit the zipper). I use an expensive and regularly maintained Pfaff Ambition 1.5 (admittedly now discontinued), Gutermann thread, and a dedicated topstitching needle, so who knows?
I did cut them out and prep them for sewing, but as I was getting ready to sew, I realized it was going to be a shit show to sew them on. Is it my machine? Is it the topstitching thread? Is it the needle? I don't know but the needle struggles to go through that many thicknesses of fabric, the thread routinely breaks off in those areas, and the needle broke a few times (though sometimes that was because it hit the zipper). I use an expensive and regularly maintained Pfaff Ambition 1.5 (admittedly now discontinued), Gutermann thread, and a dedicated topstitching needle, so who knows?
Anywho, I never wear belts ever, so why add belt loops? Of course, I don't carry coins around in my pockets either, so. Hypocrisy!
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